New drypoint and Barbara Rae

One of the really great things about being in Cambridge during the week is being able to take advantage of all the events that happen here.  There is a never ending list of films, concerts and galleries to see, so many that it's hard to choose!  Friday evening I attended a talk by Barbara Rae at Trinity Hall.  I have loved her paintings for years and have an old catalogue from the early 80's, so it was a real privilege to listen to her talk about her work in such down to earth and amusing way.  It's so important to see her work up close as she uses a lot of collage and textures.

I am beginning to think I might try painting with acrylic again!

Barbara Rae - Red Terraces Collioure  - 152 cm x 152 cm

I spent all day on Thursday working on a new drypoint and below is the first print.  I have been looking at some botanical drawings by Stella Ross Craig, an illustrator of flora whose masterly drawings of British plants took 26 years to complete.  I really enjoyed drawing this cowslip, although the leaves are too dark in places, so now I have to fix that!

Cowslip and Bees 6" x 8" Drypoint in progress

Vermeer and Bridget Riley, drypoint progress and Bumble bee drawings.

Bridget Riley,  Rose Rose 5   oil on linen,
94.6 x 78.3 cm

I can't believe that I forgot to mention my visit last Saturday to Kettles Yard and the Fitzwilliam Museum.  If you find yourself in Cambridge, be sure to visit Kettles Yard.  It is such a beautiful place with so many interesting drawings and paintings.  You can read about it's origins here

What an amazing contrast these two exhibitions were.  Bridget Riley's paintings and then a few Vermeers.  Both perfect in different ways.  I just couldn't get over The Lacemaker.  Seeing it closeup was a privilege.  You can see why his paintings stands out.  The coloured threads hanging from the cushion were almost abstract in their handling.  Amazing. 

Below are some of my less than amazing drawings, and the drypoints I have been working on!

I am learning so much and strangely enough enjoying drawing directly onto the plate.  It's like magic when you finally get to print.

Minding my p's and q's

I had a lovely experience yesterday.  One of the third year MA students gave me and another first year an informal typesetting lesson.  I have always wanted to learn how to do this and our University has a whole room full of different types which is a wonderful resource and I would like to make use of it.

Forming the words, in mirror image form on a composing stick.

Leading that creates the spaces above and below the type.

A galley on which the type is slid to store or transfer onto the stone.

I just love all the old labels on this cabinet.

The letters are now on the stone.

A chaser (the metal frame) is placed on the stone and the letters are surrounded by 'furniture' to block in the letters and then a quoin key is used to lock everything together.

A gentle tap with a mallet to ensure all letters are level.

By locking the letters in you can safely transfer it all to the press ready for inking.

Voila!!

Bumble Bees

I am afraid my Ducky etching took a turn for the worse and will need more time than I have at the moment to fix! So I decided to work on some teeny tiny dry points and here are the results. I get so little time to etch and I just didn't want my last two sessions to be spent burnishing and scratching out my mistakes on Ducky.

Sitta carolinensis - White breasted Nuthatch

Nuthatch and the Bumblebee iv
12 x 16 Oil/Linen panel

Here is another painting that I started in the UK and finished here. I love the idea of expanding the simple bird portraits into the landscape....

I have a cold. I am not pleased! I managed to escape all kinds of bugs when I was toing and froing to the hospital all through the British winter and now I return to New Mexico to the sunshine and I get a cold... very annoying!!

Another lovely little bird...

The Nuthatch and the Bumblebee

10 x 12 Oil/Panel

I just so enjoyed painting this lovely little white breasted nuthatch. We have many in our garden, but I used a photo taken by Neil (Portlvr) on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/27728208@N06/

Thank you Neil.

Getting There....!

The Wren, The Nest and The Bumblebee
9 x 15 Oil/linen panel

I am gradually getting all my deadline pieces finished. I will be so glad. Then I can get on with lots of other new pieces. The colours here in New Mexico are glorious and I have started painting the cottonwoods again. Just love them.