In March 2021 I entered the Letchworth Open Dekkle Prize. The prize was run by the Dekkle Fine Art Atelier and Printmaking Studio, based in Baldock in association with The Letchworth Open at Broadway Gallery. I was delighted when I won the Artist Prize.
The prize gave me the opportunity to learn how to etch, something I’d been wanting to learn and use for a while. Etching has always intrigued me, I love the drama between line, tone and that richness you can achieve, as well as just being fascinated by the process – it was a perfect fit for me developing my ideas and going on a different journey with my drawing.
With thanks to David Borrington at Dekkle Fine Art, for his knowledge sharing and teaching expertise. I have now used soft and hard ground and am moving on to aquatint. It’s been an interesting experience and I’ve been surprised how, with soft ground, you can create so many subtleties and varieties of mark.
I have well and truly been bitten (no pun intended) by the etching bug. I initial worked with drypoint for the process’ ability to mimic etching without the use of chemicals or using specialist equipment - it was my dry run for etching. I have only just scratched the surface with the technique but the analysis, the ‘how did they achieve that’ inquiring mind in me has been at work continuously.
My first successful etching, or at least the one I’m happy to share after a couple of false starts, is based on my ‘Parklife’ drawing series.
And when I recently saw the Paula Rego exhibition at the Tate Britain, a fantastic show. I was in awe of all the work, but especially taken by the dark nursery rhymes, a series of etchings and aquatints, these were brilliant. But then, so were her pastels, paintings and drawings – in all a very moving and thought-provoking exhibition of excellently executed work.
And to finish on another etching note. In December 2019 I visited the Centro José Guerrero in Granada. A wonderful gallery right in the heart of the city, next to Granada’s cathedral and Alcaiceria market, that shows contemporary art. Here I discovered two artists, José Guerrero and Esteban Vicente. In amongst their colourful paintings were some dark and dramatic etchings - so rich and velvety. More to analyse. And the view across the roof tops of Granada from the top floor gallery window was breath-taking and is something to return to, possible with etching.
‘Veronika’, the woodcut print that I entered in the competition
‘Parklife’ my first etched copper plate etching, printed on Somerset 300gsm paper
Views across the rooftops of Granda from the top floor of the Centro José Guerrero