'Annie & Butch'

The outdoor screenings at Somerset House are here & I was invited back by Print Club London to contribute artwork for one of my all time favourite films, Annie Hall.  It was almost too perfect an opportunity.. and how to visually compress such epic'ness in just two colours?  Pah.  

Instead of going for the obvious route I dallied with for 'Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid' last summer, I chose a subtler approach.  With a plethora of quotes from which to pick, it was his comment on his childhood home that sealed the deal..

"My analyst says I exaggerate my childhood memories, but I swear I was brought up underneath the roller coaster in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn. Maybe that accounts for my personality, which is a little nervous, I think. You know, I have a hyperactive imagination. My mind tends to jump around a little, and uh I I I have some trouble between fantasy and reality. My father ran the bumper car concession. Th-there he is, and there I am. Right. I I used to get my aggression out through those cars all the time. I remember the staff at our public school. You know, we had a saying, uh but.. Those who can't do, teach and those who can't teach, teach gym."

Annie & Butch are available to purchase here..

The 'Corita' effect..

The art class pictures of Francis Elizabeth Kent, aka Sister Corita & her fellow 'Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary', have always fascinated me.  Part of my pleasure is gleaned from their seemingly laid back attitude to printing in a visually formal environment, impeccably attired in their habits.  Such spirit resonates from these images.  They popped to mind regularly whilst enjoying the meandering nature of creativity & random conversation at last weekends 'photoshop by hand' workshops. They took place in the former board rooms of Yorkshire brewery Tetleys Head Quarters in Hunslet, Leeds, now home of contemporary gallery space, The Tetley.

And as Lydia Burgess commented.. who needs Photoshop...?!

'Photoshop by hand', The Tetley.

This weekend sees me travelling up the road to lurverly Leeds.  Firm faves Nousvous are the current artists in residence at The Tetley.  They've transformed the space in to a 'live' / work exhibition, taking their daily practice with them for you all to observe.  Ever the communicators of interactive, creative play for all, they've written a programme of performances & workshops which can be viewed here.

'Photoshop by Hand' is my sérigraphic contribution to their residence.  I will be exploring a technique called intercutting, where shapes are cut out of layered silkscreened prints, which are then swapped and re-fitted perfectly back into its new print.  Got it?  If not places are still available for Sundays workshop, bookings via here.

'Corner Magazine & Nancy Alsop'

Nancy Alsop, Editor of online publication Corner Magazine popped to the studios a few weeks ago. Before we came up for air, a good few hours had passed.. Click here to read the full article .. Thank you Nancy, ; )