Stewart Island Print Gang

After getting a taste of printmaking at last years SciArt open print workshop weekend some participants asked me back to run a four day, small group workshop. Megan Cowley (Stewart Island Gallery and Gift Shop:  www.facebook.com/StewartIslandGiftShop/?fref=ts )  volunteered her services as technician and Karen was the treasurer which was all invaluable as printmaking requires a lot of 'stuff' and organisation in the buildup to the decisive moment that the print goes through the press. Thank you so much - we made a great team! Megan even made a special trip to Fine Art Papers in Christchurch to get good printing papers. (Just have to do a little plug for these FAP- they have served artists well for years) http://fineartpapers.co.nz/

Morning view from Shona's house - luxury accommodation #1

At the entrance of Pip's
house Port of Call,
 luxury accommodation #2.

Participants didn't just draw and print. They each focused on self selected projects and collected research which was 'played with' and considered before being made into plates. We then wrote poems, did visualisations and asked ourselves questions - all of which supported the visual art making and helped define choices. A wide variety of plates were made - dry point etching, gelli prints, solar plate (relief and intaglio) and off set printing from a flat of colour. Jill even had some old photographically etched zinc plates from movie advertisements which we printed off for fun.

Creative poetry/thought writing sample

One of Jill's zinc plates
 Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Then came the printing. The clever adaptation of using clothes drying racks as paper flashers nearly kept up with production. Paper and fabric was printed - Jill even produced a gorgeous cushion cover and Shona bound a book.

Our Print Hub - we overtook the Bowling Pavilion.

Drying rack

Coptic bound recipe book.

Megan wiping up an intaglio print

Stretching inks

Busy at the coal face

Sue's printed ferns. Plate made by placing and exposing 4 types
of ferns directly on pre -aquatinted solar plate.

Shona's eel traps

Prints which will later be collaged into different art works.

Sophie joined us for one day - overprinting maps

Detail of Megan's prints (embossed fern in background)
 showing bravery for cutting up and rearranging - great risk taking

Karen's prints for a special dog

On the last afternoon locals were invited along to have a look-what an amazing buzz was going down. The only unfortunate thing is that I was too busy to take as many photos of the work as I would have liked but that just means I have to go back!

Ulva - maps and sketches of Ulva Island

Visitors admiring Pip's prints. These were laid out on
the 'deciding' table where we thought about what
 to collage together

Jill's work - prints of family wedding photos

Aside from the welcoming people, birds, place, accomodation, sea, ferry journey, printmaking  (I could go on) there is another reason I love to visit Rakiura Stewart Island. This small, jam packed interesting museum has big plans for expansion. I Bev assisted me in looking at the Lockerbie collection which contained a beautiful piece of Kokowai (translation: red water) which Maori used for personal adornment and to decorate  artifacts.  I was also fascinated to learn about the tin mining at Port Pegasus - sounds like a future destination via http://www.auroracharters.co.nz/Trips/Port-Pegasus.asp

Kokowai Red Ochre

http://www.rakiuramuseum.co.nz/  I would love art to become a way to help the fundraisers reach the required financial goal...ideas are mulling - send me yours if you have one!Maybe the print gang could set up for a weekend and a limited edition print gets printed by many hands and then sold?

telephone exchange