I'm very pleased to be part of an exciting new collective of printmakers who all make our work in Dundee. The mutual support of everyone at the workshop, opinions, advice and general cameraderie have been invaluable over the years so now its nice to look forward to showing work together as well as making it alongside each other.
A selection of work ranging across paintings, drawings and prints is currently on display at SNH Battleby and open to the public. To avoid disappointment please telephone in advance to ensure your visit doesn't coincide with any large conferences which may make viewing difficult. https://www.facebook.com/ScottishNaturalHeritage
During the spring I had the pleasure of working on illustrations for two very different books, 'The Dumb House' by John Burnside and 'A Portable Shelter' by Kirsty Logan.
'The Dumb House' published by Penguin Random House in their Vintage Classics collection tells the dark story of obsession with the nature of language, exploitation and revenge.
Meanwhile 'A Portable Shelter' is a collection of short stories which take the reader through a seemingly timeless world somewhere between dream, fairytale and contemporary life. It required the creation of a number of related works for chapter headings and a vintage style cover printed in black and silver foil onto hardback binding, published by ASLS.
All of the artwork was created using linocut printmaking, using half tones in black and white for 'A Portable Shelter' (this effect is achieved by stripping some ink from the block with a sheet of newsprint before printing). For 'The Dumb House' I opted to use two blocks with a black and white 'key' and also a colour block which could be inked up in sections.
Both are released this month and I've just received my eagerly awaited copies so now its time to actually read the full text! '
Here is a little preview of some of the works I will be showing at the Rendezvous Gallery in Aberdeen from 7th March 2015. Based on the walk between the homes of my parents and granny on the Isle of Skyethey are a series of places which hold a special resonance for me. http://new.rendezvous-gallery.co.uk//
