The Mathematicians

Here's a peek at the latest prints currently being exhibited at the Bonhoga gallery as part of their Sprickle an’ Peester Christmas show. Co:lab were delighted to be asked to contribute and set about producing two pieces of work each to our own loose theme of "two".
I decided to explore the lives of two French mathematicians and tell their stories in two colours.
As is my want these days I tried a few variations with the colours and particularly like the results from using the same semi-transparent blue for both layer.
The show runs until 23rd December 2010.

Tanngnjostur og Tanngrisnir

My Co:Lab cohorts and I were recently asked if we'd like to submit work for this year's Christmas exhibition at the North Rock Gallery. We were, of course, more than happy to take on the challenge and we each set about interpreting their Yule time theme.
Although briefly tempted to tackle the story of the Yule Cat, it was the Julbocken or Yule Goat that, in my research, excited me most. Generally represented in straw bound in red ribbon, the Yule Goat is a strikingly simple and beautiful sight and would lend itself well to screenprinting.
However, as I explored the history, I was increasingly intrigued by it's links with the legend of the Norse God Thor who rode through the skies in a chariot drawn by two goat, Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr (teeth-barer and teeth grinder). At the end of each night Thor would slaughter and feast on his goats only to resurrect them with his mystical hammer the next day and set out anew. I was struck by and sympathised with the curious daily routine these goats would endure and the loyalty they seemingly showed their master.
In my illustration I was most keen to capture that sense of burden these goats carry and contrast it with the spritely enthusiasm of them as newly born kids. I've taken a few liberties in my interpretation of this but it seems fairer on the goats to allow the scene to be reimagined in new ways.
The text in the composition, with the help of google, translates from the Icelandic as "born again with each new dawn"

Bonhoga Open Exhibition: Portrait

Themed for the first time, the Bonhoga Gallery Open Exhibition this year filled their halls with portraiture. Photography, painting, sculpture, jewellery and print all featured and there was an impressive turn out for tonight's opening (though, disappointingly, many of the prize winners were conspicuous by their absence).
Here's my entry. It is composed from three different five colour screenprints torn and pasted together.

Exeter Poetry Festival 2010

A wee peep at the brochure, programme and a promotional postcard for the Exeter Poetry Festival.
Check out their web page www.exeterpoetryfestival.com for more information.

Telephone, telephone so much

Another co:lab project for you all. This one was produced during the two week residency of the pop-up shop down at the Toll Clock shopping centre. The theme this time around was red and blue with the criteria being that we use red and blue only and the artwork fits to A6. Here is my effort. I can explain the thinking behind it if anyone cares to ask!

Co:lab down the pop-up shop

The co:lab kids would like to thank everyone who came down the pop-up shop, hung out, chatted and bought prints. We've had a lot of fun seeing you all over the last two weeks. Big thanks also to Karen Bruce without whom the shop never would've happened and all the folk involved with Vunk Fest. Looking forward to the big weekend in July!

Two Ply Gin

Co:lab have once again been at the printing ink. Our latest project is 3-fold and explores the rich seam of interpretation inherent in our alphabet. 26 individual characters being reproduced in countless variations the world over.
In presenting our take on our favourite graphemes we not only show the alphabet in its natural order but also put them to practical use in the context of 3 very different pangrams. Additionally each co:labber has chosen their favourite letter to BIG up.



I experimented extensively before reaching a style I was happy with and felt would carry through from A to Z with relative ease. The technique involved great reams of toilet paper, lots of water, ink and a big fat brush. In selecting a pangram I decided to search outwith my native tongue and found two potent and very different samples. One Danish and one Portuguese. I went with the Portuguese pangram "Um pequeno jabuti xereta viu dez cegonhas felizes" which as it turned out didn't feature all 26 letters as the Portugese alphabet isn't exactly as it is in the UK. This left me missing w,y and k – a problem I navigated with the naming of my jabuti "Wakiya".



Curiously, despite the Portuguese pangram, the three pieces look particularly eastern. Largely I guess thanks to the method I used to create the letters but also how well they work reading top to bottom as opposed to our convention of left to right.

There were only twelve of each of these printed and we launched them two weeks ago with the opening of the temporary Vunk Fest pop-up shop. Sales of this and other prints were encouraging and I'm pleased to say that my pangram is now completely sold out. Thanks to everyone who bought a copy of this and/or any of my other print. It's much appreciated and I hope you enjoy having them in your home!