I have finally finished my journals after my 2 month adventure overseas. I spent a month on Skopelos in Greece, printmaking. I had the pleasure of learning from two talented Australian printmakers, David Frazer and Dianne Fogwell in two 10 day workshops. I have a very full journal from this, with lots of ideas and new printmaking processes. I then went to Spain for two weeks for an exploration of the very creative Spanish culture, artists and architects. I managed to fill another journal. Then I moved on to experience an Intrepid tour of Morocco. Another feast of beautiful decoration, ancient culture and beautiful landscapes. Another journal was filled. I have a lot of ideas and learnt a lot.
I have wanted to do a workshop with Dianne Fogwell since I saw her exhibition, Prescience, at the Geelong Gallery in 2022. I could not believe my luck when I discovered that Susan Baran had invited Dianne to teach a workshop in Skopelos a week after David Frazer’s workshop, which I was already booked to attend. I enrolled straight away. That led to a wonderful month on Skopelos.
The workshop was called Colour in Relief. Dianne showed us how she works through colour as she approaches and understands it. There are many ways to achieve colour in printmaking, and in the masterclass section of the workshop, Dianne took us through a journey of methods. We looked at the matrix, single and multiple blocks, reduction, stencil, applied colour and various techniques of application. Dianne also worked through ways of printing from the press to the table, covering ideas from both Western and Eastern approaches to colour and various methods of registration.
Dianne showed us the inks she uses in colour printing, along with other materials, and also how paper changes the relationship to the process and the image. I learnt a great deal over the 10-day workshop. Dianne was very knowledgeable, very open and creative. I created some test prints at the end of the workshop, but I really need to experiment a lot more to truly understand Dianne’s process. It has opened up a lot of possibilities for me.
I completed a 9 day wood engraving workshop run by David Frazer on Skopelos in September (see below for more about David). I had a fabulous time. David Frazer is a very knowledgeable teacher. He is gentle and easy-going going and yet manages to get students to grow and develop. I completed the three wood engravings below. Shown in chronological order. The first one, unfortunately, is back to front. I forgot to draw it back to front on the block. A rookie mistake. I learnt a lot as I worked.
Skopelos Island is a great place to stay with lots of beautiful beaches and warm, clear water. The food is great, as is the company (like-minded people in the workshop), and the weather is warm. There was 7 days of studio tuition, we knocked off at 2 pm. That left lots of time to explore the island after the workshop. There was a substantial morning tea/or light lunch. On the 2 days off or mid workshop break days; one of which is a sailing day with lunch, I got a chance to draw, engrave and literally keep up with the class. There was a welcome and farewell dinner to get to know the workshop people’s ‘extra people’ that they brought along. Skopelos Town is very quirky, beautiful, and the people are very friendly. I stayed for a month and absolutely loved it (I did another printmaking workshop after David’s I will tell you about in the next post).
David Frazer has held over 50 solo exhibitions in Australia, London and China. David Frazer has exhibited nationally and internationally, with over 50 solo exhibitions since 1996. Working in printmaking, David has conducted many workshops in Universities, TAFES, and Community printmaking studios around Australia (including Queenscliff Gallery). He now also runs an exclusive workshop from the island of Skopelos each year. He has been in several group and prize exhibitions throughout Australia, China, the UK, and Poland.
In 2007, the ABC produced a half-hour documentary on David as part of the Artist at Work series.
His work is represented throughout Australia and overseas, including the National Gallery of Australia, the Art Gallery of NSW, the National Gallery of Victoria, the National Library of Australia, the National Museum of China, the Royal Academy of Art in London, and most regional galleries in Australia. (Queenscliff Gallery)
David Frazer has held over 50 solo exhibitions in Australia, London and China.
David Frazer has exhibited nationally and internationally, with over 50 solo exhibitions since 1996. Working in printmaking, David has conducted many workshops in Universities, TAFES, and Community printmaking studios around Australia (including Queenscliff Gallery). He now also runs an exclusive workshop from the island of Skopelos each year. He has been in several group and prize exhibitions throughout Australia, China, the UK, and Poland.
In 2007, the ABC produced a half-hour documentary on David as part of the Artist at Work series.
His work is represented throughout Australia and overseas, including the National Gallery of Australia, the Art Gallery of NSW, the National Gallery of Victoria, the National Library of Australia, the National Museum of China, the Royal Academy of Art in London, and most regional galleries in Australia. (Queenscliff Gallery)
I am excited to have the opportunity to exhibit in Derby, Derbyshire in the UK. I am one of many printmakers in the International Print Exchange exhibition. I got my catalogue and prints in the mail yesterday. They are so beautifully presented and I am happy to say I made the first page of the catalogue. They sent some lovely prints. So very grateful to have the opportunity to own other printmakers’ work.
I have been in this exhibition before, but over 5 years ago before I got sick. So very excited to be able to do it again.
In August 2024 I exhibited in a group show with the South West Printmakers. The exhibition was themed ‘renewal’.
Renewal – an instance of resuming something after an interruption.
I focused on this meaning of renewal with my artist book, Our Blackbird Family. When I underwent chemotherapy and radiation for my Stage 4 lung cancer, I suffered badly from “chemo fog.” I could not think clearly, work out how to make things, develop ideas, or compose complex drawings. I was scared for a while that it would be permanent.
Artist books became one of the tools I used to get my brain working again; the other was embroidery. These activities helped me regain my confidence. I had to think about the story, the images, the structure of the book, and then create it. I completed bookbinding tutorials online and made dummy books to practice.
Time is also a factor. The binding method I chose for this book, the Blizzard Fold, is a technique I tried a year ago and could not figure out. This year, I completed it. Using this technique for this book is a celebration for me that my brain is getting better.
When I was told I was terminal during COVID my world became my family and home. So I looked close to home for the idea. The book’s subject matter is inspired by the blackbird family that comes back each year to rear their babies under the eaves of our outdoor room. It has given our family immense pleasure to watch the babies emerge from their shells, grow up, and leave the nest—just like my children are doing.
Artist Book: Our Blackbird Family
Illustrated Linocuts on Archers Paper with Blizzard Fold.
I have been creating an artist book about the Blackbird Family that shares our house. They have babies every year. Watching the eggs hatch and the babies grow has been a delight for our family.
I am nearly finished. The 13 lino images have been cut and printed. Now I need to bind them. I will use the Blizzard Binding method to create 3 artists’ books. I have also created three box sets. I will show you the finished product when completed.
I am back! After a two-year break. I have been battling stage 4 Lung Cancer and bone cancer. The treatments made my head foggy and it was hard to create anything worthwhile for a long time. I am happy to say I am back in the studio, enjoying myself greatly and creating again. Here is my first print off the press this year.
This print is of the Garden Manager House in the Warrnambool Botanical Gardens. I was renting this house when I met my husband. So it has personal significance for our family.
Here is my print in the above exhibition. It is a great exhibition with eleven South West Printmakers involved. The exhibition has a range of work, covering different printmaking techniques, and varied responses on what trees mean to the artist.
These Moreton Bay Fig trees my children played in when they were small. They had endless hours of fun in them and found some great treasures like Cicada shells. The Warrnambool Botanical Gardens, where they are situated, is a lovely, peaceful place.
I have been experimenting with printing on to feathers I find on the ground when I go for walks. It is a beautiful medium to print on. I will frame them between two pieces of glass with no backing so they look like the are floating.
My work has been exhibited from the 23rd to the 30th of January 2021 in a group wildlife show at the Ralph Illidge Sanctuary, Victoria, Australia. It is an exhibition to raise funds to keep the great work going that is happening at the sanctuary. Here is one of my prints in the show. It is a Powerful Owl. I also exhibited New Holland Honeyeaters, Rainbow Lorikeet, and a Wattlebird coloured linocut prints.
Ralph Illidge, a photographer from Warrnambool, acquired the 40ha property, now named after him in 1958. In 1975, to make sure that the property remained in its natural state, he donated the property (Bimbimbi, which is Aboriginal for “place of many birds”) to the former Victorian Conservation Trust (now Trust for Nature).
Ralph Illidge passed away on 11 April 1975. It is the hope of the Trust that, through this Sanctuary, visitors will come to understand the foresight of the man who made it possible. Ralph Illidge Sanctuary contains, in addition to the native flora of the area, such rare wildlife species as the Long-nosed Potoroo, the Powerful Owl, the Rufous Bristlebird, and the White Goshawk. The Trust acquired a further 51 hectares (north of the Warrnambool-Cobden Road) in June 1987 which was added to the Sanctuary. The funds were raised by the Warrnambool Nature Reserves Society with contributions from foundations and the State Government.
The Illidge home was destroyed Ash Wednesday 1983. The Sanctuary was severely burnt during the Ash Wednesday bushfires of 1983. The fire demolished the original house and outbuildings and severely damaged the native bush and vegetation. As we see now, the forest regenerated and again became a sanctuary for wildlife.
