It started earlier in the year as an idea with drawings for another exhibition and print ideas based on poetry about the antics of seagulls being observed on the beach. Sojourns to Soldiers Beach with the camera saw a lot of varied images come to life around the foreshore and rock pools. These became the original impetus . I loved the changes in colour of the sea, the birds and the rock pools and sand at different times of the day. The antics of the gulls also suggested that add where something was thrown into the air and they all chase it saying "pick me, pick me". As a printmaker this was to be a challenge and how best to create such a work having never done anything like this before.
The first step, work out a theme - create the prints which ended up being both unique state - with very different colour tones and vibrancy and different material in each. One about playing the other pick me scenario.
From that the eventual idea for Birds at Play came - mapping the image on cloth was done so it could be positioned. Creating layers of colour one atop the other with fabric paint and creating texture. Once that was done then it was creating a series of hand drawn stencils onto cartridge paper and then handprinting the birds into position and after days of that and drying coming back in with details and fabric paint of different colours to create the features.
It was without a doubt a fun journey and it will be exciting to see the finished work and unframed prints up on display art Art Systems at Wickham as it opens on Friday night 6-8 p.m. 21st October.
This unique art work is for sale as are the unframed prints. This is a special exhibition with the Newcastle Printmakers Workshop as part of the Year of Printmaking Celebrations.