Saturday 16 March 2013

Venice Residency

I was recently fortunate enough to take part in the first Winter Residency programme at the Scuola Internationale de Grafica in Venice, returning in January. It was a fantasic experience, and I feel I really gained a lot by doing it. Artists came from all over the world to take part- from the USA, Canada,and the UK. The Scuola is an excellent centre for Printmaking and Book Arts,with a well equipped print room, a studio (and separate accomodation) for resident artists, and lovely friendly, helpful staff. They are currently looking for more illustrators to take part in the year-round residencies (please see their website for further details if interested).
Whilst there I did some copper plate etchings, and started doing collographs again (in a slightly more experimental way, having watched a workshop).I also started a piece on wood...
The work that I started there is ongoing, and I am currently working on more etchings and collographs based on the trip,alongside my new commission- even though I may not have finished as many plates as I hoped to while there! I hope to do some more imaginative pieces combining my memories of the city, and stories of its past.
 I think that the inspiration and ideas I gained there will influence my work for a long time to come...
This is one finished plate; a copperplate etching with aquatint, showing the view from the back studio of the Scuola.  I didn't work by this window, (another artist did) but I went to visit it to see the view often!
Below are some sketches that I did there, when the weather was good...(I thought I had better make the most of it, while I could)








This post will be added to soon, with further work from and inspired by Venice.