Back in September I was thrilled to hear that I had two prints accepted for Pushing Print 2013. The process of getting the prints to the Margate show was made simple by the the art transport service organised with Embassy Tea Gallery. Thank you to all who came up with that plan, especially Lucy Bainbridge.
Being up North(ish) and having commitments and stuff I couldn't make the PV on Friday 4th (sounded like a good do though) but did make it down for the events on Saturday 5th October with good friends who live a little closer and ooh was it worth it.
The two shows at the Pie Factory Gallery and Margate Gallery are truly wonderful and tell a fine story of how artists are properly pushing print at this time. The shows, featuring 93 artists, are put together really well, those in charge of hanging have done an amazing job. Easily worth travelling to Margate just for this alone but there was more.
The Market Square was alive with printmaking. A road roller going back and forth pressing big monoprints done by artists of all ages. Hugh Ribbans huge linocut tiger was printed and drying. Marble printing was going on too, excited queues were forming, leaves falling off the trees were being used on the prints. There was such a buzz and all of it about printmaking.
We finished the day with Nick Morley at Hello Print Studio and Nick was wonderful with the younger members of our party as he guided them through relief printing on paper and tea towels, and screen printing on bags. We needed those bags to carry all the goodies we had collected, including the festival's own Newspaper. This was my first visit to Margate and it was nigh on a perfect day for a printmaker like me. I will be back.
Massive thanks to all in the Pushing Print team, you are doing great things. Wish I could be there for the rest of the programme of events!
Massive thanks to all in the Pushing Print team, you are doing great things. Wish I could be there for the rest of the programme of events!