4 Ateliers

Header 4 Ateliers low res

4 Ateliers:  Graveurs Ambulants/Printmakers on the Move
October 21 to November 17, 2018
Chapel Gallery, ARTsPLACE, Annapolis Royal, NS

4 Ateliers is collaborative travelling print exhibition featuring original prints by more than 40 artists from the four artist-run printmaking workshops in Western Nova Scotia.  This will be the second stop for 4 Ateliers, a travelling exhibit – one in each communities of contributing printshops. As well as hosting the show, Elephant Grass Printmakers, the local participating printmaking collective, invite the public to try their hand at printmaking during open studio days on November 3rd and 4th , EGPC print studio, 30 School Street, Parker’s Cove.

The exhibition brings original contemporary art to the Western Nova Scotian communities where each of the workshops is located – Yarmouth, Annapolis Royal, Mahone Bay and Church Point – reinforcing the fact that printmaking is alive and well in this region.

Presenting the works in four different locations offers a greater number of people a valuable opportunity to see the work of local printmakers in context of a broader printmaking community and experience firsthand printmaking as an original avenue of creative expression. Printmaking is by nature an accessible art form due to its contemporary relevance, portability and relative affordability.

It is hoped that our exhibition will increase public understanding of the rich history of printmaking in the region and inspire other artists to explore its possibilities as a part of their own art-making practice.

The four contributing printshops are Elephant Grass Printmakers (Parker’s Cove), La Manivelle (Church Point), Mahone Bay Printmakers (Mahone Bay) and TH’YARC (Yarmouth).

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Take a risk – Reduction Print Workshop in April!

reductionWORKSHOP 72dpiReduction Lino Block Workshop with Laura MacDonald of Deep Hollow Print

April 7 Saturday to April 8 Sunday 10am to 4pm

$150 EGPC members, $160 non-members

Materials fee: $10 (includes lino block, inks, paper) payable to Laura

Reduction method is a printmaking technique when a multicolored print is made with the use of a single block, cutting away more and more of the image in between the printing of each colour/layer. Each layer necessarily fits inside the layer before it. The block is destroyed in the process and a true reprint can never be done.

In this 2-day workshop, you will learn the process of conceiving and executing a reduction print, and make your own on a tabletop Nolan proof press. Using mounted lino blocks, you will carve a two-layer reduction image. We will print them on scored cardstock so that you will have a 5×7 greeting card at the end.

Each workshop participant should bring their own lino-carving tool. 4×6″ type high linoblock and paper will be provided for $10 payable to the instructor. Type high lino blocks may also be printed by hand, on an etching press or on letterpress.

About Laura

Laura MacDonald is the owner/operator of Deep Hollow Print, an award-winning letterpress print shop in Kentville, NS. Laura learned the art of letterpress printing during her time at Gaspereau Press in Kentville, Nova Scotia and Hatch Show Print in Nashville, Tennessee. She prints on a 1930s-era Vandercook No. 3 cylinder press using antique wood type and original carved linoblocks. Deep Hollow Print specializes in gig posters, but is able to take on a range of custom letterpress orders, as well as digital graphic design work. See more of Laura’s work at www.deephollowprint.com

Advance Registration required as space is limited.

How to Register: use the contact form below

Fees payable at time of registration by etransfer or cheque payable to Elephant Grass print Collective

Location: Elephant Grass print Collective, 30 School Street, Parker’s Cove, NS

 

Air, air, everywhere

Once again Elephant Grass Printmakers presents a brand new portfolio of 8 hand pulled prints for sale.  Keeping with our theme of the four Elements, Air took prominence for 2017’s. Seven Members along with Bob Hainstock, a long standing NS printmaker and painter and our guest artist, used a broad selection of printmaking techniques to create this delightful visual interpretation.

The sets sell for $125 for all 8 prints and will be for sale on our table at Annapolis Royal Farmers Christmas Market, Sat. Dec. 2, or purchase your set directly on our website. Christmas Special, buy both the Air and Water box set for $225 and double the joy. As long as supplies last! To take advantage of the Christmas Special, contact us by email so we can provide you with the discount.

Shela Breau
Sally O’Grady
Katie Prescott

Fall Workshops, Workshops , workshop

Reduction Lino Block Workshop with Laura MacDonald of Deep Hollow Print

Nov. 4 and Nov. 5, 2Reduction workshop header copy017 10am to 4pm

Reduction method is a printmaking technique when a multicolored print is made with the use of a single block, cutting away more and more of the image in between the printing of each colour/layer. Each layer necessarily fits inside the layer before it. The block is destroyed in the process and a true reprint can never be done.

Over 2 days you will learn the process of conceiving and executing a reduction print, and make your own on a tabletop proof press. Using mounted lino blocks, you will carve a two-layer reduction image. We will print them on scored cardstock so that you will have a 5×7 greeting card to take away. Type high linoblock and paper will be provided for a small cost.

Laura MacDonald is the owner/operator of Deep Hollow Print, an award-winning letterpress printshop in Kentville, NS. She prints cards and posters on her Vandercook cylinder press using original carvings and antique wood type.

http://www.deephollowprint.com/

Workshop Fee:$150 members,  $160 non-members (cash, e-transfer or cheque payable to EGPC upon registration)

Materials fee: $ 10 (includes lino block, inks, paper) Payable to instructor. Participants should bring their own lino-carving tool.

The workshop is being held at Elephant Grass Print Collective, 30 School Street, Parker’s Cove, NS.  Contact us to register or for more info.

The winter gods strike again

Our Members Greet and Meet has been postponed until Sunday Jan. 15, 1pm to 3pm because of a pending winter storm.

Interested in joining but don’t have a background in printmaking? Don’t let it hold you back from becoming a member in 2017. Sharing skills  and learning from each other is one of the best membership benefit EGPC has to offer. If you cannot come to the meeting next week and had questions about membership or training, please email us this week.

New Members welcomed!

Readylogo-with-name to try something new or interested in reviving your dormant printmaker? Elephant Grass Print Collective is welcoming new members for 2017. Join us for the first membership meeting of the new year on Sunday, January 8, 1 pm, 30 School Street, Parker’s Cove. (Snow date Jan. 15th). Meet members and learn about what we have to offer your inner printmaker. If you cannot make the date, email us to set up a visit or ask questions.

EGPC is a community based printmaking studio sharing skills, space, presses and supplies with people of all skill levels from beginner to accomplished. We host workshops by members and invited printmakers for skill development, organize a bi-annual exhibit and build connections with print shops and printmakers around the province.

What you find in the shop when you tidy up.

At the start of every year  we welcome new members.  That means we also needed to dust off additional storage shelves and make room in the flat files.  While cleaning up we discovered we still had a few Water Box Sets remaining for sale. If you missed your chance in December 2015 to buy this fabulous set 8 prints by EGPC members plus our guest artist Laura MacDonald of Deep Hollow Print.  View the entire set:

8 individual hand pulled prints illustrating the theme Water, on 11 x 7.5″ paper (image size varies) presented in an attractive folder with accompanying description for $125.  Only 25 sets were create, Only a few are left.  Sets can be purchased online using Paypal or contact EGPC directly using our email .

How is this as a little additional incentive -Laura was recently nominated for an East Coast Music award as Graphic/Media Artist of the Year. Check out Laura printing album release tour posters  on her Vandercook No 3 here.

A Star has left the building

Our oldest press, a currency press from 1830, has moved on to a new life with printmaker Maria Doering.  Under utilized at EGPC due mainly to many members lacking the strength required to turn the wheel, we felt the press could be a better fit for the right printshop.  Right now, Star is keeping a litho press named Germaine company in storage until Maria opens a printmaking studio in Halifax/Dartmouth Nova Scotia.

These type of presses were used to print copper engravings of bank notes, legal documents, even postage stamps.  William Blake hand printed his illuminated books on a similar star-wheeled rolling press. You can see a British Library video about that topic here .

The hole left in EGPC’s studio has quickly been filled with another more modern etching on loan from member Bonnie Baker.  Once we have gotten over our annual fundraising activities, we will have time to update website with pictures of the reconfigured space.  Meanwhile we will miss decking Star out with her lights at the holidays.

 

Measure Twice, Cut Once …

… fold and collate 27 sets.  EGPC members gathered at the shop to build presentation folders and put the finishing touches on the Water 2015 Box set.  With so many hands we made fast work of it. Consensus among those present is that this is our best set yet (we say that every year).  Still the 8 prints in the package make for an impressive show.

collating and stacking 27 sets of 8 prints takes teamwork
Measure 2x
measure and check again
cutting 27 presentation folders by hand takes patience

Thank you to contributing printmakers Shela Breau, Micheline Gushue, Dyan Hatanaka, Janet Larkman, Ted Lind , Janel Warmington,  Bonnie Baker and our guest artist Laura MacDonald Deep Hollow Print

For a peak at the 8 prints included, visit our previous post.

The water is rising

Keeping with the four elements motifs, Water is the theme of our 2015 Box set.   Members have been cutting, printing, embossing, pasteing chine colle, and transferring for months  to complete their prints in time for the launch of EPGC’s annual fundraiser.

8 individual limited edition prints on 11 x 7.5″ paper (image size varies) presented in an attractive folder with accompanying colophon goes on sale now for $125.  Only 25 sets available. Sets can be purchased  by contacting us directly elephantgrassprint@gmail.com

View the entire set here:

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Prints by Bonnie Baker, Shela Breau, Micheline Gushue, Dyan Hatanaka, Janet Larkman, Ted Lind, Laura MacDonald, Janel Warmington