Written by Miranda K. Metcalf Published 23rd October 2019
I studied printmaking during my master’s in art history and loved every minute of it, making me, and I don’t know if this is an exaggeration to say, one of the few people working within the contemporary printmaking global community strictly as a curator, writer, and advocate without a personal printmaking practice. I’ve dabbled of course, but always, when looking over my attempts, come back to the apt phrase: stay in your lane. This is when I first had the idea for PCL. I wanted a place where our close knit, but geographically divided community could gather, share our stories and learn from one another – our successes as well as our filled in tusche washes.
Like many lithographers – and one could argue that perhaps it is a necessary if not sufficient quality to be a lithographer – Lancaster enjoyed the challenges of all things lithography. When something doesn’t go the way it should, there are innumerable possibilities. In lithography one is dealing with mercurial chemistry, the temperature and humidity of the day, or even where the sun comes in through the window. All of that could affect how the printing went. Lancaster eventually found his way to the Tamarind Book of Lithography, which he lovingly refers to as the bible during our interview, and admits that he probably highlighted the book from cover to cover before he was done with it while mastering the craft.
When he learned about the Tamarind course he knew he had to attend. He got his references, applied, packed up and moved from Melbourne to Albuquerque to attend their printer trainer program. At the time, what is now a year long course was condensed into four and a half months, “It was like military school,” he recalls. From that first year of students, then as now, only two people are selected to go on to the second. In the second year, students work in the Tamarind editioning studio alongside the master printer creating lithographs with incredible artists from around the world. Tamarind has produced editions with George Miyasaki, Jim Dine, Judy Chicago, Nick Cave and Kiki Smith to name a few. Yet, Lancaster didn’t even apply for the second year. He was too keen to get to Melbourne are start his own print shop.
Once he was back in Australia, he worked for a year as the technician at the University of Melbourne before he threw it all in to focus on his own publishing shop. “People thought I was crazy, it was a regular salary,” he says, “but I was driven to start my own print shop.”
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Geraldine’s Studio Sale
Don’t forget Geraldine’s Studio Sale!
WHEN Saturday 5th October 2019 from 12 midday till 4pm
WHERE Paul & Geraldine’s house at 67 Milson Road Cremorne Point.
Geraldine Berkemeier’s Studio Sale
AN INVITATION FROM PAUL BERKEMEIER TO THE SALE OF ART MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT FROM GERALDINE’S STUDIO.
SATURDAY 5th OCTOBER 12PM TO 4PM
Geraldine was a passionate artist and teacher, skilled in a variety of media. She remained active in her art making until a few years ago when dementia took hold.
Geraldine would have wanted all her materials and equipment to find good new homes, where they can continue to be used to create innovative work for years to come.
With this in mind I plan an open day and sale at Cremorne Point so that colleagues, friends and interested artists can have a good look at the range of items available
and purchase what they need. The plan is to use proceeds of the sale to help prepare a comprehensive record and exhibition of Geraldine’s work.
THE DETAILS
WHEN Saturday 5th October 2019 from 12 midday till 4pm
WHERE Paul & Geraldine’s house at 67 Milson Road Cremorne Point.
WHAT See the illustrated list of materials and equipment – plus stacks of printmaking papers and other sundry items.
HOW Small items, paper etc will have price estimates and will be sold at prices agreed with Paul.
Large items such as presses, rollers etc will be sold in a short auction starting at 3pm.
PAYMENT Payment can be made by EFT, cheque or cash.
COLLECTION After payment, purchases can be taken on the day, or collected later by arrangement.
QUESTIONS Email preferred paul@paulberkemeier.com.au or text: 0418 461 065
BUT: Please hold your questions to the week
before the sale – from 29th September
Other equipment includes a Bookbinding Press, a Bookbinding Punch, jewellery engraving tool, and plastic tubs with lids.
MATERIALS
Paper – various sizes in sheet and roll.
Zinc Plates
Copper Plates
Sheets for waterless litho – Agfa 1055 mm x 811 mm 20 off – new.
Linoleum
Portfolio 900 mm x 655 mm overall with 18 display sleeves to suit 840 mm x 595 mm.
Art Forum
HKOP Collective
Wednesday 11 September, 1–2pm, NAS GalleryHong Kong Open Printshop collective was founded in 2000 and is Hong Kong’s first non-profit open printshop run by artists, starting out as a small art group it has grown into Hong Kong’s leading graphic art organisation. HKOP is dedicated to promoting graphic art, encouraging international cultural exchange, enhancing quality and professional standards in printmaking and giving back to the community by preserving local print art culture.In 2020 HKOP collective will be presenting the International Multi-disciplinary Printmaking, Artists, Concepts and Techniques conference – IMPACT 11. First held in 1999, IMPACT is one of the largest professional conferences dedicated specifically to printmaking. The theme of ‘Print Art Hong Kong: Legends and Legacies’ has been chosen for the 2020 edition and will explore Hong Kong’s historical lithography and letterpress printing through to printmaking creations by contemporary local artists. Hear HKOP collective Board Chairman Ho-yin Fung and Program Director Sau-mui Yung talk about HKOP and their plans for the conference.
Ho-yin Fung and Sau-mui Yung are currently in Sydney to take part in Sydney Contemporary where HKOP has a stand.
National Art School
Forbes Street, Darlinghurst
Sydney NSW 2010
Australia
CRICOS 03197B+61 2 9339 8744
enquiries@nas.edu.auSupported by NSW Government
Lichtenstein to Warhol at the NGA
Lichtenstein to Warhol: The Kenneth Tyler Collection
PREVIEW
3 September 2019
Often perceived as a modest artform compared to, say, the grandiosity of painting, printmaking has been a site of experimentation, a fact highlighted in Lichtenstein to Warhol: The Kenneth Tyler Collection at the National Gallery of Australia.
Kenneth Tyler was an innovative printmaker who collaborated with key 20th-century artists. Acquired in 1973, the collection of over 7400 works occupies a significant place in the NGA’s holdings. The exhibition covers post-war American artists across the key art movements, including abstraction, minimalism, neo-Dada and later, pop art.
“When Kenneth Tyler started as a printmaker, lithography was associated with commercial reproduction; and it was almost an unknown alchemical process, and he began to make sense of it in a scientific way,” says David Greenhalgh, assistant curator of the exhibition. “The tradition of lithography had rules; 30 x 40 inches was the size most lithographers worked to, for example. Tyler comes along and says ‘let’s not put these rules on our artists’– instead the artist is key in this scenario. We are going to say, ‘what do you want to make?’ And if we come across technical problems we won’t shut them down, we will say, ‘Ken Tyler will find a solution to your printmaking problems’”.
This led to works such as Robert Rauschenberg’s Booster, 1967, comprised of an X-ray of himself printed roughly life-size. Also on display are sculptures such as Roy Lichtenstein’s 3D multiples. “It was very innovative for the time to be producing editions of sculptural work,” says Greenhalgh. Certain works revive old techniques, such as the ‘rainbow roll’ used to make Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s lithographs in the 19th century, which Tyler adapted for Jasper Johns. Greenhalgh says, “It’s a fun sort of vision of it being an innovative workshop, but also as this lineage of lithography throughout time.”
Lichtenstein to Warhol: The Kenneth Tyler Collection
National Gallery of Australia
7 September—9 March 2020
The Tate Adams Memorial Residency at Baldessin Press
State Library Victoria, in partnership with the Baldessin Press, is offering a new artist’s book residency as part of the annual fellowship program.
The Tate Adams Memorial Residency is offered to an artist to accomplish a limited edition or unique state artist’s book, using research from State Library Victoria and the studio facilities at Baldessin Press & Studio.
The Baldessin Press can supply studio access, accommodation and assistance to facilitate the book project in many ways, to the sum of $5000 over the 12-month period.
The recipient also has the opportunity to participate in an event to present their project to the Library, the public and other supporters.
Applications
Applications for the 2019–20 fellowship are now open. Fellowship applications must be received by midnight on Sunday 28 April 2019.
The creative content of applications is of primary importance. Along with clearly describing the book’s proposed content, design and appearance as a finished object, applications can include original text, typography, sketches or examples, proposed printmaking components and binding or presentation. Each application will be judged on individual merit, including the artist’s personal conception, expression and definition of book art.
Note: Applicants must include documented and dated images of their work, along with links to any websites where their work is displayed.
More information
If you have specific questions about the Tate Adams Memorial Residency requirements or selection process, contact Gail Schmidt at fellows@slv.vic.gov.au or on 03 8664 7335.
About Tate Adams & Baldessin Press
Tate Adams AM (1922–2018) established the artist print department at RMIT in 1960 and championed printmaking throughout Australia. His students included George Baldessin.
Situated in bushland 50 km from Melbourne in St Andrews, the Baldessin Press & Studio is named in memory of artist, printmaker and sculptor George Baldessin (1939–78), who built the bluestone studio in 1971.
Garland Magazine Article by Neilton Clarke: Itazu Litho Grafik.
Chinese prints at AGNSW
Ruth Burgess organised two outings for Sydney Printmakers to the Art Gallery of New South Wales Study Room to view prints she had collected for the art gallery during her many trips to China. It was a very interesting and rewarding opportunity. Ruth told many stories about her escapades in China and showed us some extraordinary prints.
Ruth would like to remind us that the Study Room is a free service by the Art Gallery. You can book time in the Study room and request specific prints and the work of specific artists to be made available to you.
More information and booking details here.
Inkmasters Call for Entries 4th Biennial Print Exhibition
Detail: Index Cards for Normalcy, Carolyn Mackenzie-Craig.
Entries Close: Monday 14th May, 2018
Artists Notified: Friday 18th May, 2018
Exhibition Dates: 27th July to 19th August, 2018
For further information and Entry Form, go here.
Australian Print Triennial
