Celia Hart's blog about what's going on in and around her studio.
Art, printmaking, inspirations, gardening, vegetables, hens, landscapes, wild flowers, East Anglia, adventure, travel.

Tuesday, 3 March 2009

Releasing the hand brake

Reading other artists' and makers' blogs is sometimes like being back at art school – I become aware of how other people work and how there isn't a 'right way'. Blogging about my printmaking has made me more aware of how I work . . . and it's not a smooth creative curve. Drifts of ideas accumulate in my mind, the build up starts to cause a sense of panic about the inactivity – but the brake is on. I need to give myself a deadline – there's nothing like urgency to make me release the hand brake.

Today I told myself that I absolutely had to draw out some designs for a new group of prints; I'd been thinking about them for too long. I needed the same short deadline that I get from publishers "artwork by 4pm today please" – so that my mind switches off and I just work until the job is done.

I spent about an hour in the garden drawing in my sketch book; back in the studio I worked on the compositions with acrylic paint – I like the way it dries instantly on the paper. By limiting the colours to a dark peaty green, terracotta and a pale blue/green I had to start to think in three different lino blocks.


I like to work directly over my sketches so that the initial spontaneous marks aren't lost and I enjoy working very quickly so I don't have time to consider and ponder before I make a mark. This afternoon I scanned the three images and adjusted the sizes. I could see repeated shapes – arches and circles . . .


Woohoo! It's a relief these are now down on paper!

The next stage is my favourite – cutting the lino :-)
Posted by Celia Hart on Tuesday, March 03, 2009
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18 comments:

  1. Louise3 March 2009 at 19:03

    I have this same sense of panic with maintaining my garden. It is always such a relief to get even one small task done. I like how your latest images are drawn/painted with inspiration from your garden. The blue/green colour is a definite favourite of mine. x

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  2. Threadspider3 March 2009 at 19:17

    Fascinating Celia. I think the artistic process is like alchemy-transforming one thing into another and I love the way everyone works differently. I find linocuts very appealing so I look forward to seeing them as you work, especially as the acrylics are so fresh and distinctively "you"

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  3. Sarah and Jon3 March 2009 at 19:58

    Ooooo! These look great! Love the colours too.

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  4. Rhiannon3 March 2009 at 20:14

    I can't wait to see how you do the linocuts, looks like it will be really speedy.

    After your recent comment I've been looking at word verifications on blogs and wondering if you can set it to welsh it would be a cool feature

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  5. Woodland Fay3 March 2009 at 22:05

    Brilliant description of working methods. For years I worked to stressful deadlines, I was a newspaper illustrator and the presses wait for no woman. Now I work for myself I find deadlines of thought processes are still important (but not always kept!)and starting the work is often the hardest. It's that plank piece of paper syndrome.
    I see the hens earn their keep in many ways. Beautiful drawings, I very much like the limited palate approach. Regards F

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  6. Woodland Fay3 March 2009 at 22:35

    Ps will we be able to follow the cutting of the lino stage as well. Never did this, even in art school.
    (Sorry had to delete once, struggling to type anything tonight)

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  7. Gina4 March 2009 at 08:30

    Love the sponteneity of these new prints and hearing how they came about.Beautiful work.

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  8. Kath4 March 2009 at 08:36

    There's a wonderful sense of movement in these Celia - of a 'blink-of-an-eye' snapshot. The limit of 3 colours concentrates on the shapes, I think (as a non-artist!)

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  9. Acornmoon4 March 2009 at 09:05

    Those colours are gorgeous! Such an interesting way to work, I envy your spontaneity. I shall look forward to seeing the printing process.

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  10. petoskystone4 March 2009 at 13:21

    love the motion within the designs! for some odd reason, my first thought upon seeing the 3 was 'french'. what will you name this set?

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  11. Matron4 March 2009 at 17:42

    I found much resonance in your statement about how other people work and how there isn't a right way... Just being there and being openminded can open whole new worlds. I love the eggshell colours of those prints - your under gardeners have obviously inspired you!

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  12. silverpebble4 March 2009 at 21:07

    Gorgeous Celia - love the one with the eggs. I've really enjoying hearing and seeing how your creative processes happen. Emma x

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  13. artslice5 March 2009 at 02:14

    Oooh, these are lovely... am also excited to see these carved!

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  14. Leanne5 March 2009 at 11:50

    These are looking fabulous! Thanks for sharing....I'm wondering if some of your inspiration came from the bowl of chooky eggs you posted a little while back....love it

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  15. Cathy5 March 2009 at 14:03

    Quite enchanted by your blog. Love your hens and their little stories, not forgetting your beautiful prints.

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  16. Anonymous5 March 2009 at 20:04

    I LOVE these. Perhaps we can collaborate on a childrens' book. Now I will have to get creative and get over my writers' block!

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  17. Anonymous7 March 2009 at 05:19

    I spy with my envious eye...Araucana eggs!
    Now I must get back to sketches for my own lino. But first, help P. get the shade sails down ahead of Hurricane Hamish!

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  18. Celia Hart17 March 2009 at 08:39

    Hi and thank you for all the generous comments :-)

    I'm now busy cutting the blocks and will post more pictures soon.

    Celia
    x

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