Artlab and Connections

When I was chatting with Lubaina Himid at the Centre for Contemporary Art in Preston, she suggested I might consider joining the Artlab Contemporary Print Studio based at the University of Central Lancashire.

Unless you count potato printing and a few attempts at lino cuts, i've never really done any printing. But, I thought i might be able to experiment with print while developing the dandelion project further.

Going to Artlab and learning this new skill has taught me a number of things:

1. I should have more patience - i'm not going to become a master printer within the anticipated 6 months (or 6 years for that matter)
2. It is unlikely that I will ever produce a run of prints numbering more than 3
3. I should have more patience - turning up and working for 4 hours does not guarantee going home with one good print
4. I have to look after my copper plates better - inexplicable scratches seem to mysteriously appear from nowhere
5. I should have more patience

One of the best things about going to Artlab has been meeting and chatting with other members in the group.
While chatting about the dandelion project with one fellow Artlab member called Muffy she mentioned that her mum, living in USA, was also really keen on dandelions and is on the board of the Pine Tree State Arboretum in Maine. She gave me her email address and we've been in contact.

The image here is the first print i'm happy to show - the first few were truely crap.