Merry Christmas...

... A Happy New Year.

Brought to you by Eric Gill

What A Relief

Spare a thought for the turkey, soon to be the focal point of dinner tables all across the land. In this Michael Rothenstein print - Turkey and Farm Machine - it’s easy to imagine that this lively bird is defying its fate, steaming its way down the path on its get-away ride. But what really drives the composition of this linocut is the way turkey + machine have been, well, carved.  Though the colours are relatively muted, the surface is alive with a variety of texture and line, indicative of the innovation and freedom with which Rothenstein approached his printmaking.

The sequel to this ‘great escape’  - Turkey and Farm Machine II  - was a great success...

It was awarded first prize in the 1954 Giles Bequest Competition for relief printing in colour, run through the Victoria & Albert museum to encourage experimentation in colour printing.

Rothenstein was certainly not afraid of mixing techniques, treating the picture like collage by making stencils out of corrugated cardboard and (ironically for our fleeing turkey) crumpled greaseproof paper...

*DJ8FYAF6YT5D  - this gobbledegook is a sign to a blog directory which we hope to be added to shortly.*
 

Frictional Novel

"This afternoon, you were treated to the melancholy prospect of your father standing in the kitchen, ironing the festive paper in which the morning’s gifts had been wrapped. He gave you his version of his jovial smile, saying, ‘Better look after this paper, you know. And the string’…It was easy, you thought, for parsimony to masquerade as patriotism."

Part II, Chapter 3 (Christmas at Gracefield) 

From Walcot by Brian Aldiss (Goldmark Books)

Walcot is a family saga set against the tumultuous events of the 20^th century. Following the Fieldings’ affairs in love and war, the story is told through the youngest member of the family - Stephen - or rather through a mysterious someone talking to Stephen (the entire book is written in the second-person narrative). Who could it be? And what is the terrible secret that Stephen must spend his whole life trying to uncover?

For all about Walcot click here

For all about Aldiss click here

London Revisited

Ivan Green's London Series not only captures the beauty of London's famous landmarks, it transforms them. Drawing inspiration from the site, Ivan researches deeper into the subject, collecting scenes from the surrounding area and rebuilding them to create these unique mixed media prints. The video above is a timelapse of Ivan's construction of St Pauls cathedral - a very brief glimpse into the technical work and architectural vision needed for each layer of the unfolding image.

Speaking of the series, Timothy Wilson, Keeper of Western Art at the Ashmolean Museum says:

'The transformation of St. Paul's is remarkable. A really handsome modern version of the capriccio tradition is emerging. Eloquent, frequently beautiful, and technically interesting.'

No protests there.

Ivan has also just been chosen to illustrate the 2013 Oxford Almanack, following in the footsteps of John Piper and JMW Turner.

To view more views through Ivan's eyes click here.

No Wall Flower

John Nash’s interest and skill in depicting botanical subjects is reflected in his wonderful drawings and woodcuts that appear in books like Poisonous Plants and Plants with Personality.

This engraving of Christmas Roses was made from the artist’s original woodblocks (more details here) and displays his accurate study of the plant. It’s a flower that certainly scores high on the personality scale, known for its hardiness in winter and its ability to fight through the frost. Its seasonal name also derives from the festive tale surrounding it.

Other plants from the poisonous collection include Arum and Foxglove.

If it’s colour you’re after, you can take a detour via these floral variations.

Angel Delight

Andrzej Kuhn’s work beckons us into his world and lets our imagination take flight. With arms stretched wide, this kindly angel welcomes us too; her sense of gravity conveyed as much through her knowledgeable gaze as the mass of her celestial body.

Though obviously different from the angels so often depicted in art history, this flattened, patterned figure with pearly wings still has a connection to the religious icons of the past.

Painter and author Glyn Hughes wrote:

"Andrzej Kuhn is a contemporary icon painter. Like the icon painters, his imagery and style remain constant without being repetitive. The force that keeps them alive is a spiritual one…although the pictures are decoratively conceived and make very good decorations indeed, they are so much more than that, and you might best hang a Kuhn painting in a bedroom, in a study, in a church; in any place where the eye would wish to rest upon an image of contemplation."

To experience the journey for yourselves, pass through the Gates of the Sun, take a ride in the King’s Chariot, sail past the Dancing Islands, stop to gather the Moon in the Puddle… and you too will feel like the Artist’s Friend.

Lineage

   

As the art world awaits the announcement of the Turner Prize winner today, here is a topical poem from local wordsmith Nick Hallam:

Take draughtsmanship, nowhere to hide,

A pencil-point, nowhere to run;
Strokes: straight, curved, soft, hard,
Narrow, wide, full shade –
No shadow from the sun;
His sun, his God, his lording light –
Oh I am glad that Turner’s gone;
Associate his name with might –
I pray his is not looking on
To see sheep in formaldehyde.

 Do you think Turner’s turning in his grave? Follow this link to see our large collection of engravings after Turner and read about the laborious Life of An Engraver.

Or turn the pages of our online catalogue below: 

Goldmark Books is looking forward to publishing a collection of Nick Hallam’s poems next year. Sign up through our books website to keep informed or follow Hallam’s Comment on twitter.

Let It Glow

We’re gearing up to an exhibition this Saturday 3 December, displaying over 100 glass panels by the esteemed Patrick Reyntiens OBE. Coming up to his 86^th birthday, Patrick has had a shining career, notable for his 35 year collaboration with John Piper and such stunning works as the Baptistery Window of Coventry Cathedral.

Continuing in the age-old tradition of stained glass, each piece tells a story, whether drawn from mythology, rural landscapes or Patrick’s vivid imagination. Almost as innovative as the designs are the accompanying (and sometimes unexpected) titles including Exercise Tires and Martha’s Sausage Roll.

But you don’t have to stand outside in the cold with your nose pressed to the window/computer screen. Come along this Saturday and you’ll even see the man himself do a demonstration of painting on glass, along with a premiere of a new film about his work. Smashing.

Left: A Walk in the Park

Right: Hills in the North