A collection of the linocuts renowned international artist Sybil Andrews – who spent her final years right here in Campbell River – has been published by Lund Humphries, in association with Osborne Samuel Galley, of London, England, and the Campbell River Arts Council is getting some copies for her local fans.
A complete catalogue of Andrews’ linocuts, this beautifully presented publication also includes a substantial essay that contextualizes Andrews’ oeuvre and analyses the linocuts in detail. Making a significant contribution to the literature available on this fascinating period in British printmaking history, Sybil Andrews Linocuts will appeal to the many collectors and admirers of Andrews’ work as well as those with a broader interest in the art of the period.
“Hana Leaper’s book is much needed,” says Gordon Samuel of the Osborne Samuel Gallery. “Andrews was a printmaker first and foremost and, like her Grosvenor School colleagues, was encouraged by their mentor and teacher Claude Flight. They adopted a Cubist-Futurist-Vorticist pictorial language that discarded the outrageous political ideas of the Futurists and cultivated instead a personal adaptation of modernism. Their work has found a very firm place in the annals of twentieth-century printmaking and has stimulated an international circle of collectors attracted by the energy, colour and modernity of the prints. It seems fitting, therefore, that Andrews’ entire oeuvre is illustrated in colour for the first time here.”
Ken Blackburn, executive director of the Campbell River Arts Council, who manage the Sybil Andrews Cottage in Willow Point, says he’s thrilled that Sybil’s work is finally collected in one place.
“What a wonderful publication,” Blackburn says. “I spoke with the author during her research phase and emphasized the importance of Sybil’s Campbell River years. Campbell River features prominently in the book, an aspect of her story generally not very well known in Europe.”
The author, Hanna Leaper, was formerly a lecturer in English literature and art history for the department of Continuing Education at the University of Liverpool and on the art and design programme at the University of Wolverhampton. After a six-month period cataloguing and curating the Angelica Garnett Gift at Charleston, she currently works at the Paul Mellon Centre for British Arts on the British Art Studies journal.
The Arts Council has ordered in a number of the books. The 136 page catalogue is available for $100. Contact the Arts Council at arts.council@crarts.ca or at 250-923-0213 if you are interested in a copy.
