The Comox Valley Printmakers Association is holding a members’ exhibition and print fair on the weekend of Oct. 27 and 28 at The Convoy Club, 3272 2nd Street in Cumberland.
The opening is Saturday afternoon from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. with all exhibiting artists on hand to discuss printmaking and their work. On Sunday, The Convoy Club and the exhibition will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with and there will be informal demonstrations of printmaking techniques by the artists throughout the afternoon.
Printmaking is an ancient art form with a history that dates back thousands of years. Printmakers over the centuries include Rembrandt, Dürer, Goya, Hokusai, Picasso, Kolwitz, Hockney, and Canadian Mary Pratt.
Some artists specialize in print exclusively and others make print part of a wide spectrum of visual activity. Print can be ‘relief’ as in woodcuts, ‘intaglio’ as in etchings, stencil as in ‘silkscreen’, or ‘lithography.’
Printmaking not only creates the opportunity of making multiple images that are ‘the same’ or similar but as a medium, it generates visual aesthetics that can be dazzlingly unique relative to visual activities like painting or drawing. Hand-pulled printmaking is technical, can be manipulated by hand by the artist, and is not to be confused with machine-produced reproductions like push button photo litho or giclee printing.
For art collectors, printmaking is a form of original art-making that is generally more affordable at the local, national, and international levels than painting or sculpture. Over history and to this day, hand-made printmaking is used in many aspects of the art and design world, from applied arts in design and industry to collectible imagery in the fine art tradition, to contemporary public art installations.
The ten artists in this show and sale are Roger Albert, Susan Gillespie, Channing Holland, Jan Kellett, Corinne Parker, Morgen Parkin, Clive Powsey, Gabrielle Moore Pratt, Lukas Roy, and Terri Stelfox. Each artist brings unique, carefully developed approaches to various types of printmaking creating a show with a wide range of imagery, content and aesthetic appeal.
The Comox Valley Printmakers’ Association is incorporated under the BC Society’s Act as a non-profit Association. The Association’s membership is open to the public.
The intention of the association is to promote dialogue among individuals who work in or are interested in the print media arts; foster artistic and educational activities within the association and the community; collaborate with other groups of printmakers and artists; promote exhibitions and sale of members’ work; seek to acquire grants, legacies and equipment.
