The Open Contemporary is now OPEN!

The Open Contemporary art exhibition 2012 at Stockport Art Gallery opened to the public today. I had a peaceful and enjoyable look round today. And couldn't help buying a couple of pieces of work - a beautiful oak bowl by Paul Jones and a small oil painting of Styal Country park by Stephen Jones.

Yesterday's Preview Night was packed out, the band was playing and awards were presented early in the evening. This year the exhibition spreads over both levels - which is a real improvement - and it feels like there's a lot of work there. You get an idea of the exhibition from the photos below. I hope you get the chance to come along!

Stockport Open Contemporary 2012

I'm delighted to have had 2 prints accepted this year into the Stockport Open Contemporary art exhibition. It opens to the public on Saturday 12 May - and goes through until June 24. And it's free!

You can see the prints below - and if you get the chance to visit, please look out for "Kata Tjuta" and "No beaten path".

"No beaten path" is a 2 plate linocut with an etching over the top. The image is from one of my sketches of a mid Wales landscape. The linocuts are printed in oil-based inks onto canaletto 300g paper, which proved strong and even enough to withstand wetting, in order to print the etching plate over the top.

"Kata Tjuta" is created through 2 processes using water-based ink and printed entirely by hand. The colours reflect the heat and hues of central Australia. Firstly I hand-painted aboriginal-inspired designs onto a perspex plate to create unique backgrounds, then I overprinted my linocut design of the Olgas (Kata Tjuta), allowing the 2 layers to interact and capture the clash and interplay of cultures.