This year I have been a volunteer blogger for Twitter Art Exhibit (TAE), writing about other artists and their work whenever I've had the time. So I know the 2022 exhibition and charity sale of original artwork is coming up fast! All work is donated by artists from across the globe, for a great cause. In 2022, that's the Encephalitis Society - and the exhibition takes place in York on 25 June, and then online.
In other years I've submitted a linocut. I usually experiment, as all works are one-offs, so need to be monoprints, in printmaking terms. For me it always feels like a great opportunity to try something new. So this year, I decided to create a hand-coloured etching, based on some of the very local sketches I have been doing during lockdowns in Manchester. 'Staying Local' is an etching with watercolour spot colour.
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| 'Staying Local' by Carolyn Murphy |
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| Decision between options |
First I created the etching plate, working with acid at Prospect Studio in Rossendale. Then I experimented with the plate, adding watercolour to varying degrees. After a few tests, it came down to a decision between two and I chose the one above (on the left here). I preferred the more minimalistic spot colour to bring the natural environment to the fore in a very urban setting.
Other local sketches took me as far as the end of the street or to different angles on the shared garden or 'croft' behind us. This is the scene 'Staying Local' is based on - but with fewer Autumn leaves.
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| An Autumn view |
I hope 'Staying Local' proves popular and raising much-needed funds in June. It's always a pleasure to take part. If you want to know more about Twitter Art Exhibit, their website link is here.
