Spring is sprung

Spring flowers linocuts
© Teresa Newham

About six weeks ago, when it seemed as if Spring might never come, I brought some tulips and daffodils into the house to remind us that it would arrive eventually. They cheered up the place so much that I decided to make some designs for a linocut.

source photos & sketches
© Teresa Newham

I did a couple of sketches while the flowers were still fresh in the vases and wondered if I could translate that sketchiness when I cut it. I printed the tulips first, and was so pleased with the result that I cut into the plate again to print a second layer of colour.

a sudden impulse to make a reduction
© Teresa Newham

I could have stopped there, but decided that a background was needed. I opted for a dark green, to bring out the bright yellow I'd chosen for the reduction version. I was so enthused by the result that I decided to do something similar with the daffodils.

Yellow Tulips reduction linocuts
© Teresa Newham

I was drying the prints in plate racks, to allow the air to circulate round them. But the paper had gone a bit wonky, so against all advice I laid them flat. Three layers of ink can take some time to dry, so they'll probably be back in the racks before too long!

simple daffs linocut drying in a plate rack
© Teresa Newham

I hadn't used the Laura Boswell linocut registration frame for mini prints before, but it worked well.  It's always so exciting to peel away the second or third layer to see what the print is looking like (assuming you've got the cut right, that is!).

printing the second layer of the reduction version
© Teresa Newham

Soon I had a veritable garden of daffodils drying by the radiator.  This time I'd warmed up the yellow with a touch of orange, and I was careful to make the second layer a light green so that I didn't have to make the third layer too dark.

Daffs II reduction linocut
© Teresa Newham

Now, of course, I'm wondering which approach I prefer.  Does the simple version of each flower work best, or was it worth doing those reductions?  I really can't decide, or choose a favourite.  I love them all!

pretty flowers all in a row
© Teresa Newham

hail and arty

storms approaching Kimpton
© Teresa Newham

Given that the annual Kimpton Festival often takes place in a heatwave, it was something of a shock to spot such dramatic clouds as we drove over to take a look at this year's Art Show on the Bank Holiday Saturday at the beginning of May.

inside the parish church of SS Peter & Paul
© Teresa Newham

We arrived in a hailstorm, and made our way quickly into the church, where the exhibition had been set up in and around the pews as usual. The weather might have been cold and damp, but the welcome was warm . . .

poppy paintings to remember the dead of the two World Wars
© Teresa Newham

Every nook and cranny of the church had been used to good effect, with suitable unframed paintings and prints laid out on appropriate pews and benches, such as in front of the plaque commemorating those who had fallen in World War I and II.

plenty of pottery: ceramics by Kay Stratford
© Teresa Newham

I spotted some lovely ceramics, including these jars and animals by Kay Stratford on a sill in front of a stained glass window, and a selection of Opal Seabrook's funky glass creations contrasting with the solemnity of one of the side altars.

glass with a twist: Starburst Glass by Opal Seabrook
© Teresa Newham

My own exhibits were shown to good effect on a panel near the main altar.  I'd entered three watercolours and a linocut print of Clementine the chicken. I was delighted to learn later on that someone loved her enough to buy her.

my exhibits near the altar
© Teresa Newham

As we continued round the church, we came to a series of browsers positioned at the very front, to enable visitors to look at all the contents with ease.  There were plenty of people taking their time over the art - nobody was keen to venture back outside.

browsers galore at the front of the church
© Teresa Newham

We were serenaded by live music as we crossed to the far set of browsers - an excellent folk guitarist, with other musical delights scheduled throughout the afternoon.  Again, some lively pieces had been placed in the pews to make a colourful display.

colourful images laid out along the pews
© Teresa Newham

Finally we decided to brave the brief walk across to the Dacre Rooms for a cup of tea.  Outside, the weather was doing its best to convince us that it was really Spring, but, wrapped up in our waterproofs and scarves, we knew better!

the weather pretending it's a balmy Spring day
© Teresa Newham