The Dunmow Art Gallery

I became interested in etching whilst training as a teacher during the late sixties, this interest developed at Barking Technical College and Redbridge College. These classes were taken by Harry Eccleston OBE then Master Designer for the Bank of England. I was also fortunate to attend courses run by Michael Rothenstein and Valerie Thornton.

Mastering the way the image is drawn on the zinc plate and then printing from the plate continues to be the challenge.

At the moment I use two printing presses. A Victorian press of mixed pedigree sold to me from a “rag and bone man” who thought the press too good to break up! Although the press now has a metal bed I have kept the original which is made of oak, My second press is of modem Danish design and used on a day to day basis.

Etching enables me to make multiple impressions of each work of art, making prints more affordable. Each print is either an Artist’s proof or a numbered print in an edition. I design and print these etchings in my studio.

The whole process has a quality of its own, giving effects that are not available with painting and drawing. Recurring themes in my work are the decorative aspects of architecture and the natural world. These elements are a constant source of inspiration and reflection.