{"id":3390,"date":"2016-04-17T19:08:12","date_gmt":"2016-04-17T19:08:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sinclairashman.com\/?p=3390"},"modified":"2026-04-16T07:22:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T07:22:31","slug":"anomalies-september-show-at-the-ropewalk-barton-upon-humber","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sinclairashman.com\/?p=3390","title":{"rendered":"‘Anomalies’: September show at The Ropewalk, Barton upon Humber"},"content":{"rendered":"

‘Anomalies’<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The first major exhibition of my Printmaking works will be at The Ropewalk arts centre, Barton upon Humber, 10 September – 31 October 2016.<\/h3>\n

‘Anomalies’ will be a journey through the last three years of my experimentations in printmaking. This\u00a0practice is in stark contrast to my controlled, client-focused work as a graphic designer. My highly textured, largely abstract prints are elemental expressions of mood, reactions to atmospheric conditions and responses to materials. In essence, I\u00a0see the print as a three-dimensional medium, often employing deep impressions in thick, high quality papers.<\/p>\n

\"'Anomalies':<\/a><\/p>\n

Early on, I began to see the potential for abstract expression that printmaking afforded me. It occurred to me that my initial reaction to prints out of the press was guided by what I expected<\/em>\u00a0to see. As soon as I discarded those preconceptions, I was suddenly free, and\u00a0began regarding each\u00a0print\u00a0by\u00a0a single criteria \u2013 ‘is it interesting?’ This new found freedom was enhanced by the fact that, whilst the materials on the plate are stuck down and heavily vanished, some elements move under the heavy pressure of the press. Again, my initial disappointment at this loss of ‘control’ was tempered with the realisation that this anomaly makes each print, effectively, unique.<\/p>\n

\"'Anomalies':<\/a><\/p>\n

The choice of the collagraph printmaking technique was a considered one, in that it afforded me the opportunity to work with a wide variety of materials to make my printing plates, many of them everyday and, in themselves, quite ordinary. These include haberdashery fabrics, torn dishcloths, matchsticks, raffia and poured varnishes. They allow me to\u00a0introduce the element of texture, and to produce relatively quick results. Whilst I have the greatest respect for fellow printmakers who wish to perfect the tonal qualities of an etching, my\u00a0platemaking and print processes are about visceral\u00a0responses to the potential of the materials on the plate.\u00a0It is also an acknowledgement that the making of the plate is almost as important as the resulting print. This will be demonstrated in the exhibition, which will feature\u00a0two prints alongside the plates\u00a0from which they were made. In many ways, the form, texture and remnants of the ink (from the last print made) are even more\u00a0striking than the prints.<\/p>\n

\"Art<\/a><\/p>\n

As part of this responsive process, sketches are not normally used \u2013 plates are created in response to my sense of \u2018what the material wants to do\u2019. When printing, peeling the paper from the plate always quickens the pulse, as \u2018anomalies\u2019 almost always occur \u2013 those exciting and surprising interactions of plate, ink and paper.<\/p>\n

‘Works on Paper’<\/span><\/strong><\/a> <\/span>is the first film on my printmaking, shot at The Ropewalk. See it here<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/span>:<\/p>\n

‘Anomalies’: works by Sinclair Ashman, will be at The Ropewalk<\/span><\/a> <\/span>arts centre, Barton upon Humber, 10 September – 31 October 2016.<\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

Find all my posts\u00a0about Art Printworks stories on Twitter at:\u00a0#artprintstories<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n