Armidale Woodblock Workshop with Basil

Local printmaker, Ross preparing to mix powder pigment and rice glue during Basil’s recent workshop at the New England Regional Art Museum in Armidale, NSW. It should be pointed out that seconds after this photograph was taken, he put on his mask and gloves, (as colour pigments are very light and should not be inhaled). The workshop concentrated on a technique BHE has been trying recently. This involves the use of water-based inks and glues, hand-printing using barens and chine colle. The new prints produced by the 12 participants were very promising, given that Basil’s variation on the JDS process he had learnt in 1995 from Jorge de Sousa in Paris, hasn’t been tried in workshops in Australia before. Thank you to all our talented guinea pigs!