GLINT 2015 residency wrap up

For the last 6 weeks I have been involved in a fantastic artist residency called GLINT. It's the residency lovechild of Canberra Glassworks and Megalo Print Studio. 6 artists, 3 of glass and 3 of print get to wander between the 2 studios sharing skills, trying out new techniques and expanding our individual practices through the lens of another medium.

From the glass world GLINT 2015 were George Agius, Debra Jurss and Spike Deane (myself) and from the print world we had Nicci Haynes, Julie Ryder and Luke Chiswell. We all had very different skill sets, even within our own mediums which was a great bonus, the opportunity was there to learn and try SO many different things.

L-R. Deb Jurss, Julie Ryder, Nicci Haynes, Spike Deane, George Agius, Luke Chiswell

The arts community around the Canberra Glassworks and Megalo Print Studio is such that we had input from other artists too, notably Ruth Oliphant who gave us a fantastic powder printing demo, Lisa Cahill who helped out with some slumping, Peter Nilsen with cold-working and Matt Curtis.

Yesterday was our last day, which really involved sorting through the amazing amount of tests and samples on our 'studio tables' and checking every corner of both buildings for anything we may have left behind... oh and some cleaning (it always gets messy in the final week).

A big thank you to the staff of Canberra Glassworks and Megalo Print Studio who helped enormously through out the residency duration with advice on projects and booking equipment.

So what did I get up to? See my Instagram feed for ALL the photos. I think I will need to break up the photos and projects into separate posts, but here is a small selection.

Used one of my popular silhouettes for etching

Casts of a woodcut

powder printing

screen printing fabric

GLINT 2015

I received a reply to my GLINT residency proposal. While I crossed my fingers of my left hand and squeezed my eyes shut with hope, I opened the email.

YAY! I got in. So thrilled.

Here is a look at last years GLINT.

Megalo Print Studio and Canberra Glassworks have partnered to create an exciting residency opportunity appropriately called GLINT, a combination of Glass and Print. 

In 2014 this project offered eight artists a unique opportunity to explore the connections between printmaking and glass practice, working across the facilities of Canberra Glassworks and Megalo.  

The eight artists were selected as a result of an Expression of Interest process include Scott Chaseling, Emilie Patteson, Ben Rak, Annika Romeyn, Dionisia Salas, Mark Thiele, Annie Trevillian, Melinda Willis. 

IMAGE: Emilie Patteson + Annika Romeyn working on a lithographic stone

The artists, made up of 4 glass and 4 print artists, worked in a collaborative manner, sharing skills and forging the links between Glass and Print through a two month residency concluding 30 May 2014 

The work created during the GLINT residency culminated in an exhibition at Canberra Glassworks Gallery from 25 June – 4 August 2014, curated by Alison Alder, former Director of Megalo.  

This was the first collaborative project between Megalo and Canberra Glassworks. Both organisations are excited about the prospect of future collaborations and look forward to working together to establish Kingston Foreshore a visual arts hub for Canberra.

Forest light and the seal that almost wasn't

After my etching refresher at Megalo I went back to the Glassworks (a walk of 2 minutes) to continue polishing and shaping the Forest light with Eucalyptus oil. The scent elicited many positive comments and curiosity as I worked.

I got bored of smoothing towards the end of the day and started on an idea I have for the Depths & Shallows exhibition. It's one of those ideas that I'm not sure if it's going to be cheesy or knick-knacky until I try one. I was thinking of sculpting a selkie, the transformation shown with the female form as negative space inside the seal form. I struggled for an hour or so before my lump of wax started to look even vaguley like a seal and then it was time to go.

Polishing wax with Eucalyptus oil

forest light inside

Selkie in progress

Megalo print studio

I am now a member of Megalo print studio and today I did my WHS studio induction. The airy studio's and gallery are conveniently located near the Canberra Glassworks. I have some ideas for the Depths & Shallows exhibition that I would like to produce as etchings.

The studio's are beautiful, well supplied, staffed & stocked at very reasonable rates.