April 2011
6 posts
Skopelos Workshop. An early morning view to whet...
Arrangements are well underway for the two printmaking workshops on Skopelos in June-July this year. Materials have arrived from Holland, airlines and accommodation for over 30 people have been booked, goats are being fattened and fresh whitewash has been applied to village walls. Spring has sprung, the wildflowers are out and Skopelos Foundation staff are ready to welcome a mob of Aussies at a...
Nyapurla Morgan linocuts
One of Nyapurla Morgan’s beautiful new reduction linocuts, produced in small editions of 10 at the April workshop in Wiluna, run by Basil, the Tjukurba Co-ordinator, Heather Charlton and ably assisted by Sue Trevillian.
And on to the Northern Goldfields of WA (Wiluna)
Wiluna artist, Nyapurla Morgan carving a lino block. Basil has just returned from one of the longest trips we make each year. To get to Wiluna, we have to fly first to Perth for an overnight stop. Then it’s up with the birds to catch a Skipper’s plane the 1000kms north again (in the direction of Darwin, where we started) to this small gold-mining town, east of Meekatharra. This was...
Ali Curung (Arlpwe) artists carving blocks in late...
A group of the Ali Curung artists working on their blocks during the March workshop run by Mats and Sara. In the foreground, one artist is using an electric dremel tool (great for drilling dots). It’s got a flexible shaft, so is easy to hold (like a pencil or brush).
On down the road to Ali Curung
Following the Beswick workshop in March, Mats and Sara continued down the Stuart Highway (with the etching press in the back of the car) to Ali Curung, which is not far north of Alice Springs. Here the dynamic duo ran a woodcut workshop in the well-appointed art centre there. Artists worked with cutting tools and dremels (electric engraving tools) and Mats printed these in a variety of ways to...
New prints from Djilpin Arts (Beswick)
Senior Printer at BHE, Mats Undén, assisted by former Bula Bula Arts staffer, Sara Higgs (above, cleaning a plate), conducted a workshop recently at Beswick for Djilpin Arts. This is our fourth etching workshop out there and once again the men (and this time the ladies too) worked on intricate line drawings of animals, plants and birds from the region. The new prints have been proofed and will...
March 2011
7 posts
Another piece of rock art to whet the interest!
I think I took over 60 pictures like this of the rock art; each one more astounding than the last. I refer to the art here; not my pictures! Each year we are taken to different sites in the Borradaile area, so who knows what the guides will take us to see this year? Can it get any better?
Rock art you can see at Mount Borradaile 2011
Here’s an example of some of the astounding pre-and post-contact art we’ll be taken to see by the experienced guides at Mount Borradaile, when we aren’t swimming in the pool or creek, tucking into Ray’s 5 star gourmet food or painting and etching the extraordinary landscape.
Mount Borradaile workshop May 2011
Not content with making you jealous over the Greek workshops this year, BHE in collaboration with prominent Australian painter and printmaker Mandy Martin, is offering a four day painting and printmaking workshop at Mount Borradaile in May! This place has to be seen to be believed. If you thought Kakadu was good, just venture a little further into Arnhem land for sublime escarpments, bird and...
New screenprints soon from Papunya Tjupi
Papunya artist Narlie working under the watchful eye of Papunya Tjupi Co-ordinator Kasumi Ejiri on a series of acetates which will become a new edition of screenprints. Papunya Tjupi artists have regularly worked on etchings with printmaker, Kasumi, herself and Michael Kempson from Cicada Press in Sydney, but this is the first time for around ten years that Basil has been out to work with...
Walter Jugadai making an etching plate at Ikuntji,...
Walter Jugadai has made a stunning 50 x 50cm 3 plate etching, using sugarlift and bitumen. Here he is seen making his background plate, using a group of kebab sticks tied together as a multi-dotting tool.
Recent workshop at Ikuntji Arts, Haasts Bluff
Senior artist at Ikuntji, Alice Nampitjimpa completing the first stage of a new etching plate she has just been working on at Haasts Bluff with Basil. Alice and 7 other Ikuntji artists took part in an etching workshop in March. For most of the artists, it was the first time they had made a print, but Alice remembered working with us in Darwin in 1996 and again with Basil in 2005, when she made a...
Siesta during the Skopelos printmaking workshops...
This could be you, relaxing on Glyfoneri beach after a hard morning’s printmaking and a mouth-watering lunch up the hill at Stella’s taverna. This is the nearest beach to the studio and is just down the hill. Those of you lucky enough to have enrolled for this year’s workshops in June and July…pull up a lounge!
“Maybe I’ll go back to work at...
January 2011
1 post
This year's Skopelos workshops are fully booked
In June and July 2011, two workshops will be held on Skopelos by Basil Hall, assisted by Melbourne printmaker Steph Bolt. Two groups of 13 experienced artists and excited enthusiasts, accompaned by spouses and friends, and will be met by BHE and Skopelos Foundation staff at the ferry terminal on this beautiful island as they arrive and be transported to their accommodation overlooking the harbour...
October 2010
1 post
Not One But Two Printmaking Workshops on Skopelos...
The lovely taverna at Glisteri beach. Oven-baked eggplant followed by Maria’s famous Skopelos pie. Aaah! Lunch anyone?
Basil Hall has been busy taking reservations for his next Printmaking Workshops on Skopelos in June and July 2011. Once again Basil, assisted this time by Victorian printmaker Steph Bolt, will accompany two groups of around 14 to this delightful island and each group will...
September 2010
2 posts
40 Woodblocks; 40 Art Centres!
Seen here as they are installed at the Araluen Arts Centre are most of the 40 woodblock prints we have just completed for the 40 Desart-affiliated Art Centres of Central Australia. Each community selected an artist to work on the block we provided and Tash and Beth have worked tirelessly to complete the editions of 20 in time for the opening of Desert Mob on September 10. The prints, by...
The Desert Mob Panel finally revealed
Basil Hall Editions’ staff Basil and Beth have just returned from the opening of the 20th Desert Mob exhibition in Alice Springs. Also on show were the 40 new woodcuts we have been editioning and our fabulous Desert Mob Panel, seen here at Araluen Arts Centre, where it will be on show until October 24. The whole panel is for sale through us at $6600 and a limited number of each of the 5...
August 2010
5 posts
The Administrator, his wife and the administration
We were delighted to receive a surprise visit from the Administrator of the Northern Territory, Tom Pauling, and his wife on August 18th. Tom opened Nomad’s current exhibition (printers: BHE) at 24Hr Art on August 12, and has shown a great interest in the wonderful prints currently being made at BHE and the Charles Darwin University’s Northern Editions in this, Australia’s...
Fiona Hall studio visit in August
As part of Nomad Art’s Djalkiri: We are Standing on their Names project, Fiona Hall has spent over five weeks in the BHE studio this year. In June, and again in July-August, Fiona has worked on six extraordinary colour etchings; four of which were launched at the opening of the Djalkiri exhibition at 24Hr Art in Darwin by Tom Pauling, the Administrator of the Northern Territory, on August...
Ali Curung comes to BHE
Seen here are Selma Downs from Arlpwe Art & Culture at Ali Curung, BHE printer Natasha Rowell and Arlpwe Co-ordinator, Ian Grieve. The girls are holding Selma’s freshly-drilled woodblock for the Desert Mob Panel Project.
Warakurna and Papunya visitors at Telstra time!
During the Telstra Awards weekend in August we have had plenty of visitors. Basil was really happy to welcome Dorcas Bennett, Judith Chambers and Mrs Porter (front) from Warakurna Artists (Judith did the Tjanpi design on our first Desert Mob box in the blog below) and also Patrick and Isobel Major and Kasumi Ejiri (at the back) from Papunya Tjupi Art Centre. Mrs Porter is holding up a little...
Collectors! 40 beautiful woodblocks in a Tjanpi...
Here is the first look at our new 20th Anniversary Desert Mob folio box, containing prints from each of the 40 Desart-affiliated art centres in Central Australia, APY Lands, the Barkly, Kimberley, Western Desert and Northern goldfields of Western Australia.
With a specially commissioned Tjanpi Weavers piece on each box, this is a collectors’ item. There are only ten of these beautiful...
July 2010
11 posts
Barbie Kjar at work on Skopelos
Barbie Kjar worked on her interpretation of Homer’s Odyssey, in particular the Trojan horse, the siren and Ulysses’ escape from cyclops. The printers, Basil and Mats, were particularly interested in seeing how she inks up her vigorous drypoint plates. Mikael, as a fellow drypoint artist, was also fascinated by her approach to the medium. Barbie kindly used the downstairs studio when...
The 20th Anniversary Desert Mob Panel
Basil & Beth inking up a background block
Tash & Mats check one of the early proofs of Panel section 1
Maya glues down a series of eight woodblocks for Panel section 2
Mats applies a finishing touch to Panel section 1
And a better shot of our visiting Chilean printmaker, Maya
In this very spot in a few weeks, we will reveal the 20th Anniversary Desert Mob Panel. For almost...
Adam Rish researching Greek mythology
Sydney artist Adam Rish has travelled extensively, working collaboratively in many countries on paintings, prints, rugs, tapa cloth and sculptural projects. The Skopelos workshop gave Adam a chance to return to printmaking after a number of years, and he has produced several etchings and a pair of linocuts during his residency, discovered the “best” lunch taverna, frequented...
Final night party at Skopelos Foundation
On the final evening, the Foundation staff, Gloria Carr, Jill Somer and partner Giorgos hosted one of their famous parties in one of the studio courtyards. The artists and their families enjoyed a stunning barbeque (cook: Spiros, assisted by Giorgos and locals David and Anna) with wine (some from Ianni’s vineyard next door) speeches of thanks to our Greek hosts and Greek dancing (varying...
Gary Shinfield had a studio with a view
Sydney artist Gary Shinfield set himself up in the spacious downstairs studio at the Skopelos Foundation during BHE’s recent workshop there in June. Here he is posing in front of a number of woodcuts (behind him), printed intaglio on the relief press, and some softground etchings he also made during a busy fortnight.
Mats and Peter Sharpe in Skopelos studio
Skopelos was the ”perfect break” (surf joke) Peter Sharpe was looking for and he produced a number of beautiful drawings and several etching plates with Mats during his slightly shortened stay on the island with wife Michelle, also an artist.
Garry Shead and Dionysis at work
Senior Australian artist Garry Shead responded well to his first visit to Skopelos and produced three new etchings with aquatint. Dionysian themes invaded his current preoccupation with the theme of winemaking (in his recent paintings), and the studio’s proximity to a small local winery and numerous tavernas aided the artist’s research. His fellow artists were also happy to assist...
Skopelos pie (Galaktopita)
No report from Skopelos would be complete without an obligatory taverna scene. Here, Judy Watson (left) and Barbie Kjar are about to take delivery of a complimentary Skopelos pie and a plate of preserved fruits from the wonderful Maria, whose family run the island’s best lunch-time taverna, at Glysteri beach. We made sure that Mats and Basil stopped work in the studio for at least two...
Belinda Fox in her corner of the studio
Each artist had a generous space in the Skopelos Foundation studios. Belinda lost no time setting up and commencing to paint on small boards. Later in the fortnight she completed a three plate colour etching and a stunning black and white plate, whilst making sure at least half of each day was spent exploring this beautiful island with husband Brad and baby, Billie.
Artists at work in the Skopelos studio
Sweden’s Mikael Kihlman and London-based Australian artist Christopher Croft set up alongside Garry Shead at tables in the printmaking room, overlooking the Aegean. Here Mikael (in the foreground) is working in diffused light on a number of small drypoints on copper plate. Chris made a series of beautiful etchings on zinc (to become an artist’s book), while Garry completed a three...
A message from Greece
Basil and Mats have just finished a successful fortnight on wonderful Skopelos as guests of the Skopelos Foundation, along with nine artists from Australia, England and Sweden. Garry Shead, Christopher Croft, Belinda Fox, Judy Watson, Barbie Kjar, Adam Rish, Gary Shinfield, Mikael Kihlman and Peter Sharp, accompanied by their partners and, in some cases, children, travelled to Greece in late...
June 2010
3 posts
A shipload of onlookers
With some of the furniture removed, BHE’s main room became a make-shift lecture room for 45 passengers from the cruise ship Orion on Sunday. What a nice crowd of interested art lovers, curators (not to distinguish them from art-lovers, of course) and sailors-to-be.
Basil and Judy show
Basil and visiting artist, Judy Watson, did some quick proofing of one of Judy’s new “Blue Mud Bay” prints in front of an audience of around 45 passengers from the cruise ship Orion at BHE last Sunday. Surprisingly, in spite of having a crowd, we managed to resolve several issues with the “blue” print in the course of conducting a quick chat about our work at the...
Howard and Frances Morphy visit
Director of the Centre for Cross-Cultural Research at the ANU, Howard Morphy and his wife, linguist, Frances Morphy, visited Darwin (and BHE) last weekend to join the cruise ship Orion for a tour of the Kimberley coast. Also on the tour to conduct painting classes was Judy Watson, seen here giving a brief introduction to her work to a group of the Orion’s passengers who visited BHE on May...
May 2010
3 posts
BHE meets the Minister
Minister for the Arts in the Northern Territory, Gerry McCarthy, spent some time at Basil Hall Editions on Monday. It was kind of him to find the time. As a fairly well-kept secret in Darwin, the gang at BHE thought it was time to let local people know a bit more about we do, starting from the top! We are currently working with a number of artists from the Minister’s own electorate and he...
Mats spends a big week at Wiluna
Mats, assisted by Patricia, currently a volunteer at Tjukurba Art Gallery at Wiluna, recently completed 22 editions of colour reduction linocuts using Tjukurba’s MES press! They are seen here at the end of a BIG week of non-stop (and late night) printing with many of the new lino prints drying on the line and on the table in the foreground. Mats flew to Perth for an overnight stop over,...
Sean Smith (Elcho Arts) at BHE, May 2010
Sean (now working for Elcho Arts) has recently been back with us, helping Basil resolve and proof a number of etchings made by Elcho artists at a workshop run on the island by Basil Hall and Nadia Craig in 2009. Now it’s time to edition and exhibit them, so these colourful multi-plate etchings will soon be seen at galleres around Australia.
April 2010
6 posts
Judy Watson visit April 2010
Angus & Rose Cameron and Judy Watson discussing proofs of her four new etchings for Nomad Art Productions’ Blue Mud Bay Project, to be launched in August in Darwin. Judy has just spent three days with Basil, Mats and Nena, fine-tuning her final Heron Island Suite images and developing these strong etchings. New plates have been added, introducing Sea Rights documents and the names of...
Uluru was awash after heavy rains in March
Outstation Director, Matt Ward, gave Basil a lift out to Warakurna for his recent workshops with the Western Desert Mob. On the way out of Yulara, they stopped at the Rock to see the unusual sight of water pouring off it after recent rains. It’s not all work on these workshops, although this was the first time Basil had actually stopped at Uluru itself in over 20 trips to this part of the...
Mrs Golding at work on a line etching at Wanarn...
Mrs Carol Golding worked prolifically both at Warakurna and at “home” at the aged care facility at Wanarn, 100kms away during the WDM workshops hosted recently by Warakurna Artists and run by Basil Hall and Edwina Circuitt. Here she’s having her first go at line etching. This will be a beauty!
Ken Shepherd putting the finishing touches to a...
Emerging Warakurna artist Ken Shepherd made two beautiful sets of plates for what will be a pair of stunning colour etchings. Is is expected that these and other prints from the WDM Workshops will be launched at Nomad Art in Darwin in August during the Darwin Festival.
A thorny visitor at Warakurna
We could have made some interesting marks on a plate with this spiky little visitor, but she looked like she was pregnant, so she was carefully taken back out to a safe place away from the frantic activity at the Art Centre.
Western Desert Print Workshop 2010
Warakurna Artists was host to the long-awaited Western Desert Mob Printmaking Workshops, funded through the Australia Council for the Arts.
Over a two week period, Basil and the respective Art Centre staff from Warakurna Artists, Tjarlirli Arts (Tjukurla), Papulankutja Arts (Blackstone) and Kayili Arts (Patjarr) assisted artists to draw, paint and scratch stories onto zinc plate or acetate....
February 2010
2 posts
Beth works on Heron Island
Well, not actually ON Heron Island! Visting printer Beth Conway has been part of the team working on Judy’s Watson’s Heron Island Suite. Involving all five printers at various times, the prints are all etchings, but many also have screenprinted information incorporated into them, reflecting Judy’s interaction with QUT researchers on the island during her residency in 2009. Here...
Nena's birthday and Beth's farewell
Mats, Basil, Nena and visiting Melbourne printmaker Beth Conway celebrating Nena’s birthday in early February. Nena has almost been with us for four years and spent the whole day contending with streamers and balloons in her inking area today! We are sorry to lose Beth, who has spent a month here as a printer (on loan from Melbourne Etching Supplies). Beth has been assisting on Judy...
January 2010
6 posts
Don't just look at our blog!
Basil Hall Editions’ printers work on over 100 editions of prints a year. However, only a small fraction of these beautiful editions appear on our website, as we don’t offer all of them for sale ourselves.
Art Centres based in aboriginal communities, Galleries (such as Nomad Art in Darwin) and other Print Publishers (such as Grahame Galleries in Brisbane) usually commission us to...
John Wolseley returns to BHE in January 2010
John Wolseley has just been back at BHE in mid-January to complete some plate work and “edition” a series of frottaged monoprints he has done for the Nomad Art Project. John spent a week resolving one image, printing the “frottages” with Mats and commencing a new piece with Basil.
View of Skopelos town from above the Harbour
OK, we can’t help it, but here’s another shot of this gorgeous spot! If the Basil Hall Editions June printmaking workshop at Skopelos Foundation is a success, we’ll certainly think about doing another one. There are a number of artists whom we had really hoped to entice this year, but who were unable to make it this time, so we will get the invitations out earlier in 2011!