Basil Hall Editions

Skopelos Workshop. An early morning view to whet the appetite!

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:50:36 +0930

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 big dinner celebration on June 21. (There will be a farewell dinner for this first group on July 5, followed a few days later by a welcome dinner on July 11 for the second group). Bring your appetites!

Nyapurla Morgan linocuts

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:35:39 +0930

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)

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:32:16 +0930

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 our third workshop out here and each time Basil (or Mats, in 2010) has concentrated on printing full editions of reduction relief prints during the week with the artists. Tjukurba ends up with one exhausted visitor, one exhausted staff member and around 130 beautiful three or four-colour prints to sell. An example is reproduced above. They are for sale through Tjukurba Art Gallery in Wiluna.

Ali Curung (Arlpwe) artists carving blocks in late March

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:20:34 +0930

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

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:16:15 +0930

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 show the participants how their carvings could be presented on paper.

Five workshops so far this year (and four artists have also worked with our printers in studio) and it’s only April! Who said the Indigenous art scene was a bit flat?

New prints from Djilpin Arts (Beswick)

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:08:01 +0930

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 now be launched at Art Melbourne on May 19.

Another piece of rock art to whet the interest!

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 14:22:00 +0930

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

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 14:17:00 +0930

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

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 14:14:03 +0930

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 animal life a-plenty, wetlands to die for and the best rock art you’ll ever see unless George Chaloupka takes you into the stone country!

You can contact Mandy or Basil if you are interested. We could possibly still squeeze someone in!

New screenprints soon from Papunya Tjupi

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 13:39:00 +0930

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 Papunya artists. The Cicada Press etchings and BHE silkscreens will be jointly shown at Nomad Art in Darwin in August.

Walter Jugadai making an etching plate at Ikuntji, 2011

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 13:35:00 +0930

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

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 13:31:34 +0930

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 silkscreen. The prints will be exhibited as part of Ikuntji Art Centre’s 20th year celebrations in 2012.

Siesta during the Skopelos printmaking workshops 2011

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 13:24:35 +0930

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 2.00…..2.30?…..zzzz…”

This year's Skopelos workshops are fully booked

Sun, 30 Jan 2011 19:18:00 +0930

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 of this typical Greek island town. They will be joined by artists Gria Shead, Mikael Kihlman (Sweden) and Christopher Croft (London-based Australian artist), who are working independently with BHE Senior Printer Mats Undén during our workshop.

We already have quite a list of names of people who missed out this year, so let us know if you’d like to be kept informed about the 2012 expedition!

Not One But Two Printmaking Workshops on Skopelos in 2011

Fri, 08 Oct 2010 15:14:00 +0930

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 enjoy the printmaking facilities and hospitality at the Skopelos Foundation for two weeks. The studio is stunning, the beaches and tavernas are enticing and the people are welcoming.

TYPICAL DAY: Eat - print - eat - swim - sleep - print - eat - sleep - dream of eating and swimming

DATES: June 21 - July 5 AND July 11-24

COST: (Tuition, studio hire, accommodation*, all breakfasts, two dinners, materials all included): $2363 for a wonderful fortnight!

MEDIUMS OFFERED: Etching, relief prints, collagraph, monoprints

TRAVEL: Participants will organise and pay for their own travel to Skopelos via Athens. Fly to Athens and then either fly or bus/ferry to nearby Skaithos. Jill Somer, Co-Director at The Skopelos Foundation, will be extremely helpful wth all travel queries once you are enrolled.

NOTE ON ACCOMMODATION: Included is accommodation at the nearby Majorca self-contained apartments. These cost around $50 a night. Situated near the studio high over Skopelos town, each has bathroom, kitchenette, verandah and plenty of space. If you wish, you can book your own accommodation instead (See “Skopelos/ Accommodation” on the web) and the Majorca component can be deducted from the cost above.

Email Basil immediately if you would like to book a spot and make a deposit (fully refundable up until January 31st 2011). These fortnights have already filled, but we will take a couple of reserves in case anyone drops out.

info@basilhalleditions.com.au

40 Woodblocks; 40 Art Centres!

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 14:50:23 +0930

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 well-known and emerging artists including Judy Napangardi Watson, Patrick Tjungarrayi, Peggy Jones, Roy Underwood and David Miller are available at only $165 each.

The Desert Mob Panel finally revealed

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 14:00:45 +0930

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 sections can also be purchased for $1400 each (unframed).

The Administrator, his wife and the administration

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:29:45 +0930

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 print capital! A shame our administrator hadn’t had a shave or done his hair that morning.

Fiona Hall studio visit in August

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:21:00 +0930

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 12. Fiona has primarily used hard ground, tusche and bitumen resist to create her rich botanical images of the plants and insect life of East Arnhem Land. She returns in September to continue her work in Darwin with Basil and Mats.

Ali Curung comes to BHE

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:07:29 +0930

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.