North

I feel so privileged to be mentioned in Volume 4 of ‘North’ as part of Jo Garrett’s wonderful interview on the darkroom.

North Magazine, Volume 4 featuring Jane Elizabeth Bennett and Jo Garrett — North Magazine, Volume 4 Jo Garrett’s Interview featuring Jane Elizabeth Bennett

I love the way that Jo talks about the magic of the darkroom, the physical interactions between chemistry and light, it is alchemy and I adore it. I think it is so easy to disassociate the physicality of making work from the final outcome which often ends up, framed and pristine, on a white wall.

When I’m working in the darkroom with Jo, I can relax. We often discuss the crossovers and co-dependencies of printmaking and photography. How each process informs, shapes and directs the evolution of the other, while still remaining very separate artforms.

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14th June 201815th June 2018

‘Masters’ at Artlab

Creative Letterpress with David Armes at Artlab CPS 2018, Masters

Artlab Contemporary Printmaking Studio has recently run a series of three masterclasses in Printmaking entitled ‘Masters’.

I have been looking forward to the ‘Masters’ masterclasses for some time. Anyone that knows me well will know how much I love to ‘upskill’. The ‘Masterclasses’ were a great opportunity to network with some very experienced artists and expand my own knowledge.

Bronwen Sleigh’s Two Plate Softground Masterclass

Sleigh’s research and portfolio are extensive, and her workshop was as enjoyable as it was informative. The aim of the workshop was to explore methods of drawing a composite image over two soft-ground plates and then correctly register them to print on the star wheel press.

Two Plate Etching with Bronwin Sleigh, Drawing Studio, Artlab 2018

The group prepared each plate, de-greasing and coating them with a traditional softground wax, once the plates had been prepared they were etched in copper-sulphate and cleaned in preparation for inking and printing.

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16th April 201829th August 2018

Stone Lithography

Upskilling with Stone Lithography

Stone Lithography is a skill that I have always wanted to obtain, but it has always seemed to be closer to witchcraft than printmaking.

I think that is part of the magic, taking a stone, drawing materials and array of chemicals, and after many hours of rubbing, flapping and mixing various chemicals a body of work will begin to form.

Jane Elizabeth Bennett, 2018 Using the Offset Press for Lithography — Jane Elizabeth Bennett, 2018 Using the Scraper Press for Stone Lithography

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28th February 20183rd March 2018

Ceramic Frankenstein

A Transdisciplinary Approach to Monster Making

One of the perks of my position as Printmaking Technician at the University of Central Lancashire is that I get to be involved with so many interesting and unique projects. Ceramic Frankenstein, delivered by Erik Kok and Rudi Bastiaans from The AKI Academy of Art and Design was certainly out of the ordinary.

Ceramic Frankenstein - The Beast, University of Central Lancashire 2018 — Ceramic Frankenstein – The Beast, University of Central Lancashire 2018

‘Ceramic Frankenstein is a student project that combines diverse techniques in several workshops. We visit one of our partner universities, in this case, the University of Central Lancashire. We form groups of students from different departments: Printmaking, Ceramics, and Photography etc. The workshop lasts for a week, which ends with a small presentation on a location that complements the artwork’ – Erik Kok

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1st February 201827th March 2018

Outcome – An Exhibition

Outcome – An Exhibition of Three Postgraduate Projects

If you have followed my research for some time you will already know about the philosophical, neurological and political undercurrents that inspire and drive my practice. With the exhibition of Outcome coming to an end, it seems like an appropriate time to examine these ideas and being my Fellowship to a close.

A Thousand Plateaus and Soft Ground Etching

My Fellowship began with soft ground etching. After beginning to read the work of Deleuze and Guattari my first inclination was to begin to explore it physically. For me, the most intuitive way was through the medium of soft ground etching. Adapting the traditional method to suit my needs I allowed the allowed impure water to settle and oxidize on the plates. As the oxidization formed it created pathways that formed streams, which in turn informed the soft ground and eventual etch.

Outcome, Artlab, PhD Fellowship and AA2A 2017 2018 Exhibition Jane Elizabeth Bennett Close Up Etching — ‘Outcome’, Artlab, Ph.D. Fellowship and AA2A 2017 2018 Exhibition Jane Elizabeth Bennett Close Up Etching

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