IMPACT 6 Printmaking Conference

Last week I went to IMPACT Printmaking Conference in Bristol. There where over 400 delegates there from 32 different countries! They included Artists Printmakers, Print Historians, Students, Educators, Curators, Collectors, Digital Artists, Print Studios, Book Artists, Conservators, Print Technicians and Print Industry.

The conference was held at the Bristol Council House and School of Creative Arts, University of the West of England. It consisted of Academic talks from panels including the creme de la creme of Printmaking, Poster events, Product Fairs, Open portfolios, demonstrations and exhibitions at various venues across Bristol. The demonstrations was my highlight!

Dan Welden talked us through Solar Plates which exposes images onto plates using daylight.  Creating both intaglio and relief plates.

Paul Thirkill & Kent Rush gave a demonstration on the lost art of collotype

Andrew Baldwin presented his B.I.G which is a new etching ground with great qualities and has unique ways of using coffee as a sugar lift and icing sugar as aquatint!

Alfons Bytautas talked us through how to create Cupric Chloride which has an eternal lifespan by regenerating the mix when needed.

Open Portfolios was a great chance to network with other printmakers

Hot Bed Press gave great representation of its members at Spike Island.  This is me and HBP Development Manager Sean Rouke.

IMPACT was a fantastic experience and gave me so much inspiration. Its biannual and the next is in 2011 in Melbourne! Im starting to save up now and recommend all printmakers to do the same!