Tom came to the workshop in a whirlwind of energy, bringing with him literal buckets filled with every colour of ink imaginable and sketchbooks bursting with ideas. Making etchings is often a relatively slow process where an artist makes marks (in lines and tones) and decisions before etching and reviewing prints to move forward toward a finished print. Within a few days we had ten or so etchings in progress, each filled with colour and technicality.

“Narrow Road to the Deep North” is a beautiful example of the relationship between artist, studio and printers. This print was made from 4 copper plates, each with at least two colours applied. The stripes contained in the central figure is a small piece of collage applied during the printing in a process called chine-collé. The workshop provides the opportunity and facilities for an artist to work with freedom. The collaborative rinter allows the artist to work uninhibited by technical concerns. Tom’s print hopefully captures the energy of his time at Glasgow Print Studio.