I had a great day in London yesterday! First I went to the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and enjoyed looking at the printmaking section in particular. Some fantastic work. Favourites included Hughie O’Donoghue’s carborundum print  ‘Moonlight Marine’; ‘Fagus II’ and ‘Ilex aquifolium’ by Emma Buckmaster & Janet French, etchings on beech leaves and holly leaves respectively; photogravure etchings by Cornelia Parker; and ‘Sanctuary – Spring’, ‘Sanctuary – Autumn’ and ‘Sanctuary – Winter’, three pieces of work in etching and collagraph by Barbara Rae. There was also a beautiful etching by Katherine Jones, ‘Clear Surface’.

I met Katherine for the first time recently and one of the main reasons for my trip to London was to visit her studio near Elephant & Castle. I have looked at reproductions of her work but it was great to see the originals and to discuss with her how she makes her work and arrives at the imagery in her subtle, atmospheric pieces. We share a love of the collagraph! www.katherine-jones.co.uk.

I also called in to see Jason Hicklin’s exhibition at Eames Fine Art. www.jasonhicklin.com. A beautiful set of etchings, monoprints and drawings based on his recent trip to St Kilda.