Ruth Thomas

Wednesday, 03 August 2016 08:36

Education

Over the years I have run many printmaking workshops, with participants from three years old to ninety (not at the same time!); in inner cities or remote rural areas; in schools, village halls, festival tents and in galleries; in primary, secondary and special education; with lower ability children or high flyers; in further and higher education; on themes as diverse as mining, landscape, bicycles, portraiture, emotions and poetry. There are many different approaches to making an original print and there is no subject that cannot be handled through the medium of printmaking.

Examples of projects

Residency for Flintshire’s Arts, Culture and Events service – on the theme of Riddles and Rhymes – collage and stencil printing

Taking a poem as a starting point for drawing, I worked with children in three Flintshire primary schools over three weeks. Some pupils made printing plates using collage, while others made cut paper stencils; all the pupils used my portable etching press to produce their prints. The nature of printing means that multiple pieces can be produced, so one set of prints could be combined to make a large artwork for permanent display, two in each school.

I completed a second residency with Flintshire schools, with the focus on migration of birds and the bird reserve at Talacre.

Gallery

Pilgrim’s Passport Stamp Project for the North Wales Pilgrim’s Way - collage printing

The Pilgrim’s Way is a walking route of over 130 miles from Basingwerk Abbey in Flintshire to Bardsey Island off the Llŷn Peninsula. I was asked to run printmaking workshops at eleven schools in Flintshire and Denbighshire that were located near the route. I worked with one class in each school. The children all made striking black and white prints from collage printing plates they designed and made themselves. One print from each school was turned into a rubber stamp and has been located at the relevant site on the route. Walkers are able to collect a ‘passport’ at the start of their walk and stamp their passports, as a souvenir, as they continue along the route.

www.pilgrims-way-north-wales.org

Gallery

Criw Celf workshops –
collage and stencil printing

Criw Celf is organised by local authorities across North Wales and provides artist-led workshops for more able and talented children in Years 7 – 9, outside of school hours. I have run workshops with children in Flintshire, Denbighshire and Conwy.

www.criwcelf.co.uk

Gallery

Moving Spaces –
banners on the theme of landscape

This three day project was held at Ruthin Craft Centre and was a collaboration with NEWdance. I worked with children who had attended Criw Celf workshops to make banners to be hung in the courtyard of the Craft Centre that would provide an area for the performers to dance in and around. We made drawings of the striking architecture of the Craft Centre, which reflects the surrounding hills, and turned these into stencils. We also printed directly from natural objects. The banners were made from tracing paper and muslin and wafted gently in the breeze on the evening of the performance.

Gallery

Arts and wellbeing

I have led a number of workshops with various adult support groups that have a focus on a particular need or circumstance. Examples of these include stencil printing with Deafblind adults; printing from natural objects with a group affected by cancer; printing from natural objects and collage printing with a group of carers, as part of the Gwanwyn Festival (celebrating creativity in older age); and printing from natural objects with adults who have suffered a stroke.

Gallery

Studio Workshops

Places are limited to 4 people per course, so early booking is recommended.

A new series of workshops for adults is available in the studio this October!

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Wednesday, 03 August 2016 08:36

Workshops

Why not join me in my purpose-built print studio in the Vale of Clwyd for a printmaking workshop? The studio is spacious with excellent natural light and a large floor standing press (bed size 60 x 120cm). The studio also has some inspirational views of the Clwydian hills.

These are all simple print activities—which I use myself—and no printmaking experience is necessary.

Book Your Place

“We thoroughly enjoyed the workshop day with you and we’re very proud of the prints!!”

ANN CUMMINGS

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General Information

All workshops run from 10 am – 4 pm unless otherwise stated.
Numbers limited to 4 per workshop.
All materials and equipment will be provided.
Vouchers are available if you would like to treat someone else to a workshop.
The studio is located 5 miles east of Denbigh in the Vale of Clwyd. On booking I will send you full details of how to find us!

Book Your Place

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Thursday, 03 March 2016 14:59

About

I feel immensely fortunate whenever I walk into my studio. It's a wonderful place in which to work. I have my etching press, ample worktop space to spread out, excellent natural light and inspirational views of the Clwydian hills. I am often joined by either our cat, Ruby, or our Welsh terrier, Charlie. This is where I plan my images, mix inks, make and print my printing plates, store my papers and all materials, have work in progress on display. This is where I create my work. It's not always an easy process; there are many frustrating times when things don't go right but it's a battle I enjoy, and when a piece turns out well, that is, when it seems to strike the right chord in terms of atmosphere, composition, concept and technique, there is no better feeling.

“A superb environment to produce outstanding prints. Quite an impression!”

I've been making my work since I graduated in 1985 with a degree in Fine Art. At that time I concentrated on painting, collage and drawing. My work has changed over the years and since the early 1990s I have specialised in printmaking. I've made etchings, screenprints and drypoints but the process which allows me to express myself best, is collagraph, a print from a collage. Virtually any materials can be used as long as they are fairly flat - fabrics, papers, threads, carborundum - and these days I mostly use found natural materials. I do also take direct impressions from these objects without making a plate, to create monoprints.

I grew up in rural Northamptonshire, and then found myself in various cities including Coventry, Manchester, Leeds (where I completed a Master’s degree), Liverpool and York, before moving to North Wales in 2000. I'm pleased to be back in a rural environment, surrounded by and still discovering new natural materials for making my work. They provide a way for me to engage and work with the landscape around me.

The studio is also where I prepare work for exhibition. I've been making work for long enough now to have exhibited all over the country, as well as overseas, including USA, Bulgaria, France and Spain. I am a member of the Royal Cambrian Academy and the Makers Guild in Wales.

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I get huge satisfaction from sharing printmaking skills with others. I have taught part-time in Further and Higher Education and I very much enjoy freelance work – leading workshops and undertaking artist residencies in schools, galleries and community centres. I find that running workshops for others also gives me ideas for my work.