I hope you enjoy reading about my latest print in my Print Club newsletter for June! 

Click here for all the details about how this work was made, and for all the latest news.

This print was produced for 'Print Club' and sent out by email to my mailing list on 1st June. Those on my mailing list get first view of new work and a chance to win a free print in a draw. If you would like to sign up, please send me a message with your email address. The next Print Club newsletter will be on 1st August.

It was great to be at the opening of Print International at Ty Pawb in Wrexham yesterday, to see the huge variety of prints of a very high standard, to hear the speeches and see who had won the prizes, and to catch up with printmaking friends! I was very proud to see my collagraph ‘Shadowland’ on display with so much fabulous work.

If you are in the area, I hope you can get along to see the exhibition. Otherwise there is a virtual tour available here! my.matterport.com/show

Print International features 139 artworks from 10 different countries, including Germany, France, Spain, Australia, USA, Canada, Russia, Poland and the UK.
 

The exhibition was selected by

Leonie Bradley, editor of Printmaking Today

Nigel Morris, Coordinator of RPC, Wrexham

and Tracy Hill, Research Associate Artlab Contemporary Print Studios, UCLan

Exhibition dates: 4^th December – 26^th February 2022

Gallery open: 10am – 4pm, Monday to Saturday
Ty Pawb, Market Street, Wrexham

I’m delighted to hear that ‘Shadowland’ has been selected for Print International 2021 in Wrexham! The 2019 exhibition was stunning - great work in a beautiful gallery space - so really looking forward to seeing the 2021 exhibition, which will run from 4th December - 26th February 2022.

You can see short videos of how this print was made on my Instagram page.

Shadowland
Multi plate collagraph, 2021, edition of 10.

My application to become a member of the Makers Guild in Wales was accepted in May, which was exciting news! It means I will be able to show my prints at Craft in the Bay, the Guild’s gallery in Cardiff, in the company of some excellent work.

 
I took work to Cardiff earlier in the month for an exhibition of new members' work at the gallery; I decided to take some of my large framed circular pieces, as well as a variety of unframed prints. The exhibition runs from 24th July - 26th September.

Makers Guild in Wales, Craft in the Bay, The Flourish, Cardiff CF10 4QH

makersguildinwales.org.uk

 Fan Worm Fossil Form

 Volute

 Bark Circle

Relic

Looking back at 30 Prints in 30 Days and looking forward to Print Club.

In November 2020, I undertook a challenge to make 30 different original prints in 30 days. In fact, as the nature of printmaking is to make multiples of each printing plate or stencil, I managed to produce 99 prints.

I was so thrilled with the amazing response to the project from those on my mailing list. All prints were for sale with 25% of proceeds going to charity; 46 prints were sold and I was delighted to be able to donate £777 to Cancer Research UK.

I was very pleased that other people enjoyed watching the project unfold. This response came from one person on the mailing list:

‘It felt like a little gift each day when I opened your email.’

The prints made can be viewed on the ‘30 Prints in 30 Days’ page in my website Gallery, and on my Instagram page @ruththomasart. A number of prints are still for sale.

At the end of November, I thought it would be great if the project could continue in some form, so came up with… Print Club!

Working at a slightly more relaxed pace than in November, I will make one new small edition or series of prints every month, to be sent out by email at the start of the following month.

The first print will be sent on 1st March.

With galleries closed for the time being, those on my mailing list will have a little piece of original art brought to their inbox.

I will explain the choice of subject and how the prints are made. During 30/30 a number of people said the explanation of how each print had been created added real interest to each piece of work. I’m aiming for variety of technique and subject, and a bit of brightness in these difficult times.

Every month, I will hold a draw for those on my mailing list and the winner will receive a free original print. If you would like to join my mailing list, please get in touch through the Contact page.

I count myself as fortunate to live in a beautiful, uncrowded part of the country, already set up for working from home, but this year has certainly been difficult and challenging for us all. And now we are heading into winter! 

November is not my favourite month. As the days grow shorter, more cold, wet and dark, I become gloomier! So for enjoyment, fun, distraction and to make life for my family more bearable, I have decided to challenge myself to make 30 different original prints in 30 days, from 1^st – 30^th November.

I will be working with a range of subjects and in a variety of printmaking techniques, some tried and tested but I also hope to use this as a chance to experiment. I will probably be taking inspiration from things close at hand, since at present we are again being asked to stay at home. I’m aiming to make work that is positive in feel and I hope to bring a bit of cheer to others too in these dark days.

An image of each work produced will be emailed to my mailing list by the following day and I will also post on Instagram/Facebook and at regular intervals, on my website too. Those on my mailing list will get first view; Instagram/Facebook posts will be later, after 5pm. I’ll share the back story and also something of the process of making each print.

Would you like to be included in the daily emails? If so, please use the website contact form and I will be happy to add you to the mailing list for this project. I will include all names on the mailing list by the end of November in a draw for a free original print.

The prints will be for sale and I will be donating 25% of the proceeds to Cancer Research UK.

Other ways to follow this project are through my Instagram page @ruththomasart and Facebook page Ruth Thomas.

I hope people will find it interesting to see how this project unfolds. I’m excited and actually now looking forward to November!

I’m so pleased to be included in the 40th Mini Print International exhibition in Cadaqués, Spain. With so many exhibitions and events cancelled this year from necessity, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s very exciting to have some work on display again! Well done and many thanks to the organisers for continuing with this show despite the problems they must have encountered this year.
Exhibition dates: 27th June – 30th September 2020 in Cadaqués and then the exhibition tours to other venues in Spain and France.

All the prints on exhibition are 10 x 10cm or less.

Taller Galeria Fort
Carrer Hort d'en Sanés, 9, 17488 Cadaqués, Girona, Spain

miniprint.org/the-exhibition

I thoroughly enjoyed the Varnishing Day reception at the Royal Academy yesterday. Very pleased to have my print ' There are Rooks Flying, Blowing in the Wind' included in this year's Summer Exhibition - though it would be useful to have a ladder on hand! So much interesting work on show, by both well-known names and unknown artists. My work is in Room V, curated by Barbara Rae and Hughie O'Donoghue. The exhibition runs from 10th June until 12th August.
No evidence of any varnishing! This day is for the exhibitors to see the exhibition for the first time. The Service for Artists beforehand at St James's Church on Picadilly was an interesting experience too! Beautiful building inside.

Delighted to be having a solo exhibition at Editions, Liverpool. This is my fifth exhibition at the gallery but the last one was in 2012, so I’m excited to be back here. It was good to see some familiar faces and meet some new people at the opening on 4th April. The show continues until 11th May.

Double page spread with Dan Snow in today’s Daily Post! No doubt he is as excited as I am! OK, you’re right, probably not, and OK it’s not exactly ‘with’.

I am delighted to be showing recent work at Mostyn Gallery in Llandudno at present, upstairs in Gallery 6. Mostyn is a beautiful gallery. The buildings themselves are wonderful, with very high ceilings and good natural light. There is always a variety of work on display including contemporary art in the main galleries and a great selection of art and craft in the retail galleries. Thank you, Mostyn, for this opportunity.

‘Last Words’, my exhibition of sixteen original prints, opened on 6th October and will continue until 27th January 2019.