The annual Printmakers competition and exhibition comes to Ironbridge.
This is the second year that Ironbridge Framing and Art Gallery have held the printmakers competition and and exhibition and entries this year doubled in numbers. You can see some amazing work showing the diversity there is in printmaking, from artists all over the country.
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00:00So we're here at Ironbridge Fine Arts and Framing, got that right haven't I?
00:04Yes you have.
00:05And you're the boss, what's your name?
00:07So I'm Sarah Morris, I'm one of the directors. I work with my sister, the other director, Jenny Gunning.
00:12And fantastic exhibition you've got on here, a bit of an annual event for the place now isn't it?
00:17Yes, so this is our second year running the competition.
00:20Last year, incredible success and we had such a vibrant community of printmakers that supported and entered the competition.
00:28And this year it's doubled in size, so we received over 600 entries.
00:32Out of those we narrowed it down to 256 prints were accepted in the exhibition, which is online and in the gallery.
00:40And it's on in the gallery until?
00:43Around the 20th of November, so it's got a good 10 weeks to come and see.
00:48And the variety of work really just opens your eyes to the world of printmaking doesn't it?
00:54And with a private view on Saturday, everybody just kept saying there's such a vast range of different processes and mediums and work.
01:02And it's just incredible to see them all together.
01:05And doubling in size, was that expected? That's quite a difference isn't it?
01:10We were getting lots of attention on the lead up to it and people asking when's it coming, what's going to happen.
01:15So we thought it would gain more attention but were overwhelmed when it was doubled.
01:19Is that because there's possibly not enough focus when it comes to exhibitions and galleries on printmaking?
01:25Well from our perspective, because our father Dave Gunning built the printing presses, the etching presses,
01:32we've now got a community of printmakers that use the Gunning etching presses.
01:37And we really wanted to shout about that and really build the community and highlight all the incredible printmakers that are out there today.
01:44So this is what this spotlight's about.
01:47You mentioned your dad Dave there, so he invented a press didn't he?
01:50That people, your manufacturing like you say, they get shipped out all over the place don't they?
01:55So I guess you're in quite a unique point aren't you really, in terms of that community you've created?
02:01Exactly, and my sister Jenny, she's a printmaker herself, she's absolutely passionate about printmaking,
02:06teaches people from all over the country, well all over the world too, how to printmake.
02:11So yeah, it all supports and builds each other.
02:14So Sarah, this was the winning print, as chosen by your dad I believe?
02:19Yes, yes.
02:20Your dad Dave Gunning, well known in the world of printing, if anybody knows a good print he's the man isn't he?
02:25He is, certainly.
02:26So who have we got here, what's the artist called?
02:29So the artist is Wendy Rhodes, and it's a beautiful piece.
02:33It was chosen by Dad because he said that it really pulls you in, the texture and the line detail is just incredible.
02:41Just an emotive and expressive piece.
02:43Yeah, it is gorgeous isn't it, and it does doesn't it really, that kind of changing tone as you come through,
02:49and the path leading you through, it is quite nice.
02:52Two pieces submitted by Wendy, both got a lot of attention, but this piece in particular kind of stood out.
02:59Do you know where Wendy's from?
03:01I don't unfortunately.
03:02Don't worry.
03:03So you had the awards night and the opening night the other night, people were travelling from all over,
03:09just check out some of the places where people were travelling from?
03:11Absolutely all over, so we had Northern Ireland, we had Scotland, Devon, all over.
03:16Yeah.
03:17Absolutely incredible.
03:18And obviously these people aren't getting the bus here and getting the bus back from Devon,
03:22so they're ploughing money into the local economy aren't they, booking B&B's and so on.
03:27Exactly, yeah, we've got a page on the website that tells people where they can stay locally,
03:31and we work with some incredible local businesses.
03:33Fantastic, so it's definitely on the calendar for next year as well, to come back as well.
03:38For sure.
03:39Have you got a favourite one yourself in the exhibition?
03:42Oh, there's quite a few.
03:44Yeah, go on, pick me one of your favourites.
03:47I do love, this is one of the other prize winners, Francesca, and she's actually won an exhibition for next year.
03:57Wow.
03:58It's a beautiful piece and she had the plate laser cut to create that shape,
04:04which again is just something really exciting.
04:06And the tone and the depth that she's got in that's incredible.
04:09Great stuff.
04:10Well, thank you for inviting us down.
04:12So we're just behind Merry Fort, Teddy Bear Factory, if people know that, by the Antiques Centre,
04:17and like we say, on until November.
04:19So, thank you Sarah.
04:21Thanks so much.