This is an understandable sentiment. As jobs push people to be automatons and often offer little in the way of respect, it’s easy to quietly quit. But perhaps, they’re not paying you enough to not care. Spending your days, day after day, not caring is a tragedy. They might not deserve your focus and effort, […]

Pablo Picasso was born not long before the invention of the motion picture. With a different set of inclinations, he might have become one of the most daring pioneers of that medium. Instead, as we know, he mastered and then practically reinvented the much older art form of painting. That said, cinema did seem to […]

Tactics are tempting. We can lean into them, invest, build our skills and count on results. Strategies are more elusive. And a mismatch between strategy and tactics leads to wasted effort. In this 2 x 2 grid, you can see how easy it is to get stuck. The worst outcome is a misguided strategy supported […]

In 2004, John Conway and Alexander Soifer, both working on mathematics at Princeton University, submitted to the American Mathematical Monthly what they believed was “a new world record in the number of words in a [math] paper.” Soifer explains: “On April 28, 2004 … I submitted our paper that included just two words, ‘n2 + 2 can’ and our two drawings. [See […]

My name is Ian O’Halloran. I am a professional Artist and Printmaker living and working in the Sussex Weald near Herstmonceux (UK). I am and always have been inspired by the British landscape. I came to art later in life than most, having had a career in civil engineering first and not getting to art college (at Eastbourne) until I was 30. Describe your printmaking processes. My main printmaking process is multi-block linocut, but I have also recently started making drypoint engravings (using the acrylic plates sold by Handprinted). I love the flowing lines that can be created with Lino and use the ‘battleship’ grey blocks as they are softer than the brown. I build up my prints in layers using typically around 12 colours on 4 to 6 blocks. I tend to print my images in the same order that I would paint them i.e. starting with the sky and working forward from distance to foreground, but there are always exceptions. My drypoints are engraved onto the acrylic pates with etching needles and I’ve discovered that I can use sandpaper to get some nice half-tones. I’m now experimenting with using more than one colour when I ink up the plates and sometimes I use watercolour on the finished print to add another dimension. I really like the connection between drawing and printmaking that you get with drypoint. How and where did I learn to print? That’s easy. I am still teaching myself! Why printmaking? I call myself ‘The Accidental Printmaker’ as that’s pretty much how I got into it. When I was at Art College, I studied painting and that’s the art career I followed after leaving. I had a few successful one-man shows and all was well. Then after my wife and I had kids it all changed. I found that I no longer had the time or energy to create. After a couple of years of not doing art at all, things calmed down slightly and I realised that I needed to get back into being creative. Painting was not really an option as it requires a sustained input of time, so I had to find something more process based that I could pick up and put down easily. A friend is a printmaker and I liked the results she got, so I thought I’d give it go. It was like coming home and I felt I had ‘found my tribe’ amongst printmakers, they seem to be so much more supportive than painters. Interestingly, when I look at some of my paintings now, I can see that they were very much part of my journey towards printmaking. Where do you work? I’m very lucky to have a home studio where I work and can also show work to any visitors. It’s the shortest commute I’ve ever had. Pros: I like being able to pop in whenever I have an idea or need to work on something. Cons: interruptions! Describe a typical day in your studio. There’s really no such thing as a typical day. It very much depends on what needs doing – sometimes it will be more mundane tasks such as framing or mounting work for an exhibition, printing my hand printed cards or editioning prints. But as I usually have a few projects on the go it might be something more interesting - like carving a lino block, test printing colours or working on composition drawings for a new print. How long have I been printmaking? I’d dabbled on and off for years but didn’t really get properly stuck into it until about 2007/8 What inspires you? I have always been inspired by the English landscape (and by Artists who depict it especially Paul and John Nash, Eric Ravilious and John Piper) and I am particularly drawn to certain types of landscape – what I think of as Ancient Landscapes - ones that tell a story and where there is more going on than meets the eye, which is why you will often find standing stones, dolmen, chalk hill figures and trackways in my work. Whilst most of my work is based on actual locations, I’m not trying to create an exact likeness of somewhere but more a sense of what it feels like to be there. To this end I tend to use colour to evoke an emotional response. What is your favourite printmaking product? Oh dear! Hard to choose just one. But if I had to it would be Cranfield traditional oil based relief inks.  If I’m allowed to choose favourite equipment it would have to be my trusty wooden spoon – I could make linoprints without my press if I had to, but not without my wooden spoon! What have you made that you are most proud of? My wife and I have spent the last 30 years creating gardens from a 5-acre field into a productive and wildlife friendly haven, so it would probably have to be that Where can we see your work? Where do you sell? I have work in Edwards & Todd Gallery (High Street, Lewes. East Sussex) My work also appears on ‘The Artists Bridge’ (Hailsham. East Sussex) I’m also a member of The Sussex Arts Collective and show work with them regularly throughout the year at their gallery (Gallery UNO in Seaford, East Sussex) You can see most of my work on my website and can buy cards and artwork from my Etsy shop. Also, I’m on Instagram and  Facebook. What will we be seeing from you next? My year started with the shock of my linocut ‘Autumn Hillside’ winning the Handprinted/LinoPrint4 Competition! (thank you Ben Dickson and Handprinted) My print (and those of the 3 runners up) was shown at the Horsebridge Arts Centre in Whitstable, alongside work from some of the best linoprint artists around. It was a real honour. Next up will be an exhibition at Gallery UNO (Seaford) as part of the regular shows of the Sussex Arts Collective this runs from: 13th May – 5th June  Also in May I’m really excited to be taking part in my first ever print fair – ‘Ink, Paper & Print’ at Lewes Town Hall on the 24th May. Then in July I’m taking part in another print fair (also at Lewes Town Hall) ‘Strange Magic Print Fair’ on 26th July Do you have any advice for other printmakers and creatives? I’m not sure I’m in any sort of position to dispense advice about anything. However, some things that I’ve found helpful have been: - Making sure I pay attention to the boring things like composition, perspective and drawing – I’ve seen a lot of prints spoiled by poor composition/design - a strong image is important. I also try to not get to obsessed by the craft of printmaking and keep reminding myself that I’m making a piece of art. I’ve seen a lot of amazing, technically brilliant prints that ultimately are not very interesting to look at. I had to spend years finding my own style, but I believe that I have now developed a visual language that makes my work different from other artists. This was not a contrived thing and cannot be forced, you’ll just have to trust it will arrive in time. One last piece of non-advice: make work for yourself and not for any other reason. It will show if you don’t! To see more of Ian, follow him on Instagram or sign up to his newsletter!