Double Elephant Blog

The Leonard Baskin-Ted Hughes printmaking project which we are doing together with the University of Exeter is going well. Last Saturday we welcomed a new group of young people into printmaking. We visited the Special Collections at the University to view first hand their collection of Leonard Baskin prints (beautiful!). They are etchings, woodcuts and lithographs primarily, mostly annotated with Baskin’s words ‘To Ted and Carol Hughes’. Baskin and Hughes worked closely together on several publications including ‘The Crow’ and ‘Cave Birds’. Baskin, from the States, lived in Mid Devon for about 9 years in the 1970s. After his return to the States he and Hughes continued to collaborate.

The Art Society at the University of Exeter are working with us too, assisting with the teaching and organisation of the project. This project results in two exhibitions. The first one at The Ariel Gallery, Totnes will primarily show the printmaking by the Art Society and also prints created by adults on Double Elephant’s “Printmaking on Prescription” programme. This opens for 10 days on 31st January.

The second exhibition to be held at the University of Exeter will show all the work by the young people (13-18 yrs) alongside Baskin prints (reproductions as the environment isn’t suitable for the originals). From 27 Feb-30 April.

There is a wonderful film by the filmmaker Noel Channon, who was friends with both Hughes and Baskin. http://www.artistandpoet.co.uk/

There will be a film screening of this film in March, date to be confirmed. Contact catherine@doubleelephant.org.uk for more details.

Our talented photographer is Rob Darch www.robertdarch.com

These are a selection of photos from our current Heritage Lottery Funded project. We are working with the Art Society from the University of Exeter (who are our project partner), with young people from schools in Devon to create prints inspired by Leonard Baskin and Ted Hughes. Baskin, an artist-printmaker, collaborated with Hughes on many books together, the most well-know being ‘The Crow’. The Special Collections at the University of Exeter holds a collection of stunning prints by Baskin, as part of their Hughes collection. The Art Society students and young people have been to seen these prints first-hand, and have been creating work inspired by what they’ve seen and also read of Hughes poetry. The project continues in January to involve another group of young people from the Exeter area. Please contact catherine@doubleelephant.org.uk if you are aged 13-18yrs and interested to find out more.

Roller printing and stamps on a Brazilian Rainforest theme, for a day with G&A kids from Cullompton Learning Community. We created scenery for a performance the very same day. Yes, the ink was still drying when it went up!

The talented youth (8-13yrs) at our printmaking day at Topsham Museum on Tuesday…see here monoprint and collagraph prints. They were very hardworking and didn’t stop all day!

Double Elephanteers, Claire McLaughlin and Catherine Cartwright at West Town Farm, consultation for The Carousel Project http://www.thecarouselproject.org.uk/, a new Devon based project forerunning early years arts work. In this video the artists, from many disciplines, meet and show each other ideas for working with early years, and discuss interdisciplinary work. Spot the 7 minute printmaking workshop in the middle of a forest by an old railway bridge… who needs tables?

Drypoint prints by students (Year 9) at Kingsbridge Community College who are looking forward to starting their GCSE art next year.

Working with artist and printmaking tutor Catherine Cartwright, they spent the morning drawing from dancers (who were rehearsing) and scratching into the perspex plates, and the afternoon busily printing! They were exhibited and viewed by parents and friends the following week.