Alan Birch

Prints at Tate.

alan — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:54:51 +0000

In June Alan Birch will be holding a series of drop in printing sessions for families at the Tate, Liverpool. The sessions from 1.30-4.oo in the half term week of 4th to 9th June and Friday evening 18th May, will use the works in the permanent collection, focussing on work from their modern collection. It is planned to run at least two different printing techniques, relief and drypoint using water based inks. For further details visit the Tate website.

London visit

alan — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:37:44 +0000

In May Alan Birch visited London together with Wendy Gallagher ( Whitworth Art Gallery ) and Lucy Burscough ( artist ) as part of a research and development project linked to the Culture Shots programme organised by the Manchester Galleries and Museums and Manchester Hospitals. As part of the visit I visited the exhibition on the Brain at the Welcome Museum, The Science Museum and the Lucien Freud exhibition . As part of my research I spent a day at the Bethlem Royal Hospital in London, visiting creative sessions run by Micheala Ross and visited arts workers in the unit for the Criminally Insane, looking at the work produced . It is to be hoped that the visit can be reciprocated at a later date.

Printmakers in Germany.

alan — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:24:10 +0000

Printmakers from Prospect Studio showed a selection of their work, As part of the Bocholt Art Market in Germany. Artist Andrew Holland kindly took a selection of works from Rossendale artists to Germany . This followed up a show in Bocholt by 12 artists from the valley, which was well received. No doubt the people of Bocholt will obnce again show a keen interest in the work of Valley artists!

Anansi project.

alan — Fri, 11 May 2012 09:47:21 +0000

During April ,artist Alan Birch has been working with the African Caribbean Carers Group and Andrea Winn at Manchester Museum. Centre users have been using printmaking to illustrate the Anansi story told by group member , Grace .Relief printing, collograph and drypoint techniques were employed to tell the sort of Anansi flying between Bird Cherry Island and Bird Island to eat the eggs of the resident crocodile and make his escape in a boat rowed by two fish. The prints and a video of the story will be displayed in Manchester Museum later in the year.

Printmaking with African Caribbean Carers Group.Printmaking with African Caribbean Carers Group

For more images visit the museum and http://www.flickr.com/photos/themanchestermuseum/sets/72157629910245893/with/7118132755/

to see photographs by Paul Cliff

Images and VID????

Gordon Cheung prints.

alan — Fri, 11 May 2012 09:26:04 +0000

Families explored the work of Gordon Cheung in a printmaking workshop at Touchstones during the Easter holidays. The mixed media, large scale paintings often using pages of the Financial Times as an integral part of the painting surface, fascinated adults and children alike. Artists drew from the paintings and later incorporated collage into their prints, reflecting the rich texture of the exhibited work. Images below were produced by father and daughter combination Simpon and Sadie Groves from Tottington. Simon ( a first time printer, ) quotes ” Thanks for the workshop we both really enjoyed the workshop the other week! ”

African images!

alan — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 17:03:16 +0000

Year 10 Pupils from Ladybridge High School visited the Whitworth, spent the day working with artists Elizabeth Scott-Cousins and Alan Birch at Whitworth Art Gallery, using the Global Threads show as inspiration.Working with Alan pupils worked from the paintings inspired by African Textiles painted by Lubiana Himid. Pupils produced dry points combined with relief shapes.

We had a lovely day at the gallery, the students really enjoyed themselves and got a lot out of it. (There were several who had never been to an art gallery before, so it was very enriching for them.) Thank you so much for all your hard work to make the day a success. Charlotte Flower. Teacher Ladybridge High School.

Day of Dead!

alan — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 16:25:30 +0000

Year 10 pupils at Oulder Hill Community College, spent the day working with printmaker Alan Birch, producing prints on the theme of Day of the Dead. The colourful Mexican Festival provided rich subject matter as pupils were shown a slide show of festivities and craft objects. Pupils depicted themselves as skeleton ( calveras ) carrying out their future careers. Year 11 pupils enhanced their GCSE work into print on the same day.

A selection of Year 10 and 11 prints.

Miro at YSP!

alan — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 16:17:19 +0000

The new exhibition at Yorkshire Sculpture Park features sculptures and large prints by Joan Miro. For anyone who has not been to the Sculpture Park I would highly recommend it. The galleries feature etchings, aquatints , lithographs and carborundum prints by the Spanish maestro.

RA Entries!

alan — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 15:08:21 +0000

Alan Birch and Jill Randall drop off works by six artists from Prospect Studio, at the Royal Academy in London. Prints by Lynne Kirkley, David Norris, John Hamilton, Karen Lester, Lucy Gell and Alan Birch were submitted and the artists must wait until May to discover if they are successful. Who knows you may see them on the BBC programme about the show.

The Hajj

alan — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:58:38 +0000

Explore the Hajj experience Saturday 31st March, 1pm-4pm. Look at Idris Khan: The Devil’s Wall and Ahmed Mater: Magnetism, and take part in artist led workshops. Free!Explore the Hajj experience in various spaces around the gallery. Look at our exhibitions, Idris Khan: The Devil’s Wall and Ahmed Mater: Magnetism, and take part in artist led workshops. These sessions will explore ideas based around the Hajj including repetition, prayer, personal experience and the personal interpretation of what Hajj is and its meaning to the individual.

http://www.facebook.com/events/401637209864450/?context=create

Visitors to the day worked with Alan Birch ( printmaking ), Jason Singh ( sound )and Avaes Mohammad ( poetry ) using the work of Idris Khan as a starting point. The work produced will inform a performance at the Whitworth on the 21st of April 7.30-10.30 . Everyone is welcome, contact the Whitworth for further details.

selection of chine collie and relief printed dry points at Whitworth inspired by the work of Idris Khan