Printmaking features in Noordhoek exhibition

Printmaking will be the focus of Pressing Matters, an exhibition that will run at the Noordhoek Art Point Gallery from Monday November 8, to Monday December 16.

Printmaking demands both technical skill and a willingness to experiment artistically, according to gallery owner Aimee Kruger.

"Printmakers, in many ways, resemble chemists, botanists, and alchemists, meticulously working with inks, chemicals, and natural resources," said Ms Kruger.

"Each technique - be it etching, lithography, relief, or screen printing - demands mastery of both material and method. This exhibition invites visitors to experience the distinctive results that emerge when artistic expertise meets thoughtful experimentation."

One of the featured artists, Laurel Holmes, of Kommetjie, became interested in printmaking after seeing some etchings by South African artist Esrom Legae some years ago.

“The marks and images really struck me - finely drawn and so different from a drawing. I have never forgotten them.”

Ms Holmes's works draw on various techniques, including monotypes, drypoint, and linocut.

“In monotypes, the flat plate is inked, resulting in a single print being pulled. In drypoint, a sharp object is used to make marks directly on the plate, allowing ink to be captured in these grooves and transferred to the paper. Linocut, on the other hand, involves engraving an image into linoleum or a softer material.”

She has a preference for monotype, lithography, and etching.

“The variety of beautiful line and mark-making that can be achieved in each of these techniques never ceases to draw me in,” she said.

Much of her work is inspired by nature and her surroundings.

“I have always worked with references from the natural world and my immediate environment. It helps me find balance in a world of constant change.”