Dexter Gordon
Print
1982 (printed)
1982 (printed)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
In wood engraving, a design is drawn onto the surface of a block of polished hard wood such as box. Fine tools are used to remove those parts of the design that are to print white leaving behind a tracery of lines and shapes in relief. These are inked with a sticky ink, stiff enough to prevent it from falling into the hollows and an impression is taken using hand pressure or a press.
In a perfect blend of technique with subject matter, just as Paynter engraves lines and shapes into the woodblock which then print white against the inky blackness, so the figure emerges from the darkness into the light. Paynter's work shows impeccable technique and an exceptional creative range. It features dramatic landscapes, coastlines and buildings rich in heritage as well as gentler pastoral scenes. It includes more personal observations within her home and of her children, private and intimate commissions for bookplates and Christmas cards, and illustrations for private press. Perhaps her greatest contribution to the medium is represented by her social and political commentaries and works that address psychological issues related to daily life. Paynter became Secretary and later Chair of the reformed Society of Wood Engravers in the 1980s and has been instrumental in the resurgence of wood engraving as a medium. In 2006, she became President of the Society of Painter-Printmakers in recognition of her outstanding contribution to printmaking.
In a perfect blend of technique with subject matter, just as Paynter engraves lines and shapes into the woodblock which then print white against the inky blackness, so the figure emerges from the darkness into the light. Paynter's work shows impeccable technique and an exceptional creative range. It features dramatic landscapes, coastlines and buildings rich in heritage as well as gentler pastoral scenes. It includes more personal observations within her home and of her children, private and intimate commissions for bookplates and Christmas cards, and illustrations for private press. Perhaps her greatest contribution to the medium is represented by her social and political commentaries and works that address psychological issues related to daily life. Paynter became Secretary and later Chair of the reformed Society of Wood Engravers in the 1980s and has been instrumental in the resurgence of wood engraving as a medium. In 2006, she became President of the Society of Painter-Printmakers in recognition of her outstanding contribution to printmaking.
Object details
Category | |
Object type | |
Title | Dexter Gordon (assigned by artist) |
Materials and techniques | paper |
Brief description | Wood engraving, Dexter Gordon, Hilary Paynter, 1982 |
Physical description | Wood engraving inscribed with proof status, title and signature in pencil. |
Dimensions |
|
Marks and inscriptions | 'A/P, Dexter Gordon, Hilary Paynter' |
Production | Artist's proof |
Summary | In wood engraving, a design is drawn onto the surface of a block of polished hard wood such as box. Fine tools are used to remove those parts of the design that are to print white leaving behind a tracery of lines and shapes in relief. These are inked with a sticky ink, stiff enough to prevent it from falling into the hollows and an impression is taken using hand pressure or a press. In a perfect blend of technique with subject matter, just as Paynter engraves lines and shapes into the woodblock which then print white against the inky blackness, so the figure emerges from the darkness into the light. Paynter's work shows impeccable technique and an exceptional creative range. It features dramatic landscapes, coastlines and buildings rich in heritage as well as gentler pastoral scenes. It includes more personal observations within her home and of her children, private and intimate commissions for bookplates and Christmas cards, and illustrations for private press. Perhaps her greatest contribution to the medium is represented by her social and political commentaries and works that address psychological issues related to daily life. Paynter became Secretary and later Chair of the reformed Society of Wood Engravers in the 1980s and has been instrumental in the resurgence of wood engraving as a medium. In 2006, she became President of the Society of Painter-Printmakers in recognition of her outstanding contribution to printmaking. |
Bibliographic reference | Paynter, Hilary, Full Circle: Hilary Paynter, Wood Engravings, Woodend Publishing, 2010, pg 126, cat 42. |
Collection | |
Accession number | E.1005-2019 |
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Record created | November 12, 2019 |
Record URL |
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