12PM Twelve Printmakers
12PM was formed in 1984 from a group of professional artists working in and around Colchester. Past members were members of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers and current members include members of the Printmakers Council and the Society of Wood Engravers. Many have had solo exhibitions, shown at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibitions, Royal West of England Academy Autumn Exhibitions,' Originals' Print Exhibitions, or taken part in mixed exhibitions all over the UK and abroad.
The group was, and still is composed of experienced artists and teaching professionals. 12PM shows mainly in East Anglia and members work has a distinct bias in this direction, however the members do participate in wider open exhibitions such as the East Anglian Open, the Essex Open and the Royal Academy. There is not however a 12PM style of work. Members retain their individuality and follow their own creative path. 12PM represents a formidable bank of printing skills as well as artistry. The time-honoured techniques of etching, wood cutting and engraving, lino cutting, as well as more contemporary techniques such as silk screen printing, collagraph and monoprint. What typifies the group is the constant experimentation not only in the subject matter but in the incredible richness of the different methods. 12PM has strong links with East Anglian creative centres. This includes Gainsborough House and Museum in Sudbury and Cuckoo Farm Studios in Colchester.
The group has three main aims:
It enables a number of like-minded artists to meet regularly to exchange ideas and discuss each other's work. By sharing the expenses and responsibilities involved in mounting exhibitions, members can exhibit several times a year. 12PM has held many successful exhibitions in London, East Anglia, elsewhere in Britain and abroad. Lastly, the group feels strongly about the need to heighten the awareness of the public about printmaking as an art form and to dispel any misunderstandings about the definition of an original print.
MARTA DYER-SMITH
https://linktr.ee/martadyersmithart
A Molecular Biology graduate from Manchester University with a career in IT gave a very different career start to a mixed media printmaker and a YouTuber! Marta combines printmaking with painting and likes to explore mixed media possibilities, always on the lookout for new techniques and materials that can be shared with fellow artists around the world. Her main inspiration being Abstract Landscapes and she works and films from her Studio in Suffolk. Marta lived in Poland and Portugal which have both been a great influence on her work. Being part of 12PM means Marta can participate in the world of Art physically, not just virtually! Marta Dyer-Smith will be running printmaking demonstrations over the Suffolk Open Studios weekend 15th and 16th June in the Mill Tye Gallery's first floor Arts Centre space.
SALLY FREER
Member of 12PM for about 10 years, Sally’s Screen Mono-prints are created from remembered impressions caught during strolls round Suffolk as well as water colour studies made to depict the finer details. Sally’s Mono-prints are unique images. Usually, each print has 5/6 layers of colour with each pull of the squeegee. Each Print run consists of 6/7 images. Public collections of Sally’s prints include Bedfordshire County Council, Birmingham University and the Palace of Westminster.
P. JANE HUNTER
www.pjhunterprintmaker.co.uk
Textile Design graduate from Central St Martins, Jane started her career as a textile designer and worked in education in London. Jane now lives in Mersea Island where she creates linocuts from her studio. Her inspiration comes from walking, drawing and photographing Mersea Island, rivers Blackwater and Colne and the Suffolk and Essex coastline and she aims to capture and celebrate the essence of East Anglian coastal villages, towns, sailing and fishing.
HELEN MAXFIELD
www.helenmaxfield.com
Art Practice and Theory graduate from Lancaster University, Helen makes linocuts inspired by the Suffolk countryside and coastline from her studio in Suffolk. She enjoys exploiting a wide range of cutting patterns and creatively exaggerating the shapes of the elements of the landscape, exploring mark-making, experimental techniques and how multiple layers interact. Helen teaches lino print workshops in various locations in East Anglia.
EVELYN POLK
https://linktr.ee/evelynpolk
Cambridge School of Art graduate in Fine Art/Printmaking, Evelyn’s career started in education but now is a full time artist with her own Studio in Bury St Edmunds. Her work is centred around the found object, but this also overlaps with notions of excavation and the land. Acting like a mediator, selecting and presenting items for the consideration of the viewer with inspiration which informs the journey of creating, abstracting forms and shapes. Evelyn pushes the boundaries of printmaking to a new refreshing approach with multiple printmaking techniques to create depth and interest.
JACQUELINE ROBINS
Studied Textile Design in London and after a long and fulfilling career in education became a printmaker with preferred processes being mono printing, screen printing, relief printing and photo polymer plate. Her interests continue in textile design, sculpture and the works of a wide range of mid- century British. She likes to work in a loose, organic way. Abstract compositions are formed instinctively and freely, developing as the printing process evolves. She enjoys experimenting with combinations of disciplines creating hybrid prints and more recently collaged print works.
JULIA VEZZA
https://www.instagram.com/juliamariavezza
Member of 12PM for 12 years, Bath Academy of Art graduate, Julia is half Italian taught children and Pentonville Prison inmates’ art (not at the same time!) as well as always painting and making ceramics and jewellery in her own time. She lived in Spain and London, discovered etching and attended classes with Peter Freeth RA. She much enjoys the challenge of etching. Its contrasts mystery. Its black and whiteness the unexpected outcomes the physical and visual quest to achieve and how her etchings influence her paintings and paintings her etchings.
ALAN WOODS
https://www.instagram.com/alanwoods94
Alan uses relief printing and etching as print medium and attempts to tell a story about people in everyday scenes that occur in today’s world. Landscapes relate to human intervention, fields after the harvest, a bridge in a landscape. Poems can be a source, objects around his house that carry a memory. Exhibited regularly over the years, mainly in East Anglia, awarded the print prize on two occasions at the Essex Open. Alan had a print shown at the Royal Academy Summer Show and another held in the Colchester City Collection.
ANTHONY SEARLE
Printmaking and Painting Southend School of Art graduate, Anthony is the very original member of 12PM dating back to 1984! He is a full-time artist and ran various printmaking courses. The methods he uses are etching, dry point, mezzotint, collagraph, relief printing, viscosity printing and combinations of dry point and collagraph. Very interested in Greek and Roman art and history which is reflected in several of his prints. Architectural subjects are also an important source of inspiration, both classical and modern architecture.
KIT LEESE
https://www.kitleese.com
First started printmaking back in 1983, after attending an evening class at Ipswich Art School. Kit has also been a 12PM member since its inception in 1984! He is now focusing on etching, which he finds an ideal medium to reflect the mood and tone of the natural landscape. His prints are as direct as he can make them, using line and aquatint and printed in several colours on a single plate. He is also experimenting with steel, using open bite to get a broad range of aquatint-like effects.
TERRY KUBECKI
http://terrykubeckietchings.co.uk
Studied fine art, Painting and Lino Printing at Walthamstow School of Art. At present his print work concentrates on etching. His interests are landscape subjects, which explore the shapes and patterns of trees and figure drawings. The works are made directly onto a soft ground etching plate or drawn with a pencil or pen on to tissue paper, laid over the soft ground plate.
DAVID STONE
https://www.instagram.com/davidstone1770
Member of 12PM for about 10 years and art school graduate, David painted for many years, with current interest in etching since 2012 being in its relationship with drawing and the landscape. Etching has been a bit of a playground in which David can explore imagery he would never have painted. Now however, a happy confluence has brough landscape and etching together and David hopes to do something ‘interesting’ as they say.