22nd June 2019 - 20th July 2019
Private View: Friday 21st June, 17:30 – 19:30
All welcome to attend!
This exhibition is a showcase for some of the best wood engravings from Britain and around the world. The prints are chosen from an open submission and include other relief prints – linocuts and woodcuts. Whilst contemporary wood engravers all use the same tools and techniques as those developed over 200 years ago, the prints display a huge variety of personal interpretations and styles.
The art of wood engraving began at the end of the eighteenth century with Thomas Bewick, who realized the potential of engraving on the end-grain of boxwood. Using tools adapted from silversmithing and metal engraving, he cut in fine detail. His blocks could then be printed in one impression with metal type. This technique was developed as the primary method of printing images throughout the nineteenth century.
In 1920, the Society of Wood Engravers was formed and members such as David Jones, Gwen Raverat and Robert Gibbings began showing their work as wall prints in an annual exhibition as well as producing book illustrations. The Society now tours the annual show around Britain, to both established galleries and to more out-of-the-way venues where wood engraving may not have been seen before.
As the Society moves towards its centenary, the interest in engraving continues to grow. New subscribers are always made welcome.
