Close up image of gold leaf being applied to an orange section of the hand-printed infinity loop

Making a flowing Infinity Loop

by with No Comment Behind the ScenesNew Work

For the Flow exhibition at Brixton Library, I decided to create a new site-specific installation piece, linked to my series of Fragile Structures. I developed a small scale test infinity loop, or Mobius Strip, to explore the idea of an infinitely fragile looped work, with cut out sections, handprinted on both sides of fine Japanese paper. I wanted to take advantage of the interaction of both sides in the sunlight of the large bright gallery space in Brixton.

‘Infinitely Fragile’ by Carolyn Murphy, an installation view

Previous works in the series have been self-supporting sculptural pieces, such as Towers of Strength, laser cut monotype structures. With this work I wanted to return to the monotype process I used in my Fragile Structure series of 2D prints, but taking this to a different scale and form.

Towers of Strength, by Carolyn Murphy

This post gives some background and process images. And flags some of the challenges too.

I decided to make the work in two sections. Taking on board the idea of infinity, I chose to transition each side of the paper from blue to orange and match the patterns at the two joins. For ease of transport, I only joined the loop on site in Brixton. I used Japanese rice paste as this can be unstuck with water, allowing for de-installation.

Printing the Japanese paper

I learnt a lot in the making, including the following:

  • My small scale maquette was one eighth the width, which turned out to be 61 times smaller in area! Maths…
  • Japanese paper loves to crease – I decided to embrace this by adding gold leaf, that had been donated to me by a friend, referencing the Japanese art of ‘kintsugi’.
  • The monotype stencil process I used requires a degree of ‘going with the flow’, which seemed appropriate tothe them of the show. You are never 100% sure of the outcome, although you can move it in the direction you want.
  • Follow my instincts to do something different – and, as usual, far more complicated than I set out to create!
  • The many ways of displaying a fragile work, in a busy well-used space.

Overall, I was delighted with the outcome and will continue to develop works in this Fragile Structures series.

Adding gold leaf

September-Evening-

‘September Evening’ new linocut for the 20:20

by with No Comment New Work

Carolyn Murphy’s new ‘September Evening’ linocut is all set for this year’s 20:20 Print Exchange. The work shows the view looking west from the artist’s home at twilight. It suggests peace and calm – a haven in the city. All 25 prints in the edition are dry and were delivered yesterday.

“This is a view I never tire of – the backyard, nearby trees and bats” said Carolyn. “It’s been a really important small space during pandemic lockdowns and self-isolation. I wanted to capture it for the 2021 print exchange.”

‘September Evening’ linocut by Carolyn Murphy

Each year around 500 printmakers in the UK and from international printmaking workshops take part in the print exchange. All the work features in a touring exhibition, which travels around the UK and abroad.

Carolyn is submitting work again this year with Prospect Studios in Rossendale. This limited edition linocut will appear in other printmakers’ boxes later this year. Each artists receives a random selection of original artwork, all 20 cm by 20 cm in size. The annual event is organised by Hot Bed Press in Salford, UK.

To find out more about how this linocut was made, you can check out Carolyn’s blog.

Welcome Home

New butterfly linocut revealed

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Today, Carolyn Murphy launched a new multi-plate butterfly linocut from her website shop. The linocut design, called ‘Welcome Home’, is inspired by the return of the rare Manchester argus butterfly to its local habitat, after 150 years.

Carolyn, a Manchester-based artist and printmaker created the linocut during the pandemic lockdowns. The BBC featured the positive story of the recent reintroduction of this local species in May 2020. “I was really amazed by the story of this heath butterfly”, explained Carolyn. ” Nature has generally thrived during the pandemic, thanks to more limited human activity, however this small butterfly needed human help to return to its former home. It’s fantastic to see the number of organisations working together to make this possible.”

Back in Manchester

The Manchester argus became extinct in Manchester in 1850, because of land drainage and other pressures on its habitat, according to The Wildlife Trust. The Trust was part of a partnership project, GM Wetland Species Reintroduction Project, which masterminded the butterfly’s return, in conjunction with Chester Zoo. The Manchester argus butterfly returned from other populations in the North West to the Manchester Mosses area. However, because it does not travel far during its lifetime, it needed a helping hand from the project. Let’s hope it goes on to thrive again locally.

New linocut design

The new butterfly linocut design is a stylised image of the butterfly and complements ‘Hard at Work’, her linocut of Manchester bees (2015), in that it has the same image size (25cm x 25cm) and a similar structure and colours. Both reflect the balance between people and our fragile natural world.

‘Welcome Home’ goes on display at an exhibition later this year in Chorlton, Manchester. Further details will follow in due course.

Carolyn’s printmaking work is available for sale via this website. To find out more about the story behind this artwork, why not check out Carolyn’s blog post.

Image of Atom original linocut by Carolyn Murphy

New Lancashire Panopticon series of linocuts

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Carolyn Murphy’s new series of original linocut prints feature East Lancashire landmarks with fantastic views. The popular structures, known as Panopticons, include Burnley’s famous Singing Ringing Tree, Haslingden’s Halo and the Atom at Wycoller.

The Lancashire landmarks were all part of an innovative art and regeneration project, some years ago, and have gone on to capture the local imagination.

A keen walker, Carolyn loves to create a sense of place and space. She sought to capture the drama of these wild locations. “I love the contrast between these human structures and their untamed settings”, she explained.

This set of three original linocuts are all in small limited editions. The image size is 21 cm x 21 cm.

Longitude Gallery in Clitheroe regularly showed Carolyn’s work and sold her work on their website. They included this new linocut series in their shop on EASEL too, however the gallery closed in August 2024 (post updated in September 2024).

Carolyn’s work is available for sale in the shop on this website. If you would like to find out more about how these artworks were created, you can see behind the scenes in Carolyn’s blog post.

20:20 time of year

by with No Comment New Work

This is that time of year when around 500 printmakers, up and down the the country, and some overseas have submitted their 20:20 edition of prints. Carolyn Murphy has taken part in this print exchange since 2011, as part of Prospect Studios Printmakers or Hot Bed Press, or both.

The 20 x 20 cm prints are now being sorted in Salford at Hot Bed Press before being redistributed back to all the print workshops who are participating this year.

Previews below of Carolyn’s 20:20 linocut, called Regenerating: