September-Evening-

‘September Evening’ new linocut for the 20:20

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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.

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Towneley Hall ‘Impressions’ exhibition 2020

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Prospect Printmakers’ exhibition ‘Impressions’ opened at Towneley Hall in Burnley this year, delayed by Covid-19. Printmakers produced work inspired by Towneley Hall Historic House, Art Gallery and Museum, and the surrounding parklands. Artist Carolyn Murphy’s linocut ‘That Window’ responds to the statue in the window of one of the main galleries.

Towneley Hall ‘Impressions’ exhibition 2020
‘That Window’ original linocut by Carolyn Murphy

The exhibition, organised by Alan Birch with the curator, includes a wide range of printmaking techniques. Artists visited Towneley Hall over a period of months to develop unique and often quirky work.

The exhibition runs from 19th September 2020 until 19th January 2021, however for much of this period, the exhibition has been only open to booked visitors, or indeed closed, given government restrictions. It is currently online as a virtual tour here. Please enter via the door ahead on the left!

Other work in the show included Carolyn’s ‘Serenity’ and ‘Halo’ linocuts.

Carolyn Murphy, with her ‘Serenity’ linocut, visiting the exhibition in September
‘Halo’ original linocut by Carolyn Murphy
Image of Carolyn Murphy's original postcard 'Above Ullswater'

Twitter Art Exhibition 2019 Board’s Choice

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Carolyn Murphy’s original linocut ‘Above Ullswater’ was chosen as a Board’s Choice in the 2019 Twitter Art Exhibition. Back in 2017, artist and printmaker Carolyn Murphy took part in the online Twitter Art Exhibition and was soon hooked. Every year since then, she has donated a one-off postcard-sized piece of original art to a great cause. She has enjoyed seeing other artists’ work from all around the globe on Twitter.

‘Above Ullswater’ a linocut by Carolyn Murphy

Her 2019 contribution, ‘Above Ullswater’, is a one plate linocut on a mono-printed background. It captures a fairly wild and barren fell landscape, high above Ullswater in the Lake District.

Carolyn was delighted to find out that her work was selected by David Sandum, the founder of the Twitter Art Exhibition, as a Board’s Choice in this year’s catalogue of the exhibition.

The Board’s Choice entry in the 2019 exhibition catalogue

To see the development of this work and a video snippet showing the catalogue, check out Carolyn’s blog post.

Imaage of the Parsonage in Didsbury

NEW linocut workshop dates

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Following the success of the first two linocut printing workshops at the Didsbury Parsonage, Carolyn Murphy and Cate Gibson have released new dates for workshops in March, April and May. All workshops are 3 hours long, running 10am until 1pm with a maximum of 8 people, so ideal for beginners.

In February workshops, the group created some fabulous work and had fun in the lovely setting at the Old Parsonage – in Gallery 2, with its stained glass windows looking onto the beautiful gardens.

Next workshop dates are: Wednesday 13 March, Thursday 11 April and Wednesday 15 May. Tickets cost £30 and can be bought via Eventbrite at: www.linoprint.eventbrite.co.uk or by contacting Carolyn directly by email carolyn@carolynmurphy.co.uk

Don’t worry if you’re new to linocut printmaking – or have tried it years ago – the session is easygoing and fun. You only need to bring an idea or two and an apron! Everything else you need is provided for the workshop and friendly help is on hand!

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New Linocut Printing workshops

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In February, printmakers Carolyn Murphy and Cate Gibson will be introducing Linocut Printing Workshops at Didsbury’s Old Parsonage. The workshops, which are ideal for beginners, will run on Thursday morning 7 & 21 February from 10am until 1pm.

Numbers are limited to 8 people (aged 18 or over) per workshop, so early booking is essential. You can email Carolyn at carolyn@carolynmurphy.co.uk or buy tickets via Eventbrite: http://www.linoprint.eventbrite.co.uk

All materials and equipment for the session are provided. You just need to bring an apron and an idea for your linocut print.

Local artists Carolyn Murphy and Cate Gibson exhibited their linocuts at the Old Parsonage in Didsbury back in October & November as part of the ‘Spectrum’ exhibition.

20:20 time of year

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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:

Heading for North Wales Print Fair in November

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Carolyn Murphy will be taking part in the 2018 North Wales Print Fair / Mostyn Print Fair, which takes place in Llandudno on November 10-11. This is the first time she has shown work in North Wales. Carolyn will have new work for sale, both framed and unframed, at the Print Fair.

“I’m delighted to be going to the North Wales Print Fair both days and I’m really looking forward to talking to visitors and meeting lovers of printmaking and affordable art”, said Carolyn.

You can now also buy unframed work on-line via Carolyn’s website Shop.

Image of a lots of linocut works on the table amongst cups of tea and linocutting tools

Linocutting at Wythenshawe Hospital

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The regular Macmillan ‘Craft & Chat’ group had a go at printmaking yesterday, when Manchester artist and printmaker Carolyn Murphy introduced them to linocutting. The group meets every Monday morning from 10-12 and they love to get stuck into new craft projects. In just 2 hours, the crafters created some lovely work and enjoyed learning and chatting over a cup of tea.

The workshop took place in the new extension to the Macmillan Centre at Wythenshawe Hospital, in the room where Carolyn’s ‘Serenity’ linocut commission hangs.

You can see below some of the photos from the session, as well as the Macmillan commissioned work on display, and the greetings cards, now on sale online at Love From The Artist. All profits from greetings cards and digital reproductions of ‘Serenity’ go directly to the Macmillan Centre at Wythenshawe Hospital.

Image of members of the Macmillan Craft & Chat group cutting lino
Macmillan Craft & Chat group cutting lino

Image of Macmillan Craft Group printing linocuts
Crafters printing linocuts

Image of members of Macmillan Craft & Chat group and their linocut work
Some lovely work!

Image of Macmillan Craft & Chat group with their linocut work
More lovely work!

Image of a lots of linocut works on the table amongst cups of tea and linocutting tools
Great work created by lino beginner in 2 hours

Image of the 'Serenity' linocut by Carolyn Murphy on the wall at the Macmillan Centre
‘Serenity’ linocut by Carolyn Murphy

Image of one of the 'Serenity' greetings cards which raise money for Macmillan
‘Serenity’ greetings card raise money for Macmillan