Carolyn Murphy is showing work at Bankside Gallery in London as part the Printmakers Council’s exhibition, ‘Thinking for Printing‘. A year earlier, members received an A5 sketchbook and were invited to capture, record and respond to the concept of Thinking for Printing, for a future exhibition. As part of this exciting project, the Printmakers Council selected finished artworks to display alongside the sketchbooks, in order to give a fantastic insight into artists’ ways of working. The sketchbooks were a chance to peek inside each artists’ mind to understand more about their processes and development of ideas.
Detail from ‘Spaces we share’
Carolyn explored dry stone walling primarily in her sketchbook. She recorded experiments to add embossing to etchings and tested colours. She captured examples of rubs, which emphasised depth in the print. Her messy sketchbook sat alongside ‘Spaces we share’, an etching with embellishment, on this prestigious wall.
Works on display in Bankside Gallery Carolyn’s sketchbook – dry stone wall study
The exhibition opens on Tuesday 31 January 2023 and runs until Sunday 5 February.
At their ‘Up In The Air’ exhibition, Middlesex University MA Fine Art and Fine Art Printmaking students, including Carolyn Murphy, will show exciting new work this December.
For many students this is the culmination of their postgraduate studies. It’s their final show, bringing together work they have developed in 2022 and through the pandemic years. These emerging artists will exhibit together at The Barn, an exhibition space on the Middlesex University campus in Hendon, North London.
Work by Moritz Nicolai
The exhibition draws on themes of transition and new beginnings. At the close of 2022, it provides a collective opportunity to reflect on hopes and change. ‘Up In The Air’ launches ten new emerging artists in midwinter and on the cusp of 2023. The work contemplates identity, fragility and memory. The show includes artworks in diverse media, from painting and sculpture, to printmaking, video and installation.
‘A world we share?’, etching by Carolyn Murphy Work by Iliana Ortega-Alcazar
‘Up In The Air’ opens on Thursday 8 December and runs until Tuesday 13 December. Everyone is very welcome to this contemporary art showcase, celebrating a point in time and space. At the private view, on 8 December 6pm, you can meet the artists and talk to them about their practice. The show includes work by:
• Maryam Abdollahi
• Wallis Asher*
• Natalie Dee
• Philip Dunn
• Angela Forrester
• Freddy McBride
• Carolyn Murphy*
• Moritz Nicolai
• Iliana Ortega-Alcazar*
• Jan Pimblett
• Hanan Tawfiq
• Kathy Rooney
• Luke Anthony Rooney
*continuing students
Work by Angela Forrester (on walls) and Carolyn Murphy (on floor)
“For Fine Art staff and students at Middlesex University, public exhibition is at the core of art practice. This show provides a snapshot of the diverse and dynamic range of practices currently being explored by the emerging contemporary artists undertaking postgraduate study on Middlesex University Fine Art programmes” said John Timberlake, Programme Leader for MA Fine Art and MA Fine Art Printmaking.
OPEN: 11.00 – 17.00, 8 – 13 December 2022 inclusive
The Barn, Middlesex University, Hendon Campus, London NW4 4BT
Nearest underground station: Hendon Central (15 mins walk).
Artist and printmaker Carolyn Murphy will be exhibiting in the Printmakers’ Council exhibition ‘Surface and Depth’, in Norwich. The Printmakers Council promotes the use of both traditional and innovative printmaking techniques. For this exhibition members submitted artworks under the theme of surface and depth for selection. The show was hosted by Mandell’s Gallery in Norwich and curating.
‘Fracture 2’, an original collagraph by Carolyn Murphy, was selected for the show. It is inspired by Winter Hill in Lancashire, a moorland landscape damaged by wild fire in recent years. Carolyn attended the exhibition preview and had the chance to explore the inspiring work on show.
The exhibition opens on Sunday 29 October and runs until 19 November at Mandell’s Gallery, Elm Hill, Norwich NR3 1HN.
The Middlesex University MA ‘Verdant’ exhibition opens at Mile End Art Pavilion from Friday 8 July to Wednesday 13 July, from 11am to 6pm. Artist and Printmaker Carolyn Murphy has 5 pieces of work on show, with fellow MA Fine Art and MA Fine Art Printmaking students.
Carolyn Murphy at the private view ‘A shift in the direction of the wind’, monotype by Carolyn Murphy ‘See how easily they fall away’, monotype by Carolyn Murphy
Carolyn created work specifically for the Art Pavilion space, to make the most of the light, the scale and the lakeside setting. Her monotype ‘Reclaiming’ is 2.4m high and has 4 panels. Other work was created for the floor: ‘No stone unturned’, consisting of ‘rocks’, which Carolyn cut and folded from paper she hand-printed, using a monotype technique.
‘No stone unturned’ by Carolyn Murphy
The ‘Verdant’ exhibition also includes work by Middlesex University MA Graphic Design, Photography and Illustration students, as well as postgraduate research students. It’s free and in a lovely spot in the park, just 5 minutes from Mile End underground station.
Carolyn Murphy will be part of the (re)FLEX exhibition, with other Middlesex University MA Fine Art and Fine Art Printmaking students, this Easter. It’s the first time this group of emerging artists has exhibited together. The group will show new and experimental work at Filet gallery, in Hoxton, London.
The exhibition opens on Thursday 14 April 2022. Everyone is welcome to come and celebrate this contemporary and playful new show with artists at different stages of their practice.
(re)FLEX exhibition at Filet
“For Fine Art staff and students at Middlesex University, public exhibition is an essential part of art practice, and this exciting show is an engaging snapshot of the diverse and dynamic range of practices currently being explored by the emerging contemporary artists undertaking postgraduate study on the Middlesex Fine Art programmes”, said John Timberlake, Programme Leader for MA Fine Art and MA Fine Art Printmaking.
Carolyn will be showing two new pieces of work – both monotypes, inspired by the poet Imtiaz Dharker’s poem ‘Tissue’.
(re)FLEX is open 11.00 until 17.00 from 14 April to 19 April 2022 (inclusive) at Filet, 103 Murray Grove, Hoxton, London N1 7QP.
Carolyn Murphy is donating a postcard-sized original artwork to this year’s Twitter Art Exhibit in York. A regular contributor to TAE, Carolyn created an etching for the 2022 charity art sale. ‘Staying local’ is hand-coloured with watercolours and it’s based on a sketch she made during the lockdowns last year. The work shows a scene on her doorstep and holds onto the small patches of nature in the urban environment.
‘Staying local’, an original etching by Carolyn Murphy
‘Staying local’ and over a thousand other artworks will go on sale at the charity art sale on Saturday 25 June, and online, in aid of the Encephalitis Society. To find out more about Twitter Art Exhibit, check out them out on Twitter @twitartexhibit or via the Twitter Art Exhibit website. This year, Carolyn has contributed blog posts as one of the volunteer official Twitter Art Exhibit bloggers. You can see posts from Carolyn and others here.
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.
Carolyn Murphy is now a member of the Printmakers Council. Carolyn joined in August this year after following some of the zoom talks by artist members on the organisation’s website. “I really enjoyed watching the member talks on the website, during recent lockdowns. I also got the chance to see the ‘Natural World’ online exhibition of members’ work. These inspired me to join,” explained Carolyn. “I am planning to balance my time between London and Manchester, over the next few years, so I hope to be able to visit future London shows in person and contribute fully to the Printmakers Council in time.”
The organisation formed in 1965 to promote new developments within printmaking and it has consistently promoted the place of printmaking in the visual arts since then. The organisation is artist-run and non-profit-making. In recent years, the Printmakers Council has organised exhibitions in London, across the UK as well as internationally.
‘Singing Ringing Tree II’, linocut, by Carolyn Murphy
Carolyn is excited to be a new member of the organisation and plans to contribute work for selection to future exhibitions. You can check out her profile page here. Her linocut ‘Singing Ringing Tree II’ was accepted into the Printmakers Council Archive at Scarborough Museums Trust. The archive dates from 1992.
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.
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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