Tag: linocut

Designer Desire: Anita Klein

Montage of Anita Klein artworks

Anita Klein is another of those artists that we discovered whilst researching for our Auction Alert series.

She was born in Australia and attended Chelsea School of Art and Slade School of Art. She has exhibited internationally and is a prolific producer of beautiful linocuts and paintings.

I just love her style; it’s so warm and accessible. Her subject matter is always positive and uplifting; often scenes of harmonious family life, socialising with friends, swimming, climbing trees, holidaying in warm climes.

Buy originals and limited edition prints from Bircham Gallery, Cambridge Gallery, Lilford Gallery and Pyramid Gallery.

A selection of monograph books and exhibition catalogues by and about Anita Klein are available to buy – try Amazon, Waterstones and Klein’s own website.

Portrait of Anita Klein and her husband, Nigelcredit
Additional image credits:
ArtUK | Axis
All images © Anita Klein

Designer Desire: Richard Shimell

Montage of Richard Shimell artworks

Portrait of Richard Shimellcredit

This week, I saw a tree linocut print created by Richard Shimell which I loved so much I went in search of more of his work.

We have an absolutely huge sycamore tree in our front garden that we take pleasure in observing on an almost daily basis. We see the way it ebbs and flows with the seasons – its bare-branched silhouette in the winter; the array of birds and insects that use it for food, nesting and shelter in the spring; the auburn leaves and whirligigs carpeting the ground beneath in the autumn. His studies remind me of this reassuring, annual cycle; the trees are the stars of the show!

Here he is giving a little insight into his practice:

I started printmaking late in life. After a career in journalism, I joined the Dartington Print Workshop as a complete beginner in 2010. It was a steep learning curve, but I stuck at it and eventually started selling my prints. I became a member of the Devon Guild of Craftsmen in 2016.
I live in a wooded landscape on the edge of Dartmoor, so am lucky enough to be surrounded by trees. I have a small studio at home with my own Hawthorn press.
I’m drawn to the simplicity of silhouettes and the complexity of branches. I enjoy all stages of the making process, from drawing to carving to printing.
I also make books, using my prints on the covers and enjoy experimenting with other forms of printmaking, including drypoint, collagraph and etching on lino.

You can purchase his works on his own website and select galleries in Devon, Cornwall, North Yorkshire, Norfolk, The Lake District and others.

Designer Desire: Lill Tschudi

Montage of Lill Tschudi linocuts

Lill Tschudi (1911-2004) was a 20th century Swiss-born linocut artist. Along with the likes of Sybil Andrews, Cyril Power and Claude Flight, she was a member of the influential London-based Grosvenor School.

She produced in excess of 300 different linocut designs during her illustrious career. Like the other Grosvenor members, her subject matter often included sport, transport and travel – conveying the speed and movement in that distinct style.

Her work has been included in many exhibitions worldwide; British Prints from
the Machine Age at MoMA (2019/20), Cutting Edge: Modernist British Printmaking at The
Dulwich Picture Gallery (2019), The Cutting Edge of Modernity: An Exhibition of Grosvenor School Linocuts at the Osborne Samuel Gallery, London (2013), British Prints from the Machine Age: Rhythms of Modern Life, 1914–1939 at Museum of Fine Arts, Boston & MoMA (2008).

Prints of her work can be bought covering a range of budgets. Top dollar works come up for sale at auction houses such as Bonham’s and Christies with hammer prices from £2,000 to the tens of thousands. Pallant House and The Bookroom Art Press sell prints from £138.00. If that’s still too steep, there are prints listed on eBay for less than £20.00.

If you’re interested in finding out more about the work of Lill Tschudi and the other Grosvenor School alumni, there have been a few books & catalogues published on the subject; The Cutting Edge of Modernity: Linocuts of the Grosvenor School, Cutting Edge: Modernist British Printmaking and British Prints from the Machine Age: Rhythms of Modern Life. Tschudi’s 1933 Ice Hockey print (shown in the montage above) is the cover artwork for Impressions of the 20th Century: Fine Art Prints from the V&A Collection.

Portrait of Lill Tschudicredit

Additional image credits:
Artsy

Designer Desire: Sybil Andrews

Montage of Sybil Andrews linocuts
Sybil Andrews was a talented and successful 20th century British artist best known for her colourful abstract linocut works.

Andrews (1898-1992) was a member of the Grosvenor School along with artists we’ve featured before – her long-time mentor and collaborator, Cyril Power and their tutor, Claude Flight.

During her career, she created at least 76 linocuts. Like many artists during the 1930s period, she was captivated by movement, sport, speed and the machine age and this shone through in her work. Like many of her Grosvenor School contemporaries, she was heavily influenced by the earlier UK Vorticism movement.

MoMa, New York, the National Gallery of Art, Washington, Glenbow Museum, Calgary and Moyse’s Hall Museum (in her home town of Bury St Edmunds) hold examples of her work in their permanent collections.

Although originals and vintage limited edition prints of her work are expensive, you can buy new prints and cards from The Blank Card Company.

Published in 2015, the book, Sybil Andrews Linocuts: A Complete Catalogue by Hana Leaper is available from Abe Books.

Portrait of Sybil Andrewscredit

Additional image credits:
Artnet | The Blank Card Company