This annual fair in Woolwich, London, is one of the largest worldwide with a focus on contemporary print, from a selection of galleries and artists who submitted work through the Open Call which goes out in May or June each year. I exhibited two large scale works last year and I once again submitted woodcuts earlier this year, and was excited that two pieces were selected.
This year, I made the decision to attend the fair if my work was selected for the Curated Hang, so following the confirmation of selection, I went into overdrive making arrangements for a special art journey to the UK to attend the fair and meet up with artists who I interact with regularly and who's thinking aligns with my own, and of course whose work I admire and speaks to me. Essentially a connection and learning trip.
If you followed my journey on social media, you'll know that besides the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair (which was all I had hoped for), I packed in the cool art experiences and made time to visit the studios of a number of artists as well as some of the big galleries and museums. These are the artists who I visited, and if you are interested, please scroll back in my social media and see what I learnt and saw on each visit:
- Sherrie-Leigh Jones - Brighton, East Essex
- James Wilson - London
- Stewart Taylor - Dartmouth, Devon
- Sarah Gillespie - Blackawton, Devon
- Merlyn Chesterman and Rod Nelson - Hartland, Devon (drove through from Newquay, Cornwall)
Thank you to every person I met at the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair, especially the organisers and sales peeps. Thank you to the artists and art lovers and friendly people on the bus and the ones who helped when I was feeling a little lost, for a magic trip. Thank you to fellow printmaker Nicky Lieberman who did most of the journey with me. And thank you to my family for supporting me to make this journey and for managing without me and being happy to have me back. Until next time!
View Curated Hang catalogue here
Click through to my Instagram to read about the studio visits here
