Around the Studio

The studio building. It is called Troms fylkskultursenter and a few other names. It was a tuberculosis hospital for children a long time ago and apparently there are some stories, but I have so far avoided listening to any. It feels like a lovely place and I love looking out at the back of these rabbits from our apartment on the third floor or from the studio on the first floor. 

This elevator makes me happy even though it doesn't work. It is painted with some care and imagination with each floor a different colour combination. This (our) floor is my favourite.

The building is large with lots of doors to different studios and spaces. I find so many of the details charming. Even the fire alarm panel that I had to have a training session with two firemen on the third day I was here. Our smoke detector is very sensitive in our apartment and toast should be made under a fan hood turned on high.

There are many different colour doors with signs and labels which I don't understand. For instance, this one is not about naughty but I think is a shower room or bathroom. Good to know.

Here are a few of my favourites.

This is a well respected film studio. I heard that Tromsø has a fairly well known film festival in the Winter. That would be a good holiday with the Northern lights.

I am almost positive there is no beer in here. I keep seeing this word in different buildings and think it may have something to do with maintenance. Much more research needed in all areas. Grocery shopping is mostly figured out though.

I am making a happy face here after struggling with the three colour mountain image I am trying to finish. It was to be a test print in preparation for an entirely different series of plant works. I am not so sure now. I am becoming a bit obsessed with the mountains...

This is the top floor or attic that a number of artists share as their studios. It is open concept and has a lovely feel to it.

Tromsø, you are so beautiful!

I am in Tromsø, Norway on a printmaking residency! I took a good long day to adjust after having flown numerous planes through the night and am now feeling whole and considerably more with it. My studiomate Audrée, guide and director of Prima Ink Silvia, her lovely friend Maria and I have spent two super days discovering the city and adventuring around. I am so thrilled to be able to work in this environment for one month. I will document this wonderful place and all the great printmaking that will be happening soon. For now, here are a few snapshots from around town and from on top of the beautiful Storsteinen mountain everyone loves to climb here. I only walked down from the top and that was alot! 

lovely cafe/bar in the front of this theatre

and it looks like this will be playing there a few days after I leave...

this is Audrée, who became a participant in an art performance piece...

or a prop

My library. Yes, that's right, they gave me a card. They are cool like that here.

These lovely ladies at the top of the mountain enjoying the fresh air and the view.

A Visitor

I received a telephone call the other day from a printmaker visiting Toronto who was interested in visiting my studio. I said, 'sure we can have some lunch and chat print'. My visitor turned out to be the very talented Silvia E. Martinez, founder of Prima Ink printmaking centre in Tromso, Norway. We ate and chatted print talk, like I haven't chatted print in some time. It was really good. Our conversation veered towards environmentally friendly and responsible printmaking practices, which we are both interested in and Prima Ink is strongly focussed on. From our earth friendly print chat we got onto Pronto plate printmaking and water soluble etching inks. Silvia was very curious about this Pronto plate thing, so I showed her the basics and she tried one for herself. She was quite pleased with the simplicity of preparing the plate as well as the ease of printing it. Here is some info from Kevin Haas about Pronto plate and how to work it. There are also some very helpful videos on youtube that can supply you with all kinds of short cuts and tips to make your first go successful.

Now I am trying to figure out a way to visit Silvia in Norway so that she can show me some of the photopolymer plate techniques that she uses...and to see Norway of course.