What do artists do all day? - Norman Ackroyd

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1/2 Norman Ackroyd - What Do Artists Do All Day ?

2/2 Norman Ackroyd - What Do Artists Do All Day ?

• Trying to get a resonance of humanity

• Distanced from modern art scene in 1970s

• Gets set up with his porridge at 6.30 and psyches up for his busy day by taking himself back to being in the moment - out near the sea/on boats

• Process-led, much more craftsmanship

• “Etching studio is a factory, really” - set up studio in an old warehouse type building - fire stair becomes a nice gallery

• Family of butchers, laughed at by family for being ani artists

• Uses his sketches taken from the moment into his etchings - etching onto metal plates

• First etchings on armour - rich would have engraving, lower classes would etch

• Etching is engraving but with acid

• Print directly from the plate - needs to be done backwards - can use a mirror as a tool

• Like music, abstract

• Not a representation, more an abstract take on the original sketches

• Royal college of art - 1961

• Excited by landscapes over pop art etc

• Violin bow resin, ground fine + dry - add to box to be activated, wind paddle wheel and fine dust of resin over the top. Ready in 10 mins but can be left to further settle.

• Aquatint

• Likes to take a break in the café to break up the day and reflect on work done in the morning, can continue with something quieter in the afternoon?

• You can’t rush etching - the breaks are part of the process - get back in the zone

• “the great disaster is to over etch”

• On etching the NW coast and furthest points: “It really is the end of everything” 3000 miles of sea to the americas

New York for few months in 1970 - following the scene and contemporaries for exploration- “this is too hysterical for me”

After 6 months went to the orckney islands

Next acid goes on the plate - gets to know his work and how to work around it - acid sinks into the grains of the aqua tint

Pav/Kathy/Sally could do some sessions on this