The Small Print arrives in Mangawhai

22 Aug, 2022

The Small Print, an exhibition profiling the work of 62 printmakers from around New Zealand, has opened at the Mangawhai Artists Gallery. The touring exhibition from the Print Council of Aotearoa New Zealand (PCANZ) returns to Mangawhai following a successful exhibition in August last year. The PCANZ is a national printmaking society which unites printmakers and raises the profile of printmaking throughout New Zealand.

Printmaking, an ancient and skilled artform, is the process of printing motifs or patterns onto a surface, with the help of ink and pressure.

The Small Print exhibition follows introductory printmaking classes offered by Mangawhai Artists in recent months. It precedes Print Matters, an exhibition showing the work of four local printmakers opening at the gallery at the end of September.

“This exhibition is very timely,” says Mangawhai Artists printmaker, Nicola Everett. “Later this year we plan to start monthly free print workshops at the Mangawhai Artists Workspace. We hope The Small Print exhibition will inspire people to come along to the workshops, experience printmaking and consider joining the Print Council. Then they can put their work into an exhibition like this.”

Nicola explains that the monthly sessions at the Workspace will be untutored, free and take place over an afternoon and/or evening where printmakers can come in and work on their own prints.

Printmaking has the most ancient of origins – starting with the handprint. It has evolved over time and continues to do so.

“It’s not photocopying! And it’s not photographic,” says Nicola. “The notes that accompany the exhibition describe 19 different techniques or processes.”

In addition to the free printmaking workshops, Mangawhai Artists will be hosting a range of workshops and classes in the coming year.

“We are looking for community input through an online (and also hard copy) survey on the types of classes people would like to take part in. The survey has been circulated through social media and is also available on the MAI website (mangawhaiartists.co.nz) or at the Mangawhai Artists Gallery. We encourage anyone interested in taking part in art classes to take part in the survey – or by talking to the person on duty at the gallery.”

n The Small Print exhibition, at Mangawhai Artists Gallery, 45 Moir St, Mangawhai, is open from 10am to 3pm each day until midday on Wednesday August 31. All prints are A4 size and $100 each.

Janine Brougham (left) and Nicola Everett at The Small Print exhibition.

Examples of small prints, EV Circle Series I (Pam Hastings) and Cape Palliser (Bev Pawluk).