Description

Title: Skiddaw Lighting
Artist: Susan Jameson
Description:    Mezzotint Paper Etching.

Born in Penrith, Cumberland, UK in 1944, Susan Jameson studied at Carlisle College of Art from 1960-64, winning a travel scholarship to Florence, Italy in 1963. Following this, she spent a year at Goldsmith’s College of Art in London . In 1971 Jameson continued her studies by taking a course in print making at the Central School of Art, and working as a master printer in an etching studio for two years. After a varied career working as an archaeological restorer, printer, and photographer, Jameson now devotes all her time to her art career. Jameson has become one of the leading champions of the mezzotint. The prints often reflect her origins in the Cumbrian countryside, for example, dramatic landscapes, moonscapes and sunsets.

Jameson has exhibited throughout Europe and the USA, holding many one–man shows, notably at the Graffiti Gallery in London. Her work is in public and private collections throughout the world, including the British Council Collection and the Modern Art Gallery, Naples. Her work has been shown in Print Biennales in Krakow, Ljubljana and Biella.

The majority of Jameson’s prints are mezzotints which has become a rare form in recent years. Jameson finds this one of the most exciting printmaking methods. Mezzotint is among the most physically demanding mediums in art, one tried and quickly abandoned as too difficult. Mezzotint uses rockers to cover the plate with minute indentations. At this stage an inked plate would print black. Scrapers and burnishers are used to smooth out these indentations. The smoother the area is, the lighter it prints, and extremely subtle gradations of tone are possible. Colours are achieved by working one or more additional plates. Jameson’s work is used as a fine example of the mezzotint printing technique in ‘The Complete Guide to Printmaking Techniques and Materials’ edited by John Dawson (1981), published by BCA, London.

Dimensions: 19 7/8” x 14 7/8”