The Morning Walk video
The Morning Walk
I spend so much time walking with my dog 'Bruce', so I decided to film our morning walk from his perspective, using a 'GoPro' video camera attached to his harness. The titles refer to invented names for parts of our suburban, some are self explanatory others more obscure: the Avenue; a line of elm trees, Crabapple mash; a tree whose apples get trodden on, The Judd; a severely trimmed hip high square hedge - reminiscent of a Donald Judd Minimalist sculpture. By naming these ordinary non descript features the walk takes on more significance, our dog is eight years old and we have walked this route most mornings - so its a well trodden path, which I can easily visualise in my mind. Because Bruce will often stop, I am forced to slow down and notice and appreciate our surroundings and I usually feel calm and relaxed during our stroll. Occassionally there are incidents, sparked by Bruce's reaction to squirrels, deer and some other dogs when the tranquil mood is disturbed as he pulls on the lead, I dare not let him off because he loves to chase. The walk last for twenty minutes but its been edited down to three to capture the gist of it.
Society of Graphic Fine Art 2024
Delighted that the Cut Loose linocut print was accepted at the Society of Graphic Fine Arts 2024 show organised by The Drawing Society at the Mall Galleries.
Artwork description:
A linocut print of a dog and a person wearing orange shoes and tweed trousers, selected for the Atelier beside the Sea, Brighton Open 2023 and SFGA Mall Galleries 2024.
A humorous artwork about going out into the warm air.
‘Every week at work we had a bonus ball lottery and I won. With the winnings I bought a rescue dog from St. Francis Animal Welfare, Fair Oak called Bruce. When I retired from teaching I made this linocut print to celebrate moving on and as gifts for my colleagues. The artwork's colour and texture symbolise my mixed emotions about being on the threshold of leaving and Bruce is pointing the way out, it's simultaneously a happy and sad feeling.’
Royal Society of British Artists 2024
Night Walk, linocut print on 300gsm Snowden paper Edition of 20 59.4 x 42 cm 2021
Event: The Royal British Society of Artists
Dates: Feb. 29, 2024 - March 9, 2024
Venue: Mall Galleries, London
Annual Exhibition
Artwork description
A detailed nighttime suburban landscape linocut print conceived during lockdown, it is one of my early linocuts from 2021. Our dog 'Bruce' never gets bored of walking our local streets day or night and neither do I, there is always something to catch the attention if you look closely. I had fun making the windows the highlights, and varying the marks for the sky, the roof’s and the foliage, all the wheel hubs and headlights were made by twiddling a fine drill bit.
‘Night Walk’ linocut print Artists Proof, paper size 59 x 42 cm, edition of 20, Mark Howard Jones 2021
Linocut demonstration at Bankside Gallery
Bankside Gallery, London 17th February 2024
Bankside Gallery linocut demonstration
I like wearing the printmakers apron, it puts me in production mode! I spent more time talking with gallery goers than printmaking, and thats how it should be, I was there to answer questions and offer suggestions, visitors prefer not to disturb you if your busy cutting or printing.
‘Let Loose’ detail linocut print, this dog appears in a larger print I am currently working on.
Tools of the trade
I print with Caligo Safe Wash inks, often using extender to stretch the ink further and also to make the layers of colour more transparent and a small dab of wax drier to speed up the process. The powder in the pot is talc, which I use to blot out ink that I don’t want on the linocut block. The wooden handle is a large clay modelling tool, ideal for focussed burnishing on the back of the paper when printing.
Society of Wood Engravers 86th Annual Exhibition 2024
Bankside Gallery, London 6 - 25th February 2024
Cheesy grin please
'Cut Loose' process
I have had lots of practice hand printing this image in a variety of colour combinations, and the design continues to evolve. Jo Morley of Omega Printmakers Portsmouth had suggested I needed some texture in the original design so I ended up cutting three blocks of lino. The swirling pattern whilst looking like wall paper is intended to represent a ‘blustery’ atmosphere, I’ve always admired Leonardo Da Vinci’s waterfall drawing and its influence is evident. Whilst cutting these blocks I never know how much ‘chatter’ to remove, as they provide printed evidence of the handmade process and can suggest movement if going in the right direction.
‘Cut Loose’ linocut print, image size 21 x 15cm, edition of 30, Mark Howard Jones 2023
Bonus Ball Bruce
This is you Bruce in blue.
Some background information about Bruce and the artwork 'Cut Loose'.
Bruce was 6 months old when arrived at St Francis Animal Welfare in Christmas 2015/16. He's a black and white spaniel/terrier cross (6/6/2015), very lively and too much for his previous owner who wasn't well.
I took him for a walk during an open day in January 2016, returned him and waiting at the gate was young family who said 'mummy, mummy can we have that one'. On impulse I said 'sorry he's sold'. (I felt really awful to disappoint them), Vicky was rather surprised because in five years of volunteer walking I had never expressed an interest to buy.
I bought him with bonus ball winnings and told my art department colleagues at Peter Symonds College, Winchester I had invested their money in Bruce.
When I retired from teaching, I gave my colleagues 'Cut Loose' linocut prints as farewell gifts, inspired by the theme of moving on to pastures new with mixed emotions, both happy and sad. Every year I used take Symonds A level Art students to the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and I have been submitting artwork without success until this year, when they accepted my 'Cut Loose' linocut print.
‘Cut Loose’ linocut print, image size 21 x 15cm, edition of 100, Mark Howard Jones 2023
Box Frame experiments
Mixed media. Linocut Chine Colle on Ordnance Survey maps (60's) with acrylic on glass in box frames. 21 x 21 x 2cm
I think the more successful of these experiments has less painting on glass, therefore not obscuring the background. I've echoed the map colours and tissue paper colour on the glass.
I plan to do more box frame experiments exploring methods of cutting, incorporating dotted, dashed and continuous line, monochromatic versions in black and white boxes, layers of transparent acetate sheets with maps printed on and fixed with map pins.
Chine colle printmaking
'Hounds of the Heath’ experiments with tissue paper and linocut prints on old ordinance survey maps. Image sizes 30 x 20 cm.
Chine Colle process
I carefully place overlapping colour tissue paper on the inked lino, and then spread rice glue on the paper using a brush, sometimes the tissue remains stuck to the inked lino when removing the map doh! so then you apply more glue and peel away the print from a different angle - works most of the time. Its most interesting when the paper is light toned, so that the map colours and detail still shows through, the more transparent the better. The maps are from the 60’s so I believe I don’t infringe copywright, however I think to be on the safe side, I will adapt and make my own.
Dog Walk Map
'Hounds of the Heath 2.' A two block limited edition linocut print showing dogs and their owners walking around the heath. Image size 30 x 20 cm.
My recent artwork has been reflecting on repetitive activities: I spend at least an hour each day walking with my dog and three years ago I thought I ought to 'capture' the time spent through drawing our routes and recording the incidents experienced.
Memory drawings in A3 sketchpad.
I like to draw a continuous line in ink with my eyes closed, recalling the route and incidents from memory, colour and written notes are added to clarify details with my eyes open! The result may appear haphazard, but I like the element of surprise and spontaneity this method of drawing creates. Some of the more interesting drawings I convert into paintings or relief prints.