Glasgow Print Studio celebrates International Women's Day

Glasgow Print Studio is a host of celebrations of that type. 

Their new exhibition 'Graphic Impact: Our Lives in Print' is one that highlights and celebrates the contribution that women have made to the Studio since its beginnings back in 1972. 

Brought together by the work of Sarah Stewart, the Education Officer of Glasgow Print Studio and Kerry Patterson, the Archive Curator, the exhibition is a collection of pieces from the archive and reactions to those same pieces by of fellow artists from within the community. 

"The exhibition features work of all different themes and types" said Kerry. 

"There is not one main strand that is running through but many. Part of the archival project was to document interviews and keep an oral history of the collection as well as a visual collection." 

Sarah said: "In the pieces featured in the exhibition, you can see so many different elements, from the dilapidated premise that the Studio started on to the working conditions, to working with children."

READ MORE: Glasgow University recreates iconic photo for International Women's Day

Glasgow Print Studio’s archive collection currently represents the work of 435 artists, of whom 34 per cent are women. Graphic Impact exhibits work from a mix of genders, two thirds of which are women. 

Of the eight members who founded the organisation in 1972, 50 per cent were women: Beth Fisher, Sheena McGregor, Eileen Ormiston and Jacki Parry. 

Along with the prints they made, the contributions of these women also included physically labouring to kit out the workshop, applying for funding, running the workshop for members, providing education classes and editioning prints. 

The community engagement panel included nine members of the GalGael community in Govan and ten people from Platform arts centre in Easterhouse. 

Each member chose an archive print and made either an etching or a screenprints in response to that work. 

Seven professional artists from the Print Studio each selected an archive print and made a new work responding to those archive prints. Both the archive prints and the works created in response are on display. 

"What is interesting about the project also is that it is not finished, but continual" said Kerry. 

"Because of the massive scope we could only put a number of the pieces up, and only up from 1972 to present so there is the potential to still have more up. 

"The fact that we have members reacting to the archive pieces creates a really nice continuity. 

The work is from the past, but even still it is influencing others to create more now and in the future". 

Works from the archive include pieces by Jacki Parry, Ashley Cook, Fiona Waston, Rachel Duckhouse, Monya Flanigan, Sam Ainsley, Christine Borland and Elspeth Lamb. 

The seven Glasgow Print Studio members are Fiona Wilson, Maia Ronan, Helen de Main, Elke Finkenauer, Drew Mackie, Emma Booth and Mary Land. 

The pieces on show are a mix of colours, textures and themes. 

Some of the pieces approach women working with their children, or being one of their only circle to work whilst having kids. Others illustrate common themes and tropes like the 'yellow ribbon', a popular macabre tale, and tales of Chinese foot-binding inspired by a book from a members home library.

READ MORE: Carntyne & Riddrie Credit Union foodbank gives slow cookers to families in need

The pieces are made using varying materials, with one even bringing the textiles of scarves and fabrics as a nod to the Print Studio in its previous incarnation as a garment factory. 

"The exhibition does mark International Women's Day and Women's History Month, but it is also a mark of the history of the Glasgow Print Studio itself" said Kerry. 

"This is a great opportunity for us to get a look at the works. 

"We are familiar with some of them and others not so much. Getting someone else's focus, interest and opinion and what stood out to them made the pieces look as if they are in a different light completely. 

"Some of the elements of the Sheila McGregor print were so beautiful, and I hadn't even noticed them before. 

"We have got a large deal of information about some of the pieces and on others its hard to even find any information at all on the artist, even down to their name. That was an interesting aspect for me, and there must be so many similar stories of artists like that in Glasgow."

Graphic Impact: Our Lives in Print is funded by the William Grant Foundation. 
Alongside the aim of the project to highlight the role of women who have been involved with

Glasgow Print Studio since  1972, Kerry has also been archiving the oral histories from early members and staff through recordings, which will be used to make a digital resource that will be launched later this year. 

"We have been lucky to mix so many different communities with together with this project" said Sarah. 

"I think it's important to note that the project is rolling and will continue, and brings together so many different voices and outlooks. It's so good that there are too many pieces to pick - it means we will have to just have another and another exhibition."

Graphic Impact runs until the 29th of March in Glasgow Print Studios.