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Blog Entry - June 18, 2008

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 05:13:25 MST

Sorry to everyone for being away for a while! I have been working like mad to complete the six new groyne paintings which I will be uploading over the next week or so. On top of that I have just opened a Gallery/print studio in what was up until recently a clothes shop on the ground floor of the building where I live. It has a concrete floor so at last I have been able to rescue my etching press! Anyway here is the blurb: Ryepress has now opened in the centre of Hastings old town. Situated in the well known Retro shop in Hastings High street this new print studio and gallery joins a growing collection of galleries in what is fast becoming East Sussex’s newest centre for the arts. With the eponymous Rye press now installed, the studio will soon be featuring periodic etching demonstrations, with a unique opportunity to see the process in action and buy Colin Bailey's limited edition prints of Hastings, Rye and the East Sussex coast straight from the press. Colin will be holding printing demonstrations in the etching studio throughout the summer. Please watch this space for details. The Ryepress Gallery and etching studio will be officially opening on 21st June and from then on will be open THU - MON from 12.00 - 6.00

Blog Entry - May 16, 2008

Fri, 16 May 2008 09:27:11 MST

I tried my hand at just about every form of printmaking before settling for etching back in the 80's - it suited my deliberate and pendantic nature and although I had a lot of success with my geometric screen-prints at the same time I liked the fact I could print a plate in batches and not end up with plan chests full of editions rotting away. When I moved to Rye in 1993 The first thing I bought was an etching press. I joined all the local art groups only to find they wouldn't allow prints in their group exhibitions! I started doing acrylic paintings of local scenes, found they sold well and soon I was producing more paintings than prints. When I split up with my partner and moved to Hastings a couple of years ago I had no option but to have my etching press moved to some friends in Appledore, a small village six miles north of Rye. The flat I am in is in a 17th century building and the press would have been just too heavy. Lo and behold shortly after I did this the local rail network cut the service to Appledore (I don't drive) and I found my press well nigh inaccessible. I now have a small benchtop press as well but I can't print the 12 inch x 16 inch plates that I used to do. Because of this and because of the obvious market for my paintings I bought a Epson R2400 printer and GT-15000 scanner and now the vast majority of my income comes from giclee reproductions of my paintings. The advantages are immense: Once scanned the images can be on my website in minutes and the files converted quickly for use as greetings cards and even a small artist's book. All very good but.... Amongst traditional printmakers giclee prints provoke a mixed response. I have seen one particular website where the author devotes a sizeable page to a rant against these "rip-offs" and I do have my own reservations. To confuse matters I recently reissued my St Pancras Station etchings in a set of giclee editions! The station has just been re-opened by Eurostar and there I was sitting on a series of large etchings of the station as it was 25 years ago! I have just uploaded one of the original etchings; the series is probably one of the best things I have ever done and took nearly two years to complete. Recent good news is I am close to doing a deal that will rescue my etching press and install it in the shop below my flat where I will be able to do etching demonstrations and sell prints in return for a reasonable rent! I hope to include a blog on how these prints were done (I will be uploading the rest of the series) and giving away some of the secrets and techniques I use for etching here soon.

Blog Entry - May 12, 2008

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:15:36 MST

Hello... You may have noticed me by now. I am Colin Bailey. I'm English. You may have spotted the odd way I spell "colour"! No, I'm not British or United Kindomish - I spent half my life abroad (overseas), just in case that translates wrong!; in Africa and Asia. But I always sort of thought of myself as English. I started off here just intending to go with the free flow, y'know 3 pictures a month and all that, but hey, I liked this place so I signed up for a proper account and so now I'm working my way to be part of the furniture. I am, I confess, a complete links tart. I have my main website Ryepress, a blog and help my girlfriend with her website; Seacandy. These things are my babies; I feed, clothe and protect them! I have always been an artist, I went to art school and ended up as a printmaker. Now I paint and do giclee prints of my work, but at heart I am an etcher. I am, I suppose, a professional. I say that because I don't want anyone to feel I am misleading them. I believe everyone needs encouragement in this field; we can all help each other because as we all know, its tough out there! Besides, I'm rubbish at anything else! So many thanks to everyone who has commented on my work - I promise to comment on yours, It may take me a while, but as I said earlier I like it here! Colin Bailey