New Works | Paul Cleden
A favourite question addressed to printmakers is “How long did it take you to make?” to which of course there is no definite answer as each print has its own challenges and there are so some many external factors that also need to be taken into consideration. However it’s safe to say that printmaking isn’t a quick process with individual prints often taking a couple of months to produce.
Recently printmaker and illustrator Paul Cleden found himself painfully aware of the time required to produce a new print as he agreed to take on a request to create four new pieces for The London Original Print Fair. Paul locked himself away in his studio and set to work on some ideas he’d been developing for a while. Working to a deadline must suit Paul as all of his new prints are a joy – combining his interest in people and movement along with a confident demonstration of his technical skills in linocut printing.
We’re delighted to be showing the new work at For Arts Sake and asked Paul to tell us a bit about them:
“The subjects are in some ways a little random, but equally are all about groups of figures.
I have wanted to produce some work based upon a Fair for a while, and Counting Collisions is the first of a few images I have in my sketch book. I took a whole series of photos in a local fair and have had the pictures sitting in my studio for some time.
London Life, is another print which is inspired from my years living in London. I spent many a day travelling on the tube; although these days the drawing of people does not have to be so discrete, as most people are plugged into their phones!
The last two prints have languished in my sketch book for a very long time. They were spotted and it was suggested that they would make a good set. I haven’t done black and white very much but I did enjoy these, even if the Many Faces Of Football made my eyes go crossed.”
Paul Cleden studied illustration at Maidstone College of Art, after which he worked in London as a freelance illustrator. In 1995 he and his family moved to Dorset where he now works full time as a printmaker, illustrator and writer. His printmaking work focuses on linocuts and collograph. “My linocuts are in the tradition of Lill Tschudi, Sybil Andrews and Cyril Power, and more recently Michael Rothenstein and Edward Bawden. I love to look at figurative movement; consequently sports are often featured because of the dynamic shapes and action, but equally a crowd of rush hour people leaving a train, or people browsing Bridport market ae wonderful inspiration.”