Jason Hicklin, The Thames. Waterloo. Sunrise (Diptych), 2023
First Impressions
In partnership with Eames Fine Art
26 is going to be writing about some of the country’s finest print-makers and ask, how do they do what they do?
This is the third project we’ve run in association with Eames Fine Art based in London. Print-makers are a diverse group of artists, and it’s this richness of approach and technique that we are going to delve into over the coming months.
Part of the genesis for this latest collaboration was a quote from the American poet, Donald Hall. “Everyone who practices an art should love and live with another art. One learns about one’s own work by exposing oneself to a different passion.” And as writers, that is what we’re going to do.
20 writers have been paired with 20 print-makers and the project centres around a visit to their working space to see them at work, to find out about their skill and craft, dedication and passion. How do they make their work? What are the rituals, habits and routines? What does their workspace mean to them? Some print-makers have studios, others operate out of spare rooms. All of them produce stunning work.
The output from the collaboration will be three-fold. Each writer will produce a Sestude (62 words) alongside a more expansive piece of writing based on the meeting – in effect a diary of the whole experience. The final piece will be a film made by Mike Southon. Each pair will capture moments from the visit and Mike will edit these together.
To coincide with the London Original Print Fair in May 2026, both pieces of written work will be displayed at Eames Fine Art and on their website, together with the film.
At Wordstock, we heard about the discipline of writing, how we each somehow create the time and space to write, overcome the barriers and blockages of everyday life. We now get to learn the same about print-makers. Jason Hicklin, one of the featured print-makers, also there at Wordstock, described how he leaves almost-finished prints around the house at the end of the day to ‘re-discover’ them the next morning. That’s when he knows whether they’re good enough to show.
Expect more hidden truths from First Impressions! We’ll keep you up to date by publishing in next month’s newsletter the full list of writers and print-makers and a timetable for the project.
– Alastair Creamer
Joni Brown, Untitled, embroidery on quilted calico, 35x29cm, 2025
Open Call For Artists
Are you an artist? Whether a practicing professional, aspiring maker, or eccentric hobbyist,
we want to see your work!
As a new section of the 26 newsletter, we want to respond, review and collaborate with you,
featuring a new artist each month. This article can be shaped to what suits you, reflecting
your creativity and artistic process in its form.
Please contact Joni Brown – @jonipixie.brown@gmail.com if interested in featuring your
artwork. Include an image and a quick bit of info about your work and you in your
submission. The more recent the work the better, preferably something completed in the last couple of
months.
– Joni Brown