http://www.painters-online.co.uk December 2019 75PaintersOnline editor’s choice
Meet this month’s editor’s choice winner from our PaintersOnline gallery
M
argaret Mallows has always
loved prints and has finally
found the time to teach
herself lino printing and
dry-point etchings. Here she tells us how
she came back to painting after a 40-year
break.
‘Having drawn and painted from an
early age, I left school at 16 and started
working for the artist, Dennis Syrett, in
his art shop. Dennis encouraged my
painting and, in my teens, I exhibited for
two years at the Mall Galleries in London.
Life thereafter became very busy with
work and family commitments leaving
no time to create over the next 40 years.
During that time my love of hand-made
prints developed. They have a wonderful,
unique quality, unlike paintings, and are
an affordable way to own original art.
‘Three years ago I taught myself lino
printing. I bought a starter kit and book
and from the very first print, I was hooked.
I wanted to learn everything about it.
Within a short time, I had confidence in
my work and began exhibiting locally
and selling online. My work is now in
collectors’ homes in 17 countries. This
year I submitted work for the first time
to the RA Summer Exhibition and had
both prints shortlisted. Though not in the
final selection, it was a step forward and
encouraging. I continue to exhibit and
sell locally and have submitted works for
national exhibitions.
‘Tangibly Tropical is my most ambitious
print to date, inspired by a palm bought
for the garden and planted in a glazed
pot. I was struck by the lovely shadows on
the leaves and background on sunny days.
Time was spent photographing it against
a plain background and the best image
was used as a basis for the large drawing,
which I traced in reverse onto lino. I drew
a wallpaper background to enhance the
tropical theme but couldn’t decide on
which colour scheme I liked best, so made
the print in three colour variations. The
print was made by the reduction method.
One piece of lino was used, cutting away
lino after each colour was printed, until
the only lino left at the end was the
tiny shadows within the pot. It took me
four weeks to make the small edition of
five prints in each colourway (see http://www.
painters-online.co.uk).‘The plate size was 69 3 45cm with a
paper size of 72 3 57cm. My preferred
materials are Japanese vinyl, Schmincke
inks, Pfeil tools and Somerset satin paper.’
You can see more of Margaret’s work
on her website at http://www.artfinder.com/Margaret Mallows Tangibly Tropical, linoprint, 28¼ 3 22½in (72 3 57cm)margaret-mallows and works in progress
on Instagram @margaret.mallows
To upload your own images to our online
gallery, with an opportunity of being
selected as the editor’s choice, visit
http://www.painters-online.co.ukTA