My Life in Linocuts

Today I went to Dulwich Picture Gallery, with a friend I’d never have met except through my blog. We wanted to see Cutting Edge: Modernist British Printmaking. We weren’t disappointed. Dynamic and vibrant, these block-printed images, mainly linocuts, celebrate the everyday. I thought I’d use some of them, photographed there and then, on my phone of course, to illustrate aspects of my own life. I’ve mainly chosen female printmakers whom I know little about. I want to know them better now.

Just now, we’re all contending with Weather. Rain.

Ethel Spowers. Wet afternoon. Linocut 1929 – 30.

And Weather. Wind.

Sybil Andrews. The Gale. Linocut. 1930.

And the life of a Country Mouse was well-represented.

Ethel Spowers. The Plough. Linocut. 1928.

Sybil Andrews. The fall of the leaf. Linocut. 1934.

And Sunday mornings on the main roads into the Yorkshire Dales. Motorbike Central.

Sybil Andrews. Speedway. Linocut. 1934.

And my trips into London.

Cyril Power. Not female! Whence and whither. Linocut. c.1930.

Cyril Power. The Tube station. Linocut. c.1932.

If you’re in London before 8th September, it’s worth a visit.

Author: margaret21

I'm retired and live in North Yorkshire, where I walk , write, volunteer and travel as often as I can.

45 thoughts on “My Life in Linocuts”

  1. As you know I live in London and often go to the exhibitions at Dulwich but have missed this one so far, thanks for the tip. By the way, your phone takes excellent pictures.

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  2. I have only been to Dulwich once so far, but I must go again as they have some interesting exhibitions. Thanks for the heads up on this one

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  3. Spectacular, so showed my art teacher daughter. She informed me that Ethel Showers was Australian born, but she trained at the Grosvner so we’ll share her. Did you see her prints of the hoop and stick or maypole?

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  5. Splendid selection of some vibrant work with a real art deco feel to the imagery. They are intriguing and it’s so refreshing to be reminded of these skilful printmakers making multicoloured linocuts.

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  6. Aren’t they wonderful?! Wow–I am always impressed with linocuts, having tried it in art school and been really bad at it! I think my favorite is The Gale. A clever post–fun angle!

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  7. Margaret, thank you. Very interesting post and encouragement to include art in my life. There is so much that I don’t know, so much that I’ve never seen. Thank you and have a wonderful day.

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  11. These are wonderful, Margaret! I love prints, especially lino-prints and all these artists are new to me. I would love to get to Dulwich but sadly I can’t see myself there any time soon.

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    1. I know. It’s not an easy day out. Luckily, many of these images are available in books, and don’t suffer in the way that many artworks do by being transferred to the page.

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  12. Wow. I love all of them. The images are so dynamic and I really like the stylisation.Thanks so much for the introduction to linocuts from this time and to these artists. (You and your phone did an excellent job.)

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  14. These are wonderful and like you, I know nothing about the artists (and almost nothing about the artform). I’m struck by how vibrant and modern they appear. I’m inspired to find out more!

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  15. Well, I haven’t thought about lino cuts since I was at school where we often had a go! I hastily add that I was useless but it was FUN, so that’s all that mattered in my eyes! At first glance I thought the image of the people on the escalator were penguins. Haahaahaa….funny how we interpret things, isn’t it? I love the images, thanks.

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    1. Well, I think commuters are easy enough to confuse with penguins…. I used to love lino cutting too. I’d do it still, but our house isn’t big enough for me to have a dedicated Messy Space. And I’d need one.

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