William Dewhurst ASGFA − Artist - Printmaker
Birth: Born 1940 into a Welsh expatriate mining community near Wigan, Lancashire.
Education: Brookland Hall School, Welshpool.
School of Military Survey RE. Hermitage, Newbury, Berks.
Surveyor Topographical/Cartographer/Lithographic Artist.
Career: 12 years 47 Cartographic Sqd. 42 Royal Engineers Survey Regt.
Various graphic design positions in commercial printing companies,
Including 10 years as typographer for Saudi Arabian Airlines.
Artist/Printmaker specializing in woodcuts. Also editioner (etchings)
for other artists.
Exhibitions: Exhibitions include:
1979 − First one-man exhibition ‘Something for Everybody’, The Redec Plaza Gallery, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
1980 − Elected to ‘The Jeddah 52’ and exhibited with the Society until I left Saudi Arabia in 1987.
2002 − Fresh Art, The Design Centre, Islington.
2002 − ‘Printworks’ The Harley Gallery, Welbeck. A Printmakers Council exhibition in conjunction with Sir Peter Blake’s exhibition ‘Over the Rainbow’.
I also exhibit in various local galleries.
My work is mainly in private collections, and also in the Australian, Dutch, and Belgian Embassies of Saudi Arabia.
Artist’s Statement
About forty years ago I was lucky enough to see an exhibition of German and Italian 16th and 17th century woodcuts − ‘chiaroscuro woodcuts’; the contemporary artists and printers solution to depict light, and form, for work available to a wider audience (Remember, no other media available at this juncture).
There was a monumental and sculptural quality, which gnawed, and festered; this, coupled with my great love of the ‘grisaille’ or monochrome underpainting, had a marked effect on my artistic output − oils, and watercolour.
Anyway, in 1994 I acquired an intaglio press, mainly to commercially produce etching editions for other artists, and to give private tuition. But, of course − I devised a tympan, and register system to relief print on the intaglio cylinder. That’s the background − thank you for bearing with me! (No pun intended).
My aim, to push the woodcut as far as I can, technically, and aesthetically.
The motif, and diversity of colour are of secondary importance; Admittedly I occasionally use pertinent symbolism if essential to the intention of the work, but I always try to aim for a straightforward symbolism vis: ‘The ‘Hoover’ is a symbol of dust’.
As for diversity of colour, sculptural concepts have little need for colour − the repetitive shades of a single colour enhances form. If I do have need of a supplementary − watercolour, or gauche will suffice. The old artists adage ‘no one takes notice ‘till the Bishop swears’.
I place great importance on craftsmanship, perhaps this shows my age − no apologies, with the exception of metallics I mix my own inks and all work is autograph. Most artists, and makers suffer from lack of self-confidence − I can tell you; the therapeutic benefits of block cutting, and the terrific sense of achievement when pulling the first sheet off the final block cannot be equalled.
I will endeavour to persevere and produce a grisaille woodcut DV.
Ars gratia artis
William Dewhurst ASGFA
