You’re very welcome to visit in person – next weekend at SFSA Open Studios would be perfect – but why not take a tour right now?

Special offers on courses, membership and prints for sale for the duration of Open Studios weekend 19 & 20 May to be snapped up.

Open Studios info here: http://secondfloorstudiosarts.wordpress.com/2012/03/22/londons-leading-artist-community-opens-its-doors-summer-open-studio-exhibition-at-second-floor-studios-arts/

Opening night Thursday 17 May 5-9pm
Sat & Sun 19 & 20 May 11am-6pm

SFSA, Harrington Way, London SE18 5NR

This May London’s burgeoning art community will open its doors to the public, enabling art lovers to get so close you could smell the paint, feel the wood shavings and witness printmaking presses doing their thing.

The community of more than 160 professional arts and crafts practitioners will open their studios to the public; inviting visitors into their creative spaces to discuss, view and buy their work.

The Thames Barrier Print Studio at SFSA, one of London’s most spacious open access fine art printmaking studios will be open with a series of print technique demonstrations and informal studio tours throughout the weekend, a fantastic selection of framed and unframed prints and textiles and exclusive offers on membership and courses. (http://thamesbarrierprintstudio.wordpress.com)

A stone’s throw from the Thames Barrier, SFSA is an affordable studio provision and creative space championing the practice of art, crafts and design in London. It is an arts community in the truest sense. A multi-million pound development, once complete SFSA will provide 160,000sqft of affordable arts space, studios and facilities for more than 300 artists. The development currently houses more than 160 artists from the fields of painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, graphic and digital design, animation, illustration, fashion and jewellery design, mosaic, glass-making, cabinet-making and interactive sound installation.

Throughout the Open Studio No Format, London’s newest art gallery located at SFSA, will host ‘Never Promised Pound Land’, an exhibition of works by Ray Richardson, Cathie Pilkinton and Mark Hampson. (http://www.noformat.co.uk/#/never-promised-poundland/4557990868)

CANTEEN terrace arts cafe will be open for teas, coffees, homemade foods and a summer BBQ.

About the studios:
All studios are self-contained with good natural light and range from 150-1500sqft, and start at £154 pcm. SFSA contributes to the Affordable Studios sector and is a member of the National Federation of Artists’ Studio Providers. http://www.nfasp.org.uk/
(http://www.secondfloor.co.uk)

First prize                               £2,000
Second prize                          £1,500
Third prize                              £1,000
Runner up                                £ 500

Brief:
To produce a short film or digital sequences inspired by The London Hippodrome
These will be on permanent display & become part of the prestigious Hippodrome collection.

Rules: Art & Design students & recent graduates of the last 3 years. . No more than 3 films per application, minimum duration 1 minute in any format.

Application Deadline: 31^st March 2012

Further information and application forms please contact:

Chris Westbrook                 westbrookgallery@hotmail.com

Introduction:
A New art prize for an historical landmark building.

The influence of the Hippodrome on London’s culture & history is legendary.
Lovingly restored over the last 4 years with the guidance of English Heritage, it was built in 1900 to herald the dawn of a brave new world. This famous theatre combined a circus, a water spectacle and a music hall in one venue. The central circus area would be flooded with 100,000 gallons of water with live polar bears and elephants.  It was here that Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake first danced in England, the Folie Bergere Revue, & where, many iconoclasts of the twentieth century performed in a glittering roll call, from Charlie Chaplin’s first performance, to Houdini, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Sammy Davis Jr, Tom Jones & Stevie Wonder amongst its many stars.

The first ‘Hippodrome’ was built in AD 203 by the Emperor Septimius Seveus when the city was called Byzantium. Rebuilt in 324 by ‘Constantine the great’, the statue of four horses in gilded copper adorned the top of the dome, much like the London’s Hippodrome today. 

This great palace was the centre of the city’s social life with performances, betting on races & games set amongst decorations of ‘heavenly beauty and opulence’. A place of refuge & relaxation, a space where all walks of life, citizens of all casts and races, would come together in a single venue on an even ground.

The London Hippodrome will recapture its historical legacy and regain its importance as an integral part of London’s heartland with theatre, music, gaming, exhibitions, film premieres and much more. A building whose beauty has been restored to its own Byzantium glory, to provide a platform once again, with performances still ringing in its walls from Noel Coward to Shirley Bassey and the first place in London to play ‘Jazz’.

Your film may reflect any part of this rich history, or may take inspiration to spring into new ground.
It will animate and enrich the Hippodrome’s resurrection as a unique & exciting venue for London once again.

This fabulous course is designed to provide professional training in processing artwork digitally and autographically, screen and print table preparation and printing basic repeat patterns on a variety of fabrics of your choice. (We can advise on fabric type to bring to your course). Suitable for beginners or as a refresher.

For bookings or further info call 020 8316 5522 / 07815 090648

Or email: enquiries@thamesbarrier-printstudio.co.uk

Looking for something else? Check out our other courses at: http://thamesbarrierprintstudio.wordpress.com/courses

A place has just become available – Previous experience of etching is required.

The course includes an introduction to a background in Photo Etching and it’s uses, preparation of a zinc plate with photo emulsion, working in Photoshop to prepare transparencies, producing transparencies, exposing and developing photo plates, plate biting, plate inking and printing. You will be working from your own images so bring a photograph, drawing or digital image up to A4 to work with.

To book email enquiries@thamesbarrier-printstudio.co.uk
or call 020 8316 5522 / 07815 090648

Check out all our course dates here: http://thamesbarrierprintstudio.wordpress.com/courses

We offer creative opportunities for beginners or intermediates. Each course offers practical, straightforward training and advice from established practicing printmakers. Our introductory courses are designed to provide artists with the skills and confidence to join and work in the studio as an open access member. We also offer short and specialist courses for experienced printmakers providing a more in depth understanding of disciplines and a chance to explore new or experimental methods.

Our regular introductory courses in screenprinting and etching are held on Monday evenings
and over weekends. Our short courses are for one day and held on Saturdays and some weekdays. All materials are included in the course fee. Concession rates are available to SFSA and TBPS members, Greenwich Borough residents, students, recent graduates, unemployed and over 60s.

All course participants must be 16 years or over. Health and Safety regulations recommend that courses are not advisable during pregnancy.

Booking is easy – our secure online booking facility will be available soon but in the meantime if you are interested in any of our courses and/or you want to book.

email us at enquiries@thamesbarrier-printstudio.co.uk or call 020 8316 5522

To secure a place full payment must be taken at time of booking. Cancellations must be more than 14 days before the date of your course to receive a full refund. Any cancellations later 14 days prior cannot be refunded if the place cannot be filled.

We will be offering courses in a range of disciplines – etching, photo etching, screenprinting on paper, textile screenprinting, plate litho, relief and letterpress throughout 2012 – something for everyone – but as part of our studio launch why not choose from the following – unleash your creativity for Christmas!:

Introduction to Etching

Saturday and Sunday 3 & 4 December 10am-5pm

or

Monday evenings (for 5 evenings) 21 November-19 December 6.30-9pm

£160.00 standard/ £145 concession

This intensive course offers an introduction to the basic techniques of etching. Beginners are very welcome and also those wanting to refresh their skills in the everyday procedures of an etching studio. The course includes plate preparation, laying hard and soft grounds, laying an aquatint, etching a plate,
inking a plate, paper preparation and printing, and you take home a small edition.

You’ll be working from your own artwork/ideas so bring some images – either original drawings, photocopies, photographs to use as source material. Your print size will be approximately A4.

To book this course email us or call 020 8316 5522

Introduction to Screenprinting

Monday evenings (for 5 evenings) 21 November – 19 December 6.30-9pm

£160.00 standard/ £145 concession

This course offers a hands-on introduction to screenprinting on paper using a selection of step by step examples and your own images. Explore the basic techniques including preparation of screens, using a
range of photographic and direct mark making techniques, work with stencils and print a small edition to take home. No prior experience is necessary. Also ideal as a refresher.

Special!  Screenprint for Christmas

Saturday and Sunday 10 & 11 December 10.30am-5.30pm

£160.00 standard/ £145 concession

This course offers the same hands-on introduction to screenprinting as our standard course, but with a twist!  Explore basic techniques including preparation of screens, using a range of photographic and direct mark making techniques to create gift wrap and greeting cards, just in time for Christmas!  Use typography, different paper surfaces and inks including gold and silver to create bespoke festive cheer for the holidays!

To book this course email us or call 020 8316 5522

Introduction to Screenprinting on Textiles

Saturday and Sunday

10.30am-5.30pm  – dates to be confirmed

If you are interested in this course please email us to be added to the course interest list

This weekend course provides an introduction to screen-printing on textiles; printing your own designs on a range of fabrics of your choice, experimenting with building up layers using simple paper cut stencils through to photographic imaged stencils.

**You will have to bring specialist fabrics (cotton, silk, wool or synthetics) or T-shirts needed for your work – we can advise you beforehand. This course is suitable for both beginners and those who have previous screen-printing knowledge and want to brush up on their skills.

Photo Etching

One-day course

10.30am-5.30pm – dates to be confirmed

If you are interested in this course please email us to be added to the course interest list

Learn how to work with a digital image to prepare it for photo etching, coat and expose photo etching plates and take a print. Bring a photograph, drawing or digital image up to A4 to work. Experience of etching required.

Photo Experimental printmaking with dry copier / laser toner.

One-day course

10.30am-5.30pm – dates to be confirmed

If you are interested in this course please email us to be added to the course interest list

Dry copier toners have many desirable characteristics for use in all printmaking media. Explore possibilities of using the toner to create a range of marks, from rich textures through delicate washes and photo transfers. Basic experience in printmaking required.

Multi plate (colour separation process) photo lithography on offset press

One-day course

10.30am-5.30pm – dates to be confirmed

If you are interested in this course please email us to be added to the course interest list

Introduction to the use of photographic images within the lithography process. Bring along prepared colour digital images, experiment with transparent and opaque colours on the offset press. Experience of plate lithography is required.

Letterpress – introduction

Weekend course

10.30am-5.30pm – dates to be confirmed

If you are interested in this course please email us to be added to the course interest list

This course is an introduction into the world of letterpress where you will learn the basics through working with your own text. You’ll learn to professionally handle metal type and using a table-top Adana press, you can create your own greetings cards, business cards, letterheads and invite cards of your own choice. No previous letterpress experience required.

Introduction to Photoshop

One-day course

10.30am-5.30pm – dates to be confirmed

If you are interested in this course please email us to be added to the course interest list

Adobe Photoshop has infinite creative possibilities and this one-day course will introduce you to the general capabilities of working with Photoshop CS5.  This includes finding your way around the software, working with layers, working with type, retouching, resizing and image manipulation, designing a page layout and preparing a file for print. At the end of the day you’ll take away a small edition printed on our large format Epson printer. Basic computer skills helpful but no experience of Adobe Photoshop needed.

If you’d like to talk to us about any of the courses above please call 020 8316 5522 – we are
more than happy to advise.

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Etching and Screenprinting areas

New acid room

New etching area overlooking the Thames. Above: New screen printing studio