"This series of etchings has stemmed entirely from test plates used in the etching process to test the strength of the acid. As I began shuffling them about on the workbench and observed, they took on curious sculptural forms that quickly developed a life of their own.

Whilst creating this series I have been asking questions like, “How heavy is it?”, “Is it balanced?”, “Does it work?”, if not “Why not?”, if yes “Will it hold?” I am searching for balance and stability whilst seeing just how far I can push it.

I have found that etching rewards a curious mind and satisfactions have come, given like gifts, as I observe how the paper has moulded itself around and into the metal; how the metal in turn has left its mark; how the ink has collected at the edges in the grooves made by the metal file; how the printed surface of the plate reveals more of itself than can be seen by looking at the metal alone. I aim to celebrate the materials for all that they offer and to acknowledge the unique quality of each print that emerges from printing by hand." - Emily Crookshank, 2020

Emily works in monochrome throughout the process because the image is stripped back to expose what she calls, its ‘Elementals’—ie. its line, tone, and form—which are the backbone of any composition.

Colours can often confuse things but printing in monochrome unveils the honest truth of the plate; the history of marks, the tone of the metal and the balance of form. It reveals all that it is and nothing more. By digging deep into an apparently limited palette, Emily uncovers hidden truths within the materials that she has come to know so well, and in doing so, has discovered the utterly limitless nature of printmaking.

Accolades

Education and Qualifications: BA (Hons) Fine Art Painting and Printmaking, The Glasgow School of Art, 2007-2011

Recent Exhibitions: Small Pictures Show, GrandyArt, London 2020. London Art Fair, CIRCLE Contemporary Gallery, London 2020. Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair, London 2019. VOID: Contemporary Printmaking in Thamesmead, Lakeside Centre, London 2019. Living Lines, CIRCLE Contemporary Gallery, Cornwall 2019. Small Pictures Show, GrandyArt, London 2019. Print & Editions, Kobi & Teal, Frome 2019. Brocket Gallery Residency Exhibition, London 2018. The Masters, Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers, London 2017. Art Hound Gallery, Cambridge 2017. 33 Art Show, RRN, Hampshire 2017. Art and Interiors, Grandy Art, London 2017.

Residencies and Awards: Arts Council Emergency Response Fund 2020. Developing Your Creative Practice Funding from Arts Council England 2019, Artist in Residence CIRCLE Contemporary Gallery, Cornwall 2019. Artist in Residence Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair, London 2018