PEAK PRINTS PROJECT

The Project was set up in Jan 2013 to make the Wood Engraver's art much better known in the Peak District.

This area is highly suitable for the art because of its plethora of woods and stones, crags and deep river gorges, ancient carved stones and picturesque farms, fields and barns.

The sponsors Nick and Ruth Pitts-Tucker invited 12 of the leading Wood Engravers to stay for a series of long weekends. These began in the depth of winter, accompanied by serious snowstorms but ended with the most perfect Spring days, blessed with flowers and clear blue skies. Around 40 engravings were produced and exhibited in the Spring and Summer of 2014 in venues around the Peak District.

Many are still available from the Society of Wood Engravers, or the individual artists.

I stayed for a long weekend in early May when spring was long delayed and have produced the following four prints.

The henge of 'Arbor Low' is atop a bare pasture hill with a panoramic view. The white stones are all recumbent and it is debatable if they were ever upright. A lark's eye view was the best way to show it entire in its setting.

'Monsal Head Viaduct', the lovely Monsal Dale and River Wye I have accomodated within a boxwood round. As the foliage was still in bud more was revealed than can be seen for half the year from this viewpoint.

Near to Alstonefield village is a fine example of a White Peak dewpond with a boundary ash tree and distant view of Milldale. The white line style of engraving I favour is well suited to a moonlit scene.

On my last evening I walked through Wetton village to sketch the view of Thor's cave from the road above. In the evening light it brought to mind the Samuel Palmer idylls which had so inspired me as a student engraver.

Kathleen Lindsley.