Th-Ink!, the much anticipated second Islands Printmaking Biennale, opens today (April 1) at ArtSpring, featuring hand-pulled prints by 65 artists from Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.
Exhibition entries include linocuts, wood reduction prints, lithographs, etchings, monotypes and more, which can be seen in the gallery daily through April from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The lobby areas of ArtSpring will show works by Gulf Islands Secondary School students and special displays will provide an introduction to the printmaking techniques used in the creation of the works in the show.
“This is an opportunity to learn more about this centuries-old art form,” says material from the Salt Spring Island Printmakers Society, which has organized Th-Ink!, following the first Islands Printmaking Biennale held by the Printmakers Only Group in Duncan in 2024.
An opening reception for the ArtSpring version will be held on Sunday, April 5 from 1 to 3 p.m., with an opportunity to meet the printmakers and celebrate the show.
Artists talks will be held Sunday, April 12 and Sunday, April 19 at 2 p.m. On the 12th, Salt Spring printmaker Richard York will talk about his journey in a presentation titled In Pursuit of a Painterly Relief Print. On the 19th, a panel discussion will look at the future of printmaking.
Impromptu demonstrations will also be held throughout the show.
For more information about the Salt Spring Island Printmakers Society and the exhibit, visit ssiprintmakers.ca/shows.