The Jerwood DanceHouse is opening its doors as lockdown comes to an end and is playing host to a new annual printmaking exhibition Ipswich PrintWeek.

This first exhibition, which organiser Alison Smyth hopes will be an annual event, pulls together more than 40 local printmakers and will feature every style of printmaking from Silkscreen to Woodcuts and Mezzotints to Linocuts.

She said: “This is a real exhibition that celebrates the exceptional skill and talent of both new and established printmakers who live or work within 20 miles of Ipswich, and offers the public a unique opportunity to purchase art from them at affordable prices.


Ipswich Star: Printweeks exhibition at The Whistler Gallery at the Jerwood DanceHouse in IpswichPrintweeks exhibition at The Whistler Gallery at the Jerwood DanceHouse in Ipswich (Image: CHARLOTTE BOND)

“We have great work from Elaine Nason, Derek Chambers, Peter Beeson, Dale Devereux Barker , who was on our selection panel and other well known artists, alongside work from students and some of our own customers at Tower Street who have never exhibited before.”

Ipswich Star: Bryan Whiteley with his art. Printweeks exhibtion in IpswichBryan Whiteley with his art. Printweeks exhibtion in Ipswich (Image: CHARLOTTE BOND)

The exhibition, organised by Oyster Community Press CIC, is being staged in DanceEast’s Whistler Gallery inside the Waterfront building. Original works will be for sale and as neither DanceEast nor Oyster Press are charging commission the full fee will be going to the artist.

“The fact that artists will be able to keep their sale price is so helpful. Lockdown has closed galleries for over a year and impacted the income streams of all artists, in every discipline. We are incredibly grateful to DanceEast for their generosity.”

Ipswich Star: Avelyn Polk with her work. Printweeks exhibtion in IpswichAvelyn Polk with her work. Printweeks exhibtion in Ipswich (Image: CHARLOTTE BOND)

Alison Smyth and Oyster Community Press CIC run the Tower Street Printmaking Project in Ipswich. She said that the aim of Ipswich PrintWeek was to raise the profile of printmaking, engage with the wider public and give local printmakers the opportunity to showcase their work here in Ipswich, as they can in Norwich and Cambridge.

Plans for a much more ambitious project for next year are already underway. It will feature open studios, demonstrations, talks and opportunities for people to have a go at printmaking.

Ipswich Star: Alice Plankova with her work. Printweeks exhibtion in IpswichAlice Plankova with her work. Printweeks exhibtion in Ipswich (Image: CHARLOTTE BOND)

Ipswich PrintWeek 2021 is at The Whistler Gallery, Jerwood DanceHouse, from May 20-28.
The gallery is open from 9.30am to 6pm weekdays and from 11am to 5.30pm at the weekend.