Five Morley printmakers exhibit at the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition

Works by five Morley printmakers were exhibited at this year’s Royal Academy of Arts summer exhibition in London’s Piccadilly.  The prestigious show is the world’s oldest open submission exhibition – which means that anyone can enter their work to be considered for inclusion.  

The exhibition is described as “representing what is happening in the art world right now. It features new and recent art created by everyone, from emerging artists to the biggest names in contemporary art and architecture.”     

Carol Wilhide-Justin, Inga Eiciate, Justin Cole, Richenda Court and Sally Loughborough had works at the summer exhibition. Many congratulations for their inspirational printmaking achievements!    

Snowy Night drypoint print by Sally Loughborough 

Hermes View linocut print by Richenda Court 

Wear a Mask Borough Market and Come Shop Leave Borough Market prints by Austin Cole

Balance Series ‘B_o3’ & ‘B_o4’ etchings by Inga Eicaite

Black Lake – Japanese woodcut by Carol Wilhide-Justin   

Morley’s successful printmakers shared their reflections on exhibiting at this year’s summer exhibition:   

Richenda Court, Hermes Court   

“It’s an honour to be selected for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. The exhibition is so vibrant, life affirming with so many inspiring works to see, there’s nothing else like it. It’s also a great way to publicise your work and make contacts.”  

“My work Hermes View’ is a linocut print, printed in three stages with a green wash background. The image is based on a drawing where a man, ‘Hermes’, is positioned looking at stage where actors are descending. The image is referencing Shakespeare.”      

Richenda is an artist, printmaker and Morley tutor.  “I teach at Morley and this term I will be teaching two Saturday Courses in November and December. The first one is a three week Saturday course visiting a gallery and creating prints inspired by the visit and creating monoprints and linocuts. ”

Sally Loughborough, SNOWY NIGHT     

“I was delighted that my drypoint print SNOWY NIGHT was accepted in this year’s Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. It was selected by [Royal Academician] Cornelia Parker and hung in a great position in the Large Weston Room.”    

“I sold my whole edition of 20 prints plus one proof.”  

Sally has been a Morley printmaker for approximately 16 years.  “The SNOWY NIGHT print was conceived and engraved onto the plate at home and printed during Rob White’s Monday printmaking class.”   

Carol Wilhide Justin,  Black Lake   

 “This year was my 7th time at the RA Summer Exhibition and I am happy to say I sold my entire edition! 

It is a wonderful show to be a part of especially on Varnishing Day where the artists exhibiting, both famous and amateur process down Piccadilly to St James’s Church for a special service and then en masse back to Burlington House. Once back,  you anxiously look for your work on the wall – has it been sky-ed (hung near the ceiling) and who else is in this year? And then relaxing and chatting with other exhibitors over a glass of prosecco and canapés.  

‘Black Lake’ is a Japanese woodcut, printed by hand using white gouache onto plissé fabric. The theme of this year’s RA Summer Exhibition is ‘Space’ and ‘Black Lake’ shows the perspective of a stretch of water and also its depth. It is based on a lake that I went to as a child in Quebec, Canada. It was surrounded on all sides by dark fir forests and remained black even in the brightest sunshine.”    

“As an exhibition it has incredible footfall and people come to buy in large numbers especially at the opening Private Views. Every time I revisit I find work that I haven’t seen before, maybe quieter work tucked in between the big named artists.”  

Carol teaches Japanese Woodcut: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced at Morley.   

Inga Eicaite ‘B_o3’ & ‘B_o4’  

“I am very happy and proud to be showing next to amazing artists!”   

My two etchings in this year’s RA Summer Show are part of a series call ‘B’ – BALANCE.  They are inspired by cosmic bodies realignment and their repositioning to better suit the spectator’s mind eye. Shifts create abstract geometric compositions, frozen timelapses carry the memory of transitional, hidden and alien elements.”  

Inga is Lithuanian and based in London. Inga uses an abstract graphic approach exploring the dynamic intersection between science and nature.    

‘My works are primarily in a monochromatic palette. I put strong emphasis on paper and its qualities in her practice, usage of conservational washi (Japanese paper) and hanji (Korean) papers help bring subtlety to the work. I work in several printmaking combos: mokuhanga, intaglio and relief.’  

Austin Cole:  Wear a Mask Borough Market and Come Shop Leave Borough Market.  

“As always,  I was pleased to have my work showing at the summer exhibition for me it is always the highlight of  the year to have work accepted.  Since 2005 when I first had a print accepted, I have been accepted for the summer exhibition 10 times and the 4th that i have had 2 prints accepted. All of these prints were made at Morley.”  

“My prints show Borough market just after the Covid lockdown was lifted and we were allowed to go out again.  These 2 prints are part of a series of etchings of Borough Market and last year, one was accepted for the 2023 summer exhibition.”  

“I always look forward to being at Morley, the teaching is excellent and I appreciate being able to carry on with my own work as well as being able to access the studio and the facilities on offer. I also enjoy the company of the other print makers on the course and over time have made friends with other course students.” 

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