Residency at Tyrone Guthrie Centre
As I first drove through the gates of Annaghmakerrig House I wasn’t sure what awaited me. I knew the Tyrone Guthrie Centre as a place of pilgrimage for creative souls and I was honoured, if a little daunted, to be counted among its brethren for a whole seven days. Some months earlier, I was awarded a residency from Illustrators Ireland, which meant free rein in the Tyrone Guthrie print studio along with a room in the house and three hearty meals a day, all served up with the warm hospitality for which the centre is renowned.
Printing
Previously in my home studio, I tinkered about with an xcut xpress – a small die-cutting machine that doubles up as a cheap and cheerful A4 printing press. I reused empty foil-backed cartons for printing plates, scratching an image into the foil with an etching needle. The results produce interesting textures and fine lines when inked and printed as you would using intaglio on a drypoint plate. The natural creases in the folded-out carton only add character to the print. I was excited to explore this technique further. In the print room, there was an intimidatingly large press at my disposal. After a day or so, we made friends, and with much inking and careful placing of paper on Tetra Pak plates I experimented with chine-collé to incorporate colour.
Immersion in nature
Annaghmakerrig House, built in the style of Gothic revival, overlooks a twinkling tree-lined lake. Each day, I walked through the adjoining forest, often ending up at the lakeside where I’d settle down with my binoculars to watch the great crested grebes slide over the water. Their neck collars of bright orange and elegant silhouettes had me transfixed. The place was peacefully quiet, bar sublime birdsong, a drumming woodpecker and the occasional jay squawk. Evenings were more sociable. At 7pm, residents gathered on each side of a long refectory-style table to eat dinner together. Stories were shared and friendships were made. Many of the residents saw the infamous Annaghmakerrig hare early one morning as he lolloped past the house, over the gardens, onto the fields beyond. Supposedly, the spirit of Sir William Tyrone Guthrie still frequents the grounds in the guise of a hare. On sunnier days, the lake enticed several of us to take a bracing dip in the peaty water – the colour of weak tea.
Inspired to be creative
To be free of domestic obligations, immersed in nature and surrounded by fellow creatives for an entire week was a tonic for the spirit. Mentally and creatively refreshed (and a few pounds heavier), I returned home from the residency with a renewed sense of purpose – inspired to crack on with projects in hand while dreaming up new ones.
