Live Printmaking Demonstration | Woolwich Contemporary Fine Arts
Experience the magic of printmaking in action with master printmaker Jenny Mason-Gunning! Engineer and Printmaker Dave Mason-Gunning, and Specialist Pirntmakers Shelia Woollham and Amanda Radley 2025
For the third consecutive year, we’re thrilled to bring our live printmaking demonstration to Woolwich Contemporary Fine Arts, showcasing the captivating world of professional printmaking directly to you. This isn’t just an exhibition – it’s a living, breathing interactive printmaking experience where centuries-old craft meets modern innovation.
Jenny’s Intaglio Etching Stand
Discover the breathtaking world of intaglio etching at my dedicated exhibition stand, where you’ll find a stunning collection of my original etchings and printmaking works. Each piece tells a story – from the haunting beauty of abandoned industrial sites to the awe-inspiring presence of megalithic monuments, all created using techniques from my upcoming Bloomsbury publication “Step by Step Book for Printmakers and Teachers Alike.”
My stand showcases the incredible range and depth possible with intaglio etching techniques:
- Aquatint etchings with rich, velvety blacks and subtle tonal variations
- Line etchings capturing intricate detail and expressive mark-making
- Mixed-media intaglio works combining multiple plate techniques
- Photogravure pieces blending photography with traditional printmaking
- Solar plate etchings using contemporary non-toxic methods
Every print on display has been hand-pulled on our renowned Gunning Etching Presses, representing over 35 years of dedication to the craft. You’ll see works that capture the essence of places crying out to have their history preserved – from crumbling factories to ancient stone circles.
Watch Our Live Printmaking Demonstrations
But the magic doesn’t stop at viewing! Step into our interactive demonstration area and watch professional printmakers create art right before your eyes on our world-famous Gunning Etching Presses. Our live printmaking demonstration runs throughout the entire show, giving you multiple opportunities to witness the complete intaglio process from start to finish:
- Inking Mastery – Watch the careful application of ink, building up those signature rich blacks that make intaglio so distinctive
- The Wiping Technique – Observe the skilled hand movements that reveal every etched line and aquatinted tone
- The Press in Action – Feel the anticipation as each hand-pulled print emerges, revealing the hidden image with that satisfying resistance only a proper etching press can provide
Our Gunning Etching Press demonstration showcases presses that handle all types of plates – from traditional acid etching and aquatint to drypoint and mono to modern photopolymer and solar plate techniques. Every moment offers something new to discover about this ancient art form that continues to evolve.
Interactive Printmaking Experience – Try It Yourself
Here’s where our live demonstration becomes truly special – you don’t just admire the work, you become part of the printmaking process!
Unlike static exhibitions, our interactive printmaking workshop invites you to:
- Ink up an etching plate yourself – Feel the texture of professional printmaking ink as you work it into every etched line
- Learn the wiping technique – Discover how we reveal the image while keeping ink in the incised marks
- Pull your own print – Experience the satisfying pressure of our Gunning Etching Press as you create your first hand-pulled print
- Take your artwork home – Every visitor leaves with their own unique, personally-created etching
There’s something absolutely magical about pulling your first intaglio print – watching the image emerge from what seemed like a blank piece of paper. We love sharing that transformative moment with everyone who visits our printmaking demonstration.
Watch Our Live Printmaking Demonstration with Expert Printmakers
Step into our interactive demonstration area where you’ll meet our incredible team of professional printmakers creating art right before your eyes on our world-famous Gunning Etching Presses.
Meet our demonstration team:
Dave Mason-Gunning – The engineer and master printmaker behind the evolution of the Gunning Etching Press. Dave took over press production in 2018, introducing the revolutionary geared and motorised models that have transformed printmaking studios worldwide. As both an accomplished engineer and passionate printmaker, Dave brings a unique perspective to our demonstrations, showing not just how to use the presses, but explaining the precision engineering that makes them so exceptional.
Sheila Woollam – An accomplished printmaker who will be demonstrating alongside Dave, bringing her expertise and distinctive approach to the live printmaking demonstration.
Amanda Radley – Another talented printmaker joining our demonstration team, sharing her skills and passion for the craft with visitors throughout the show.
Our live printmaking demonstration runs throughout the entire show, with our expert team rotating to give you multiple opportunities to witness printing in action.