WILLOW SERIES - Artist interview with Nigel Eberthardt
We have been inundated with positive feedback since we released the limited edition WILLOW SERIES, created by Tasmanian artist Nigel Eberhardt. And due to your response we thought you would love find out more about the prints and the artist!
The series features hand printed relief prints of a beautifully shaped willow tree stump that was left after the grand willow needed to be cut down, as it had sadly become unsafe. This beautiful tree was at least 80 years old and she had lent a certain charm to the garden and neighbourhood during those years.
Each piece is hand printed in Turners Beach Tasmania, onto Japanese Shiramine Paper with premium oil based printing ink and is signed and numbered by the artist.
Keep scrolling to read about the printing process, why he loves nature and to see the process of how the prints are created.
Shop WILLOW I here
Shop WILLOW II here
Can you tell us about The Willow Series?
The Willow series is a collection of relief prints taken from an old willow tree that sadly succumbed to rot. My wife and her family held a strong connection with this tree, being a predominate feature of their family home.
Can you tell us about the creative process you go through when printing?
Nature is full of imperfections and trying to capture this through relief printing is a challenge. The creative process starts well before the ink is on the paper. The preparation of the stump provides full creative control over how the final image will look. By removing the spring growth, a groove is created in the stump. The more spring growth I remove, the more contrast is achieved when the ink is applied. When I am creating the prints the pressure that is applied to different areas of the stump affects the feel of the final piece. Using my hands I apply varied pressure to the paper to transfer the ink. The end result is something that feels organic. It is this that I find most rewarding, no two prints are ever the same.
What can we expect next from you?
The relief prints tell the story of the tree. Each negative space in the print (white) represents the Spring of that year. In a way I feel like I'm able to give the tree a voice. I am currently in the planning stages of going into the isolated old growth forests of Tasmania and capturing the stump of a giant tree. Tasmania is home to the largest hardwood trees in the world and the tallest flowering plants. To tell the story of one would be amazing.
Who are your favourite artists/designers/architects at the moment?
Raymond Arnold. Raymond’s work reflects the construction of the Tasmania landscape, in particular that of the west coast; I could spend hours admiring at his prints.
My wife and I are beginning to start work on designing our second family home and it is hard not to be inspired by the work of architects Glenn Murcutt and John Wardle.
BEFORE: the beautiful Willow Tree.