# data[].attributes.body
Here's a like to my website and professional work as a designer and illustrator...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Created by Jen | Branding, Graphic Design and Wedding Stationery Print Agency in Brighton, Sussex and London

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Created by Jen | Branding, Graphic Design and Wedding Stationery Print Agency in Brighton, Sussex and London

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We are a graphic design agency specialising in branding based in Brighton and Hove, Sussex. We also craft illustrated wedding stationery, from bespoke invitation to save the date cards.

# data[].attributes.body
I'm investigating linocut printmaking at the moment and would love to use some of my thoughts, discoveries and findings from this course to help inform my printmaking practice.

I'm interested in how a place can make someone feel - their emotional attachment or detachment from it and how this can affect their being

# data[].attributes.headline
Notes and aspects that stood out from BBC Sunday Feature - Walking with Attitude

# data[].attributes.subject
Notes and aspects that stood out from BBC Sunday Feature - Walking with Attitude

# data[].attributes.body
…to do with the fluid nature of a city that is always moving

…it’s all about atmosphere. It’s about trying to find atmospheres in the city, and trying to understand what they mean

…about reinventing a sense of place (flipping meaning over)

…turning ordinary landscapes into places of adventure

…a dissatisfaction with the modern city

…patterns of energy in a city

…a transition

# data[].attributes.body
Psychogeography is the study of how our surroundings affect us, and of the impact of our industrial jungles on city-dwellers psyche.

Psychogeography – the study of geographical environment on the mind, or on behaviour.

The term psychogeography was coined by French theorist Guy Debord in 1955 to investigate the ways that urban environments make us feel and behave.

The goal being not a destination but rather an openness to noticing small moments within the metropolis.

"I’m attempting to not just depict these scenes but hopefully represent something of the strange psychological state that comes with being a city dweller."

connection between the city and its occupants

the idea of the flaneur, a city-wanderer and observing stroller, taking in the scenes of city life that the average busy traveller might miss.

# data[].attributes.body
It better connects the walker to the environment because purposeful walking has an agenda (getting from A to B) and as such we do not absorb certain aspects of the world around us. The ‘Derive’ allows us to take our time, amble about, absorb and examine elements of the landscape we find ourselves in and record their effect on us through the artwork we produce.

# data[].attributes.body
Callum makes detailed paper-cuts using a scallop - I really love the depiction of light and dark and the stark contrast of shadows on the built environment.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In preparation for his upcoming debut show this July at Nelly Duff, we sat down with Edinburgh-based artist Callum Russell to pick his brain all about 'Psychogeography'. We've always been enraptured by Russell's shadowy and mysterious worlds, and this never before seen collection of unique original works is no exception.
ND: Have you always worked exclusively with paper cuts, or was it trying out other mediums that brought you to working in this way?
CR: I used to do a lot of collage and so always had collections of paper, magazines and old books. Then while experimenting with ways of using cut paper, and my interest in printmaking, the work naturally evolved into the single sheet paper cutting style that I use now.
ND: Your work revolves pretty much entirely around city life and scenes, have you always been a city dweller and is it a large part of your artistic identity?
CR: I was born in London and have spent time in many different cities across the world. I have always been interested in the unique characteristics and feelings of different cities, and how much architecture and the geography of the place can construct an identity.

I now live in Edinburgh and as such I have found London more interesting since moving away - whenever I come back I see it with fresh eyes and can experience it almost as an outsider.
ND:The Show is titled Psychogeography - could you explain to us what that means in relation to the works in the show?
CR: The term psychogeography was coined by French theorist Guy Debord in 1955 to investigate the ways that urban environments make us feel and behave. Debord was inspired by Charles Baudelaire's concept of the Flaneur - an urban wanderer, somewhat detached from society, exploring and experiencing the city.

These artworks come from my wanderings through London. The goal being not a destination but rather an openness to noticing small moments within the metropolis. Through these images I'm attempting to not just depict these scenes but hopefully represent something of the strange psychological state that comes with being a city dweller.

The nature of these hand-cut paper works physically embody this connection between the city and its occupants - every element within the image is literally connected. Disparate features of the environment rely on each other for structure within the artwork, as in the city itself. The fragility of the paper, the delicate lines and the precise scalpel incisions enact this same balance of order and chaos that exists within a city like London.
ND: You are currently based in Edinburgh, but are originally from London - are you excited to have a solo show back in the capital?
CR: I'm very excited to have my first solo show in London, especially as a lot of the pieces in the show depict scenes not too far from Nelly Duff.
ND: You must have to get into a seriously focused headspace to cut your pieces so exactly, what's your trick to get in that state of mind?
CR: I usually listen to audiobooks or podcasts while papercutting, as music can be too distracting. The work can be very time consuming and repetitive, but because of this the more you do the more relaxing it becomes - it can be quite meditative, and I often find I lose track of time.
ND: How do you choose the places and scenes to turn into papercuts?
CR: I'm looking for visually interesting scenes - contrasting architecture styles, unusual patterns, strong shadows etc. I have to keep in mind that the initial photos I take have to become paper stencils, so not every photo works as a papercut - if there's too much empty space, or 'floating' unconnected areas of detail the papercut wont physically work.
ND: What is it about your work that you think makes it work so well in print?
CR: The simplicity of the papercuts being one sheet and usually one colour hopefully makes prints that are bold and striking.
ND: Finally - if you could keep one artwork from the show which one would it be?
CR: Brick Lane, or TFS. Including the grafitti and sticker details in these pieces were a new challenge and I think they turned out great.
'Psychogeography' is on show at Nelly Duff from 5th - 11th July 2019, with a private view (all welcome!) from 6pm-8.30pm Thursday 4th July. RSVP here to guarantee entry

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
All about 'Psychogeography' - Nelly Duff chats with Callum Russell - Nelly Duff

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Alice shares our recent Interviews, News article: All about 'Psychogeography' - Nelly Duff chats with Callum Russell.

# data[].attributes.body
I work part time at a shared creative studio in the Preston Park area of Brighton. It's a really interesting place with many studios nestled into a building that's positioned under the huge railway arches (on the line from Brighton to Lewes) and behind a row of Victorian terraced houses.

My derive took me:

From the Studio where I work...

Along the long corridors you must walk through to get to the exit...

Through a mechanic's garage that occupies the outdoor space at the exit to the studios...

And up some outdoor stairs, onto the roof terrace that is shared between all studios

# data[].attributes.body
The long corridors that lead you to the exit are austere and unwelcoming. Their purpose feels purely practical, with little visual interest along the way. I feel hemmed-in and my way has been restricted so I am forced to go in a set direction

Walking through the mechanic's garage I am greeted with smiles and "hello's", but I feel like a bit of an unwelcome visitor as I am working through another person's place of work. I must select my path around the parked vehicles - I take one with the widest gap so I don't have to sneeze in-between cars! I also have a sense of gratefulness to be outside again, in the open - I can see blue sky!

The outdoor stairs that lead to the roof terrace are quite steep. The terrace is a great spot with elevated views over the back gardens of the row of victorian houses that sit in front of the Studios & Mechanic's garage. Arching over all of this is the railway viaduct - it feels both imposing and impressive. I am dwarfed by it and am impressed with how the huge arches were created.

I can hear birds, and a French Bulldog darts out of the nearest studio to greet me enthusiastically, much to my delight!

Many of the back gardens are unkept and I'm very aware that this is the "working" view of the terraced houses, as opposed to the grander front facades, built to impress

# data[].attributes.body
"As my creative practice has developed, I have become more and more aware of how this digital world has affected our way of viewing the physical environment we are in and on discovering the theory and practice of Psychogeography, my latest works form a response to the act of wandering and taking notice of different routes, spaces and architectural features of the city environment"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
lwhiteprints is a Norwich based artist and tutor, specialising in fine art printmaking.

# data[].attributes.body
The dark & quite oppressive corridor to the exit of the studios, versus the light open space of the roof terrace got me thinking about light and dark + shadows

Working with just one colour and the white of the paper could help emphasis this idea

Negative space / Idea of what lies in the shadows

...the darkness of being indoors (mentally..?) versus the freedom and light of being outdoors exploring

Makes me think of the feeling of being indoors on a lovely sunny day working, when there's so much sunshine and light outside..!

The idea of a person being funnelled (made to walk a certain path) between tall building and the height of the structures casting a big shadow...

# data[].attributes.headline
Research & other work that explores light and dark / shadow and sunlight in an urban environment 

# data[].attributes.subject
Research & other work that explores light and dark / shadow and sunlight in an urban environment 

# data[].attributes.body
I developed this linocut in response to some of the photos I took last week on my Derive. I was struck my the shape of the railway arches and the shadow that they cast. The relationship between them and the new, modern roof in the foreground was also interesting & I tried to highlight this by printing them in different colours.

# data[].attributes.body
Setting the scene and storytelling

Comparing and contrasting from the previous visit

Use of old maps

Desk based research looking at topography - looking at old forgotten pathways to explore

Idea of the 'photogenic' revealing nothing new

Looking into historical documents of interest and gathering visual interest

Use of archival images to influence her own work

Gathering of materials and objects from the derives

Use of cyanotype instead of traditional photography

Idea of time influencing her thoughts on her work, and taking her off into different directions

# data[].attributes.headline
Dan Robinson - the significance of his choice of place

# data[].attributes.subject
Dan Robinson - the significance of his choice of place

# data[].attributes.body
Prose-poetry responses to riverside locations in Yorkshire, that he knows well

Links back to existing things of importance to him

Looked into memories of rivers and water

Idea of connections to different places

# data[].attributes.body
I've been on holiday to the Norfolk coast in the last few weeks and got a lot of visual inspiration whilst I was there. We did many walks where I was able to record observations and my feelings on the place we were exploring.

I wrote a little blog post about some of the creative inspiration I discovered:

https://createdbyjen.co.uk/blog/norfolk

Whilst we often had a rough route planned out, I really enjoyed the experience of wandering in an environment that I didn't know and coming across unexpected things along the way.

So over the past few weeks my sketches and photos from my trip have actually informed my creative work. I tried to pay particular attention to some of the little details like the different plants I found on the walks that we don't see as much back home in Brighton.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Coastal creativity - Norfolk's thriving craft and printmaking scene - Created by Jen | Branding, Graphic Design and Wedding Stationery Print Agency in Brighton, Sussex and London

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
From the beauty of rural villages lined with pretty flint cottages, to it's beaches and big skies, Norfolk has a lot to offer creatives looking for inspiration.

# data[].attributes.body
There angle of the boats from above caught me eye - they would make a great linocut! I also liked the way these photos kind of reflect the slower pace of life on the coast, where everything is less hurried!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

# data[].attributes.headline
I'm in the process of doing a series of 3 botanical themed linocuts inspired by plants seen on my walk from Stiffkey to Blakeney on the Norfolk coast. I'll post the set here when they are finished..!

# data[].attributes.subject
I'm in the process of doing a series of 3 botanical themed linocuts inspired by plants seen on my walk from Stiffkey to Blakeney on the Norfolk coast. I'll post the set here when they are finished..!

# data[].attributes.headline
I've got a couple of ideas floating around for further linocuts based on my wanderings on the Norfolk coast...

# data[].attributes.subject
I've got a couple of ideas floating around for further linocuts based on my wanderings on the Norfolk coast...

# data[].attributes.body
Some of the boats I saw were quite colourful and would potentially make for an interesting reduction linocut.

I could really simplify down the details, concentrating on the light/shadows and intensify up the colours

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

# data[].attributes.body
I also found the different architecture in the coastal villages interesting. Could I use some of these visuals to communicate the 'oldy-worldy' feel in a linocut...

# data[].attributes.body
Looking at characterful doorways...