Swelter 2 – behind the scenes

Just two years ago, we released a screen print by Alexia Vogel – and you loved it. Swelter sold out fast, and we’ve had many, many requests for another of her works ever since.

We’re not surprised – she’s an incredible young talent who keeps moving from strength to strength, having recently held a successful solo at Barnard Gallery following a residency in France. And what’s fantastic for us as collaborators, is the way she approaches her work. Her painting process is accumulative, built up in layers, and this ability to “think in layers” lends itself beautifully to the medium of screen print.

To the onlooker, screen printing may seem like a pretty straightforward process: Think up a design, grab your squeegee and go. It can even be misunderstood as a mere reproduction of an original artwork.

But the reality is so much more intriguing – between design and squeegee is where much of the hard work and fun happens, where we test and play with the limitless options available. Colour, transparency, layering, exposure – and the synergy between these variables – are all considered before deciding on the final combination of values. The more layers, the more options, the more decisions, the more tests. It’s a process we love, especially when shared with a collaborator like Alexia Vogel, who brings her own enthusiasm and angle to the medium.