Bromley Art Society Bringing Artists Together since 1947

Taking Issue

Having read Allan Davies’ article in the Spring ‘Easel’ - “To Print or not to Print”, I’d like to take issue with two statements he makes - in the first paragraph and the penultimate one. I really feel that the first paragraph is just nonsense! When an artist creates a work of art he does it firstly for himself and because something compels him to do it. He’s not thinking at that time of a “wider audience” that Allan is talking about. If it has any intrinsic value it will gradually become known
anyway, and no amount of boring reproductions will improve its chances - in fact they will decrease the value of the original.

Allan talks about “incredibly accurate reproductions”, and this is where I take issue with his other statement, where he states confidently that “a giclee print is superior to an engraving, etching etc” because the latter loses definition on a
long run of printing - and other things which can vary with hand printing. To start with, a professional etcher will only do a limited edition which he knows will not risk a loss of definition (and incidentally makes the prints more valuable to a collector). Secondly, as an etcher myself, I know the excitement of not knowing exactly how a print will turn out until you peel it off the press is the delight of etching, and every one will be a slightly different original!

I agree with Allan when he says that Artists are always finding new ways to express themselves, and I can see that
computers must be quite exciting used that way, though I am completely computer-ignorant myself. (Aha! I hear you say - that’s where she’s coming from!) However I am not ignorant enough to condemn them all together. But for me a true work of art has to be made by a ‘real’ person without the help of a computer.

Stella Harvey

Founding BAS

I read with interest in the last ‘Easel’ the history of the Bromley Art Society. You mentioned a Mr John Waterman, in fact his name was Waterer, and in the 70s I had the pleasure of knowing this gentleman. He was appointed a Royal Designer for Industry on account of his expertise in the design, manufacture and restoration of leather artifacts in the Royal Collection and national museums and archives.

Before writing to you I contacted his daughter, Joyce Meade, whom I have known for many years, to confirm that he was in fact a founder member of BAS along with the others mentioned. At that time the family lived in Keston, just a stone’s throw away. Maybe other members may remember him also.

Audrey Oliver