ANDREW CROOKS
Australian Artist
ARTWORK ABOUT ME
ABOUT ME
ANDREW CROOKS
Australian Artist & Printmaker

Currently based in Walkerville, in Adelaide, South Australia, I grew up on a large property in the Adelaide Hills, surrounded by a mix of rolling orchards, native woodland, and deep creek-lined valleys, with the odd koala up the tree in the front garden and echidna bumbling by across the dirt road by the house. The close contact with rich natural surroundings remains in my artistic work.

My special focus over the last few years has been on the linocut medium – a medium I love for its ability to capture many varied dynamic, expressive and spontaneous marks, something which you will see in the works up on this site. Rather than rigidly follow a strict design, I draw up my designs loosely on the lino block beforehand and then carve spontaneously into the linoleum, finding the image as I go, with each mark responding to the last.

My particular artistic interest is expressive mark-making so that viewers can see the traces of the artist's hand and mind at work as they strive to depict and interpret what is before them – the result is images that are alive with movement and in which something new can be found with each look.

Due to its graphic nature, the linocut is also perfect for capturing the strong and alien shapes of Australia's fascinating and startlingly-different native flora.

I have studied art at both the South Australian School of Art and the Adelaide Central School of Art, although I am self-taught in the linocut medium.

I hope you enjoy viewing my work!
THE LINOCUT
A Pictorial Guide

1.


1. The design (in this case "Pear Halves with Nuts and Blossoms") is carved
into a piece of linoleum using carving tools ...

2.


2. The carved block is then inked up using a rubber roller, covering the raised areas
but leaving the carved sections free of ink ...

3.


3. Paper is carefully layed on the inked up block and pressure is applied to the back. The paper is then lifted
off to reveal the transferred image (the above example is "Firewood Banksias" being printed) ...

4.


4. Voilà! The final picture! ("Wattle and an Agapanthus in a Glass Jar") ...

5.


5. Which is then hung up for the ink to dry.
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GALLERY OF WORKS
ABOUT ME

EMAIL:
contact@andrewcrooks.com.au

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