Henrik Simonsen’s most recent screenprint edition
Yellow Light sees the artist use spring-inspired colours in this uplifting new piece, with mid blues, purples and pinks set against a vibrant yellow backdrop. Read more below.
Henrik Simonsen’s work is very much influenced by seasons and the natural world, and new screenprint edition
Yellow Light is no exception. Taking its inspiration from the very first days of spring, when the sun has not yet quite reached the ability to radiate the warm glow of summer light, this new print is bright and intense, instantly transporting us to warmer climates.
Metaphorically, this piece is about new beginnings and possibilities. Early spring is the time when the natural world gradually awakes, with promises of what’s to come and excited anticipation about the future. As Henrik himself described: “Everything is starting and because nothing is fixed, you can dream big. The plants are breaking through the sometimes still hard ground and slowly stretching themselves towards the light. It’s the burst of life, promises and light that I wanted to try and capture.”
Working at Artizan Editions print studios in Gloucestershire, Henrik worked hard for some time to get the dominant yellow backdrop just right. The solution was to use an almost pure yellow pigment on top of another yellow, as printing onto white - which normally works well to intensify colours in screenprinting - was just not bright enough for what he was after.
The way Henrik works in the print studio is organic; he doesn’t start with a preconceived image that he then tries to replicate, but instead builds the picture as it develops, adding and removing parts as he goes along. For example, the bright green at the bottom in the middle was only added in when he felt another colour group needed to be involved, despite the fact that there was already a lot of colour present. By adding the green he felt the piece became more balanced; something that could possibly not have been predicted until a certain point in the making process.
Colour is an important part of Henrik’s working practice, and the relationship between each hue he chooses has to be perfect. Talking about colour with regards to
Yellow Light, Henrik said: “Working in very bright colours you might feel that the full colour scales are open to you, but it’s surprising how quickly you can fence yourself into a narrow selection of options. But it was a lot of fun to work on this print.”
The rich and intense palette of this piece combined with its satisfying and beautifully thought out composition showing layers of new plants slowly coming to life around each other emanates exactly what the artist intended, resulting in an uplifting print that signifies a new start and exciting times ahead, perfect for the beginning of a new year.
See
Yellow Light, along with other available works by Henrik Simonsen on his artist’s page
here.