Keryn Evely
- Work
- Biography
My creative work is usually to do with nature, flora and fauna, or my long-standing fascination with wall paintings and other vestiges of times past.
My printmaking has encompassed images from both areas, initially linocuts and sometimes collagraphy. In 2019 whilst attending the Leith School of Art printmaking course I tended to use images of artefacts that interested me as we worked through different printmaking techniques.
I am excited by survivors from the past and especially if I can link them in with themes from sacred dance (both traditional and contemporary). Since 2005 I have tried to dance once a year with Laura Shannon. She has brought to my attention the ancient symbols evident in archaeological artefacts, such as the tree of life/goddess figure, which have survived in the traditional dances and textiles, primarily from the Balkan areas.
Cretan/ Minoan imagery has also been an accessible source as it is the area my older brother, an archaeologist, specialises in.
This rich vein of material is something I keep trying to return to but often feel a bit defeated as space at home is limited! When lockdown interrupted our LSA course, we worked from home as best we could. Trying to make things manageable, my printmaking turned to something more book sized as larger scale printing was not feasible. Having no commitments or responsibilities afforded me uninterrupted time to develop my ideas and the whole flat played some part in being my ‘studio.’
My printmaking has encompassed images from both areas, initially linocuts and sometimes collagraphy. In 2019 whilst attending the Leith School of Art printmaking course I tended to use images of artefacts that interested me as we worked through different printmaking techniques.
I am excited by survivors from the past and especially if I can link them in with themes from sacred dance (both traditional and contemporary). Since 2005 I have tried to dance once a year with Laura Shannon. She has brought to my attention the ancient symbols evident in archaeological artefacts, such as the tree of life/goddess figure, which have survived in the traditional dances and textiles, primarily from the Balkan areas.
Cretan/ Minoan imagery has also been an accessible source as it is the area my older brother, an archaeologist, specialises in.
This rich vein of material is something I keep trying to return to but often feel a bit defeated as space at home is limited! When lockdown interrupted our LSA course, we worked from home as best we could. Trying to make things manageable, my printmaking turned to something more book sized as larger scale printing was not feasible. Having no commitments or responsibilities afforded me uninterrupted time to develop my ideas and the whole flat played some part in being my ‘studio.’
I came to Scotland in 1970 to study social sciences at Edinburgh University. This was followed by teacher training, and I became a primary school teacher for a few years. Throughout this time, my interest in jewellery making was pursued, initially through evening classes, then in 1978 as a full-time student at Glasgow School of Art. In the jewellery and silversmithing dept I specialised in vitreous enamel on precious metals, and this became my career for the next decade. I exhibited and sold work in galleries in Glasgow, Edinburgh and London and was a member of The Society of Designer Craftsmen and the British Society of Enamellers. Gradually it was combined with teaching for the Dyslexia Institute initially in Glasgow, then Perth and Dundee. Eventually it was no longer possible to sustain the jewellery making. From 2008 I started attending occasional printmaking workshops at DCA and elsewhere. Now I am retired from teaching, there is more time to spend on printmaking and in 2019 – 2020 I was lucky to be able to attend Leith School of Art’s one day a week printing course. Since then I try to maintain some printmaking through a combination of working at home and then using the print studio at DCA.
Prints have been included in group exhibitions at Birnam Arts Centre in 2022, D.C.A. in 2023 and 2024, and Upright Gallery, Edinburgh (Artists Books) 2024.
Prints have been included in group exhibitions at Birnam Arts Centre in 2022, D.C.A. in 2023 and 2024, and Upright Gallery, Edinburgh (Artists Books) 2024.
- Keryn Evely
- Stag Party (Artists Book)
- Lino Print
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