All in a Day's Work: Incubate Printmaking

I met Nick at his workshop, a hidden gem within Cobalt Studios on Boyd Street, right beside neighbours Ernest and sister company Ernie in the Ouseburn, Newcastle. I first discovered Incubate Printmaking through Overlay Press, another local printing studio where I've Risograph printed for freelance projects. I love the creative printing community in Newcastle. It is supportive and accessible, especially as a beginner, with all local studios like Incubate, Overlay Press, Newbridge Print Studio and Northern Print offering workshops to learn new printing techniques. Which is exciting if you enjoy the tactile side to design, as I do. I always find printmaking studios to be some of the most inspiring spaces to bring designs to life with colour, paper and finishes.

Nick’s printmaking practice is research-led and consistently experimental across lino, etching, screenprinting, and monoprinting. It was great to see the technical side of print that he is currently exploring through heat sensitive inks. As Co-Director of Incubate Printmaking, Nick also leads workshops, community events, and print conference appearances across the North East and beyond, including recent work in Canada. I was so pleased to speak with Nick for the fourth edition of All in a Day’s work! 

Name:
Nick Christie

Role:
Artist Printmaker

Summary of your work:  
Director of a collaborative printmaking studio. I provide printmaking expertise in a wide range of different techniques, facilitating the artist to print editions and experimental new works.

Starting the day

What do you enjoy seeing on your to-do list? I enjoy knowing that I will be working with an artist who is open to the slightly unpredictable process of printmaking. It helps to be open to the fact that what you picture happening may be different and sometimes better than what you originally imaged. I also enjoy exposing screens and etching metal plates for printing.

What in your studio / space inspires you? We keep lots of interesting books on printmaking processes, but also on drawing and pattern design. It’s good to keep learning, but also about subjects which feed back into visual art practice.

The working day

Why are you based in the North & is it important to what you do? I moved here to study Fine Art at Northumbria University. I became embedded in the printmaking community over time, as well as the art scene here. I’m from Yorkshire so very much a Northerner.

What do you think is the current state of the creative / design industry in the North? The cost of living is definitely affecting things. However i feel very supported by other creatives in Newcastle

End of the day

Where do you find community and connection outside of work? Cobalt Studios is where our workshop is based, but they also have a great music scene and events space. Here they host life drawing sessions, several gigs a week, community events and lots more. Luckily for me they are right next door. Ouseburn is a fantastic place to work and socialise.

What does a satisfyingly complete day look like? A well printed edition of prints and a worth mess to clean up.

Day after day:

What symbolises the North for you? The annual sea dip on New Year’s Day at Whitley Bay

What are you watching on telly? Alien Earth

A piece of everyday design that you adore?  I’ve got a glass teapot that I love

The unpredictability of print is what I enjoy the most about printmaking and finding creative solutions through the physical process. I am not neat, exact or precise in pretty much any of my print making so I love the happy accidents that you produce when creating images through print. I imagine Nick’s work is especially rewarding in that sense, helping others find solutions to their creative ideas. Working closely with artists, print making can transform an artist's idea or commission and bring it to life. Nick works with both well established and up and coming artists in the Northern art scene in both street art and fine art.

Although, unfortunately, the rising cost of living directly affects printmaking, with materials, especially paper, becoming more expensive. Despite this, the sense of community and the strength of the creative scene remain incredibly motivating. Thank you Nick for your interview for the fourth edition of All in a Day’s Work! Check out the workshops & classes at Incubate Print here. I’ve been printing an edition of prints there and can vouch that their facilities are 10/10. Incubate Printmaking instagram is here.

Also, thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed, LMK your thoughts and stay tuned for the next editions of All in a Day's Work by Millie Jobson