In my quest to include myself in the conversation with a European network of printmakers and collaborators it was recommended that I contact Professor Kris van 'T Hof, a teacher at the In Situ department at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerpen. It seems that Kris and I share an interest in collaborative practice and a love of nature.
Together with his wife, Celia, he has set up a residency in the village of Ponte da Mucela, 35 km from Coimbra in Portugal. During our conversation it became abundantly clear how passionate Kris is about this growing project, but he also mentioned the importance of funding for a residency such as this, which is still very much a work in progress. We both agreed that we should meet, we realized that the route he takes from Belgium to Portugal passes nearby the Atelier le Grand Village in the South of France- where I often work as a lithographer. I have become increasingly aware of the relevance of these conversations in the arts. Our industry still functions on tactile relationships, which necessitate sincere interactions. It is encouraging that many people still interact in this way.
Kris' idea that we make contact during his next journey is one that appeals to me.
If you are at all interested in enquiring about his project, they have a wesite:
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