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Carinna Parraman

Associate Member

My work and interest in my subject stems from walking, which I unfortunately have not much time to do now. The process of walking enabled me to solve problems, give vent to questions, and pace ideas to the rhythms of walking. As part of the process, I collected small stones, shells, pieces of wood, which like an entrance ticket to a museum, became a record or memento of my journey. From the stone I drew miniature landscapes which when printed became large pnnts that had no scale. My early work reflected the environment in which I walked: moor and, hills, trees and coastal paths. My travel now consists of the urban, so that now moor land, mud, grass and footpaths are replaced by tarmac, paving, metal or rubber walkways. The pace of travel has greatly speeded up.

The camera has replaced my stone collections. Instead of rocks I capture elements of the urban photographically: drain covers, bicycles signs, yellow or red lines, spray canned marking, temporary signs, shadows, leaves, ciphers that humans were there but have moved on, footprints, tracks, shadows and litter. They are references to the passing of time, a reflection on my surroundings and the joumeys that are made from home to work, or journeys for pleasure. They are snap shots of memories or fleeting moments captured in print.

My work is loosely related to a grid format. This modular method of working could be regarded as a constraint, but for me is liberating. Within this framework I use chance procedures to assign the placement of images.

Education

  • 1986 -1989
    • Winchester School of Art BA (Hons)
  • 1993 -1995
    • Camberwell College of Art (MA) print

Current Post

Senior Research Fellow, centre for Fine Print Research, Faculty of Art, Media and Design at UWE.

Previous Posts

  • 1996-7
    • Lecturer in digital processes, University of Herffordshire,
  • 1996-9
    • Research student, University of Hertfordshire

Research Interests

My research interest spans art, science and education. My interest in the science of art has developed through digital imaging and inkjet technologies, which has resulted in an investigation of artists’ methods for printing, the archival qualities of ink and paper and the investigation of screenprinted colour prints of the 60s to inform inkjet colour printing methods. A proportion of this research is influenced by my work at the Prints and Drawings Department at Tate Britain, where I am collaborating with the Department to catalogue the contemporary prints.

I also continue to work with Hewlett Packard on a number of research projects, which has included Art and Science projects for schools I & II; more recently, @rt Exchange sponsored through Hewlett Packard's Art and Science programme; and 'Boxing Clever' – an exhibition and competition investigating the relationship between paper engineering and print.

I have presented papers at both science and art conferences including Colour Imaging Conference USA, Institute of Physics, CADE (Computers and Art Design Education), Southern Graphics Council Conference USA, and IMPACT print conferences.

Conference Papers

In Search of the Organic Dot, 7th-9th April 1999, CADE 99 Digital Creativity, University of Teeside, p.185 (ISBN 0907550665)

The Photomechanical Print as Conservable Output, 26th-27th October 2000, Preservation and Conservation Issues Related to Digital Printing, Institute of Physics, Rutherford Centre, London. p.95

Preserving the Identity of Digital Prints, 29th August-2nd September 2001, IMPACT 2, University of Helsinki, Finland

Digital Print, Traditional Print, April 9th-12th 2001, CADE 2001 Digital Creativity, Glasgow School of Art, p.281 (ISBN 0901904821)

The Impact of Paper on Ink: The Photomechanical Printer’s Perspective, IS&T 9th Color Imaging Conference - Color Science, Systems and Applications, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA, November 5th - 9th 2001, p. 214 (ISBN 0892082356)

The Practical Application of an Artist’s Colour Model as an Alternative to CMYK, IS&T/SPIE, Santa Clara, USA, 21st - 24th January 2003, p.129 ISBN 019448087

The Fading Characteristics of Dye Based and Pigment Based inks on Artists coated and uncoated printmaking papers, The Physics Congress, Institute of Physics Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, 23rd - 27th March 2003,

The Application of Colour Management Systems to Improve the Quality of Inkjet printing on Fine Art paper, (Co-written H.Wang, John Purcell Paper) 23rd - 27th March 2003, The Physics Congress, Institute of Physics Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh

Carry-On On-Line, Digital Dissemination for Artists, CADE 2003, University of Lincoln, 22nd - 25th April 2003

Digital Printing for Artists, PICS, May 13th -16th 2003, Rochester New York, USA p.455 (ISBN 0892082453)

A Visual Survey of Colour on Paper and Colour Changes During Exposure to Light, IS&T 11th Color Imaging Conference - Color Science, Systems and Applications, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA, November 2003

Customising Digital Printing for Fine Art Practice, Electronic Imaging Conference, San Jose, USA January 2005

Methods of Making ICC Profiles for Fine Art Inkjet Printing, (Co-written H.Wang, UWE) Beijing International Conference on Imaging, China, May 2005

Conference and Symposia Contributions

Practical demo on 3D printing, 17th-21st March 1999, Southern Graphics Council, Arizona State University, Phoenix, USA

Digital Printmaking - A panel exploring digital print making (chaired by Sue Gollifer), April 9th-12th 2001, CADE 2001 Digital Creativity, Glasgow School of Art, p.137 ISBN 0901904821

Using New Technologies Retrospectively, 1st-5th March 2000 Southern Graphics Council, University of Miami, USA

From Digital to Photomechanical: The symbiotic relationship of digital and photomechanical printmaking, 7th-11th March 2001, Southern Graphics Council, University of Texas, USA,

Print on CD and the ‘Bladerunner Principle’, 30th May - 2nd June 2001 International Print Symposium, Cortona, Italy

Panel Discussion: Changing Aesthetic in Contemporary Print, 29th August-2nd September 2001, IMPACT 2, University of Helsinki, Finland

HP Art and Science conference 2nd -3rd September 2001, National Gallery, London

HP Art and Science conference Christiaan Barnard Suite, Cyprus 4-6th September 2002

Paper: Digital Colour for Artists Southern Graphics Council Conference, Making Histories: Revolution and Representation, April 2003, Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, USA

HP Art and Science Projects for Schools, CADE 2003, University of Lincoln, 22nd – 25th April 2003

HP Art and Science, Florence, June 2003

HP Art and Science, Nice, October 2003

HP @rt Exchange, Barumini Sardinia, October 2004

HP @rt Exchange, Bristol, November 2004

Symposia/Conferences Coordinated

HP Art and Science Colour and Wideformat Master Class, 2nd - 4th July 2003, University of the West of England, in collaboration with Hewlett Packard and University of Derby

Journals

Printing in 3D, Autumn 1998, Printmaking Today, p.30
What has the Half-Tone Ever Done for the Artist? Autumn 1999, Outline 8, CTIAD University of Brighton, p.8 (ISSN 13654349)
The Inkjet in Question, Summer 2001, Printmaking Today
An Overview of Paper and Ink, Autumn 2003, Art Business Today
Lasting Combinations, printing on uncoated and coated fine art papers, Winter 2003, Printmaking Today, p.26-27
Choosing Compatible inks and Combinations, Spring 2004, Printmaking Today, p.20-21

Other Public Output

CD ROM: The Helio Database, Spring 2001, Bristol, Impact Press
Set up the web site for the CFPR and IMPACT papers (2000)
Guest speaker at Arizona State University, 7th November 2001 Tempe, Arizona USA
Presentation: New Directions in Print Making Prints at the Centre for Fine Print Research Miskolc Gallery, April 14th 2004
Tate Lecture: Reinvention in Print: Anglo - American Printmaking from the 60s to 80s, 14th July 2004

Publications Edited

IMPACT Conference Proceedings 1999, April 2001, Impact Press, Bristol (ISBN 09536076 23)
A Photomechanical Survey Catalogue, October 2000, Impact Press (ISBN 09536076 15)
New Directions in Print catalogue, Miskolc Gallery, Miskolc Hungary April –May 2004

Short Works

If it hasn’t got a spine is it a book? 1999, Books by Artists (Ed. Sarah Bodman), Impact Press, p.19 (ISBN 09536076 07)
Introduction to the Photomechanical Print, 2000, A Photomechanical Survey, Impact Press, p.1 (ISBN 09536076 15)
Art Un-Bound, 2001, Artists’ Book Yearbook 2001-2002 (Ed. Sarah Bodman) Impact Press, p.47 (ISBN 09536076 74)
A Glossary of Print (Parraman & Hoskins), September 2001, In-Print (Ed. Rowland Box), p.71 (ISBN 0904490254)
The History and Impact of Photography and Digital Photography on Print, CD ROM In-Print (Ed. Rowland Box)

Editorships

Editor of IMPRINT, newsletter for The Printmakers Council of Great Britain, 1999-2004

Curation of Exhibitions

  • 2000
    • A Photomechanical Survey, 10th - 20th Oct.Create Centre, Bristol
  • 2001
    • A Survey of Digital Photomechanical Prints, Apr 9 -12, CADE 2001 Digital Creativity, Glasgow School of Art, p.284 (ISBN 0901904821)
    • International Miniature Print Portfolio 2000-2001, 1st March, CFPR UWE and 7th-11th Mar 2001 Council, University of Texas, Austin, USA
  • 2002 –2003
    • 20:20 A Documentation of Artists Making Prints
    • The International Digital Miniature Print Portfolio in collaboration with Hewlett Packard and HP Art and Science
  • 2003
    • Art for Schools “Art and Science” (2002-3); “Movement Marey and Muybridge”
    • DO-DON’T/ CAN-CAN’T, IMPACT 3 South Africa, Michaelis School of Fine Art University of Cape Town, 27th –30th August
  • 2004-2005
    • Boxing Clever – Paper Engineering and Print. An international artists portfolio, exhibition and competition for schools.

Recent shows

  • 2003
    • The History Book That Never Was
    • Southern Graphics Council Conference, Making Histories: Revolution and Representation April 2003, Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, USA
    • Two Countries Separated by a Common Language (exchange portfolio between UK and USA) Also shown at Southern Graphics Council Conference, Making Histories: Revolution and Representation, April 2003, Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, USA
    • ArCade 4, Digital Prints, University of Lincoln, CADE 2003, 22nd – 25th April 2003
  • 2004
    • New Directions in Print Miskolc Gallery, Miskolc Hungary April –May 2004
    • Royal West of England Academy, May 2004
    • LAN2D, Halifax, November 2004-2005

Carinna Parraman
e-mail: Carinna.Parraman@uwe.ac.uk