Cressida Campbell
Nuts and Leaves, 1987
coloured woodblock print
41.5 x 45
cm
signed and dated 'Cressida Campbell '87' (lower right), numbered '2/10' and inscribed with title (centre)
Image courtesy of Rex Irwin Art Dealer, Sydney and the artist
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Cressida Campbell's woodblock print 'Nuts and Leaves', 1987, is a still life study of a vase of unruly Australian flora. Although Campbell often displays a preference for non-naturalistic colours, here she renders the leaves and nuts in earthy tones reminiscent of the native bush landscape. Set against a dramatic black background, the flat stylized image seems to 'pop' into three dimensions. While the distinctively Australian subject matter recalls the work of Margaret Preston, the process and graphic aesthetic suggest an appreciation of Japanese Ukiyo prints. Beginning with a design drawn onto a sheet of plywood, Campbell meticulously carves each line of the illustration with a fine engraving tool. She then uses delicate brushes to apply layers of watercolour to the individual segments, before printing the final paper impressions.
Provenance
Mori Gallery, Sydney
Acquired by the present owner in 1987
Exhibited
'Cressida Campbell', Grifftih University, Brisbane, 1986
'Cressida Campbell', Mori Gallery, Sydney,1987, cat.7
Illustrated
John McDonald, Edmund Capon and Peter Crayford (ed), 'The Woodblock Painting of Cressida Campbell', Sydney, 2008, P8604 (not illustrated)