Update September 2025
- Vega Brennan
- Sep 2
- 2 min read
Hi All
I feel like we’re getting all Autumnal – we’ve been making intense blackberry sorbet and pogging ourselves on plums.
Ok, so here’s the plan – I still haven’t got a handle on how busy I am going to be with my PhD, and I’m required to do a mini-qualification this term in addition to my day job of lecturing at the University of Cumbria and other freelance bits so I’m going to be kind to myself and not schedule any courses for this term. The only course that is happening is Chris Daunt’s wood engraving course, which is fully booked. I’ll let you know the 2026 course schedule in January.
However, I am still open for open access and Laura M R Harrison will again lead the Artist’s Development course from January-March 2026. It’s 9 sessions over 12 weeks: 6 Jan, 13 Jan, 20, Jan, 3 Feb, 10 Feb, 24 Feb, 3 Mar, 10 Mar, 24 Mar and costs £175. There is a concession rate for Universal Credit or students.
One more thing: I’m selling c.20 packs of Chinese handmade rice paper in my studio: Xuan (rice) paper, 10 sheets, thickened half-ripe*, 33 x 50cm, £6 per pack. It’s ideal for lino, relief printing, watercolour and Chinese ink painting. This has come direct from the factory, in Jinxiang County, China.
*thickened – double the thickness of standard rice paper, makes it more sturdy
Half-ripe refers to a plant-based coating that makes the paper less absorbent. Fully ripe paper is double-dipped with tara wing-celtis gum and is suitable for very precise, crisp ink painting, and raw paper sucks up ink like toilet paper. Half-ripe is a happy medium.
I’ve used this paper for hand-printing my reduction linocut moths and butterflies (using a baren) and can confirm that it is rather special. It’s got a delicate wove pattern, is translucent and very subtly off-white. Quite different from machine-made Western papers. Let me know if you want a pack by sending me an email and we’ll arrange a collection time/location.
I think that is all for now, I’ll mail out my next update in January. Have a good season and look after yourselves.
Best wishes
Vega
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