AUKUS Chronicles/Studio Notes: Translating drawings & studies for my paintings into drypoint prints

This is a video note from yesterday when I worked on drypoint prints with fellow Perth-based international artist Monika Lukowska in March 2023. They are based on my imaginary conversations with William Blake's character Orc for my painting Australia a Prophecy (2021). I completed four unique state prints, which used more of my painting techniques that I thought I would, and for that I'm so grateful to Monika for mentoring me this year to translate my paintings across to drypoint prints. I do so many interesting drawings in my thinking process, turning them into prints seems so natural.

The imaginary conversations with Orc brought to the foreground many issues around masculinity and make violence in foreign affairs and international intervention. That led to an exploration of the Indo-Pacific, as I discussed in my talk to the Blake Society in London in January. Three prints of Orc are different “emanations”, or personality types that Orc put forward to me as our imaginary friendship developed over several months. His character offered views on the tripartite agreement between Australia, the US & UK called AUKUS. I mentioned in the talk how odd it was that the acronym AUKUS seemed to be hiding the ‘spirit of Orc’ in its intention. ]