RMIT Residency 2006
In July and August 2006 Josephine undertook an international artist's residency at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). Working primarily with Rob Dott and Dr. Ruth Johnstone, a body of work emerged from the print studio. Of all Josephine's residencies the one at RMIT was very special.
The printmaking Lecturers and the printmaking technician, Rob Dott of RMIT where wonderful, welcoming people and highly talented printmakers in their field. During the residency Josephine formed a collaborative link with Dr. Philip Samartzis who is senior lecturer and coordinator at RMIT in Sound.
The collaborative work produced was an installation shown at the Project Space gallery. The installation comprised of large photo intaglio phosphorous rubbings of mobile phones together with Dr. Philip Samartzis spatial sound environment.
Josephine gave a talk about her practice at RMIT and was also invited to give a talk and show her printwork at the Portland Print Workshop.
The residency was supported by the British Council and The Arts Council of Northern Ireland, so it was important to develop a strong ongoing cultural link between RMIT and Belfast Print Workshop.
Following from this RMIT residency another international project was formed in 2008, Dr Ruth Johnston was invited to undertake a residency and present a group show of Australian Printmakers at Belfast Print Workshop as part of the Queens Festival.
Australian Print Workshop Residency 2004
Josephine undertook a two month residency at the Australian Print Workshop in Melbourne. While there she produced a body of work concerned with street architecture and also developed a keen interest in surfing. She met Marian Crawford, Martin King one of the master printmakers who is resident at APW and printmaking artist Damon Kowarsky. Josephine was also introduced to Belinda Fox who was then the print manager of Port Jackson Print studio.
While at Port Jackson Press Josephine met with Jackie Hocking who is the Port Jackson Press Australia General Manager and who also works on the committee of the Print Council of Australia.
Residency at Atelier Contrepoint Paris 2002
In 2002, following the CNC plates made in collaboration with the Northern Ireland Technology Centre at Belfast, Josephine spent two months at Atelier Contrepoint in Paris printing the plates up utilizing the viscosity method of printmaking developed by Stanley William Hayter.
Josephine worked alongside master printmakers, Juan Valladares and Hector Saunier at Atelier Contrepoint. The first month was spent learning valuable skills making traditional viscosity plates, exploring the burin and the spatial relationship of line and shape. This method of simultaneous colour printmaking, involving several colours of different viscosity on the same plate, offered increased possibilities for experimentation and innovation.
The second month was spent exploring the possibilities of viscosity printmaking using the CNC plates.
Stencils and gradients of colour and chine colle where used to break up the digital cut surface to provide an organic disturbance from the rigour of the digital matrix.
While in Paris as part of the PhD research Josephine visited the conservation department of the Musee du Louvre where they let her inspect the actual drypoint plates of Rembrandt and she also was privileged to view and handle the inspirational mezzotints of Jacques Christophe Le Blon (1667-1741), at the Bibliotheque du National.
Le Blon was trained as a painter and engraver who invented a way of "printing pictures" using three mezzotint plates, each printed in one of the primary colours (red, yellow, blue, with occasionally a fourth plate in black) and registered on the paper to reproduce all the compound colours of the original drawing or painting.
Collaborative Project with Northern Ireland Technology Centre, Belfast 2001/2
Over a period of two years Josephine collaborated with The Northern Ireland Technology Centre (NITC) at Queens University, Belfast. This centre is known for its digital manufacturing and 3D simulation research and development.
Josephine worked with the team at NITC which included directors Jim Knox and Tom Edgar. Using CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) technology a number of printing plates were cut at specific depths on the matrix of the plate.
These plates where then took to Atelier Contrepoint in Paris to be printed using the viscosity printmaking technique developed by Stanley William Hayter.
A film was made of Josephine's practice, 'Print-making it Real' This film was made possible by a grant from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
San Francisco Art Residency 1997
In 1997 Josephine undertook a two month residency / academic research trip to The Art Academy in San Francisco on behalf of Liverpool John Moores University. She worked with Howard Munson, Head of Printmaking producing a body of prints. While there she also visited the prestigious Crown Point Press in order to view the workshop and the print collection.