On a visit to the beautiful Wild Coast in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, I was able to spend time exploring the spectacular forests of Giant Strelitzia’s (Strelitzia Nicolai.) These plants – also called Wild Bananas can grow up to twelve metres in height and in some places the enormous leaves form a complete canopy overhead; when the wind blows the whole forest seems to murmur and groan as though there may indeed be giants hiding in the undergrowth. The flowers of these wonderful plants are magnificent, an explosion of crested white, pale pink and blue petals emerging from the tangled mass of leaves like exotic birds about to take flight.

The flowers provides nectar that attracts sunbirds, especially Olive Sunbirds and Grey Sunbirds. Vervet and Samango monkeys feed on the soft part of the flowers as well as on the orange aril of the seeds. Birds and blue duiker also feed on the flowers and frogs and ducks often shelter in the clumps along rivers for protection.

To produce an etching, I first start by doing a drawing. Once this is complete, I scratch the image on to a thin sheet of plexiglass using an etching needle, this becomes the etching plate. I cover the plate with etching ink which settles into the scratched grooves. I carefully wipe away the excess ink, leaving a small amount to cover the surface of the plate. I lay a slightly damp piece of 300g Acid Free Fabriano paper on top of the etching plate and then run the paper and the plate through a hand operated printing press. The pressure of the press forces the ink out of the grooves and on to the damp paper. It is an uncertain process subject to many mistakes and I am never sure what the result will be until it emerges from the press. If I have left too much ink on the plate, the result is too dark, if I haven’t left enough ink then I lose the characteristic ‘smokey’ effect of an etching. The plate will last for approximately 25 prints before it becomes clogged or damaged and no longer useable. For this etching, I have added the sun using gold leaf.

Limited edition dry point etching and gold leaf on 350g Acid Free Fabriano Paper. This etching is delivered rolled into a tube, ready for framing. Free worldwide shipping.

Etching size: 340mm x 410mm