Joint exhibition by Louise Scammell and Julia Manning
The SOC is pleased to present this beautiful exhibition of life ‘Under the Waves’ with artists Louise Scammell and Julia Manning.
Printmaker and diver Louise Scammell spends much of her time exploring and sketching underwater around the British coastline. Using a waterproof sketchpad and graphite sticks, she records her encounters beneath the surface, later translating these sketches into her wonderful prints.
Louise works with a technique called Mokulito (wood lithography), which is particularly well suited to capturing the fluid, ethereal qualities of the underwater landscape and its creatures. She describes how “the act of diving is an intense experience, the light and colour changing in a moment. I love the anticipation of seeing something shimmering, unknown and fleeting.”
Louise sketches and dives as often as possible, relishing the challenge of working quickly in a constantly shifting underwater environment. Back in the studio, her drawings are transferred onto plywood, processed, inked, and printed on the press. Editions are small, typically just 5 to 7 prints per plate, with each featuring subtle variations characteristic of the Mokulito process. These limited editions make Louise’s prints especially distinctive and unique.
In addition to her own artistic practice, Louise is also involved with a marine conservation project, the ‘Argyll Coast and Islands Hope Spot’. Here she teaches other artists who have been selected for their pioneering ‘snorkelling residency’.
Showing alongside Louise is printmaker and eel conservationist Julia Manning. Julia’s series of 12 prints superbly illustrates the migratory journey of eels along the Somerset coastline and estuary. Her work shows the wonder of this remarkable migration, offering a rare glimpse into the world of these critically endangered animals.
Julia’s artwork highlights the growing environmental and man-made crisis to eel populations and raises awareness about the importance of protecting and improving the health of our rivers, coastline, and seas. She employs a variety of printmaking techniques, including woodcut, lino and collagraph, often combining these processes within a single print. The result is spectacular, with rich layers of colour and expressive mark-making in each print.
