Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill – Printmaker, book maker, creator of magical dream vessels.

The time has come – Toni is here, the exhibition is open to the public with the Opening Celebration on Sunday 12th November 2023 from 1 pm.

I have been getting to know Toni in more depth as part of the lead up to this exhibition and have gleaned more information about her practice and her thinking so it seems appropriate to update this page. Here is the wonderful written interview from Toni who shares with such a generosity of spirit.

What initially attracted you to paper as a medium?

Firstly, I love that paper is so accessible and there’s so much variety to choose from, whether it’s scrap paper, old books, ephemera or specialist papers. Secondly, I love how versatile it is, its tactile qualities, and how it can be used to mimic other materials such as leather or fabric. When selecting paper to use I’m inspired by its weight, how it feels, how it tears, what it sounds like, whether it’s self-supporting, malleable, can be wetted, painted or printed on. I’m attracted to the textures and patterns of found papers, whether they show a previous life through wear and tear, are they translucent, can they be layered, glued, stitched, folded, scrunched…?

Considering the “end of life” of my artworks is also really important for me. I love that I can upcycle found papers, giving unwanted items a new purpose. I can also make good use of old or reject work. Being made mostly of paper, most of my work can pack down and be stored flat so it doesn’t require a lot of space like my large canvases did. I also like that, when no longer wanted, most of my artworks can be dismantled and recycled with very little waste going to landfill, unlike my large acrylic (plastic) coated canvases on heavy wooden stretchers. I really like the concept of my work leaving as light a footprint as possible and often being ephemeral, able to disappear with ease, leaving little or no trace.

How was your imagination captured?

As a child I loved to play with paper dolls and to create miniature dioramas that would feed my imagination. I remember building a mini theatre out of an ice-cream cone box. It was so easy to transform everyday detritus into magical realms. Of course, I never considered this might be part of a “grown-up’s” art practice. When I discovered that artist’s books were a “thing”, this was as if I learned that I had permission to “play”, to build my imaginary worlds, and to explore ways of incorporating narrative and imagination into my art work.

What or who were your early influences and how has your life/upbringing influenced your work?

My mum was always very creative and both parents are very practical so anything felt possible to try. Although I was also good at maths and sciences, they always encouraged me to follow my creative spirit and were actually the ones who talked me into filling a gap in my school timetable with art. I was the one who didn’t consider art as a realistic pathway.

I was aware from a young age that I had a relative who was an accomplished printmaker and some of her works hung on our walls. When I inherited some of her materials and tools, this sparked a real curiosity about what it might be like to be an artist and especially to want to experiment with printmaking. It seemed like such a holy grail to “be an artist” – I never really considered that I could be a “real” artist. I remember also being inspired by illustrations in books, especially ones that were made using printmaking techniques. I was drawn to the mark making even then and I aspired to one day try to create these effects.

A lot of time growing up was spent in, on or near the sea and going tramping through the NZ bush. My parents were keen gardeners and were working on writing a gardening book so we would also often visit plant nurseries or botanical gardens while traveling around the country. I guess I took for granted, our adventures in the great outdoors, and it wasn’t until being housebound with my own young children that I realised how much I was inspired and nourished by the natural environment and how important it was to my wellbeing. I’ve come to realise that I feel a strong, visceral sense of connection with the landscapes of Aotearoa, both through nostalgic remembrances and an interest for researching family connections to specific places over the course of 6 generations since my ancestors landed here.

What was your route to becoming an artist?

I think I was always an artist, I just didn’t realise it for most of my life. I was always creating throughout my childhood. I had an amazing art teacher at high school and she supported and encouraged me to apply for art school. I majored in Design because it allowed me to work in a wide variety of mediums and processes, from graphic design through to furniture design.

On leaving art school I worked as a designer of interior and exterior environments and one-off and bespoke furniture. I also worked extensively in colour consultation and as a decorative artist creating paint finishes for all manner of surfaces and applications, interior and exterior.

Once I started a family and I was finally able to begin to develop my own arts practice, I focused on my painting. The skills and passion I had developed working with colour, informed, in many ways, the way I worked, and still does.

My practice began taking a new direction when I taught art in secondary schools and I was required to teach printmaking. Although printmaking had always held a magical allure for me I hadn’t had the opportunity to pursue it since a short spell in my first year at art school. Creating exemplars and teaching students was ample motivation to delve further into the world of printmaking.

Through attending workshops, connecting with like-minded people, exhibiting in group exhibitions and working consistently at my arts practice, I have been able to continue to develop my own artist’s voice. I find that, as my skills and confidence grows, I am more able to work across disciplines and in a variety of media, always hungry to learn more and to try new things. I am less concerned with what I think I “should” create and feel freer to just create as the inspiration hits me.

Tell us about your process from conception to creation

I easily get bored doing the same thing so I’m always seeking new ways of working or new materials to work with. I find that one idea feeds many others and so it’s not unusual for me to have several pieces on the go at once. It can be quite exhausting but I hate for my ideas to simply disappear. I work with whatever media and format the current ideas inspire and this can constantly morph as my work progresses.

I tend to start with an idea of what and/or why, and then allow the choice of media and processes to follow to best express my intentions. I might start with a concept I wish to explore and so I consider what structure or format might best convey this idea. Alternatively, I might have a found treasure, just sitting quietly on my windowsill, waiting for the“right” inspiration to strike. I try not to force an idea but instead to let the idea come to me in an organic way.

Tell us a bit about your chosen techniques and how you use them.

Although I work with many media, printmaking holds the greatest allure for me because it allows me to be spontaneous, experimental and playful in my work, and to let go of my “perfectionist” tendencies. It is also a great starting point to use to spring off into using other media and processes as the inspiration and imagination demands.

I consider that I am an artist who uses printmaking techniques as just one of many tools I use to create my work. Although I have a particular love for carving lino to create my very detailed narrative images, I also use printmaking techniques as a means to create an endless variety of effects and marks that can be layered and used to transform surfaces to then construct or develop into artist’s books, dioramas or other 3 dimensional structures.

Apart from my linocut images, I rarely use printmaking in isolation and often can’t resist the urge to incorporate other materials or processes. I like to create “artefacts” or objects that imitate another reality and yet, being made of paper and found objects, they are in fact, purely “pretend”.

Printmaking techniques I commonly use are monoprint, collagraph, drypoint and linocut. Other techniques I often incorporate into my work include drawing, painting, stitching, collage, assemblage, paper folding and cutting, and paper making.

What currently inspires you?

Working towards my “Waymarkers” exhibition I have been inspired to consider ways that the landscapes of Aotearoa have left their mark on me in a visceral sense. What could it be about a “sense of this place” that has such strong ties for me? It also has had me wondering how others might feel connected to places and ways that they might mark this connection in their lives or their arts practice. I look forward to further exploring this concept while I am in residence.

Tell us about a piece of your work that holds particularly fond memories and why?

My tin-can dioramas “Salt Air” and “Sea Spray” probably capture fond memories the best for me. They are inspired by trips to sea with my brother on his boat. We grew up going away for summer holidays on my grandfather’s launch. Having the opportunity to go to sea with my brother keeps those memories alive and it’s where I feel I can truly breathe and just be. There is nothing better!

How has your work developed since you began and how do you see it evolving in the future?

When I first started creating art for myself, not for any coursework or brief, I painted. I worked quite large, on canvas, and would use photographs as a source for my compositions. I would grid up my canvases, then create a full-colour pastel drawing to check my composition, colour choices, etc. Then I would recreate the image in paint, much larger, on canvas. I cannot imagine anything more boring than to recreate an image I’ve already created and to know, before I start, what it is going to look like when completed! I’m not that person any more. I don’t even know who that person was!

I had the opportunity to begin to learn printmaking techniques while I was teaching at secondary school. The main thing that I was really drawn to with printmaking are the particular marks that are created through the many processes. I revelled in the unpredictability of the processes and the many opportunities to make the most of the unexpected and the happy accidents. As an incurable perfectionist, I especially love that printmaking knocks the edges off my finicky tendencies and encourages me to play, to veer off the intended path and to embrace imperfection and those wabi- sabi qualities that are just waiting to be celebrated.

Through belonging to the PCANZ (Print Council Aotearoa New Zealand) I was introduced to the concept of artist’s books at a summer school in 2016. There were also opportunities to exhibit 3- dimensional works, taking printmaking out of the conventional frame. Artist’s books were a fairly unknown genre in New Zealand, not something that was widely exhibited or often viewed, perhaps not unless you were in a bookmakers’ or bookbinders’ community. Gradually I have become more confident to expand my ideas of what is not only possible but also what was enjoyed by a viewing audience. It enabled me to do more of what I love which is to work with many media and in all dimensions.

Since my first solo exhibition, last year, when I exhibited my artist’s books created over the past 5 years, I was astonished by the enthusiastic response. Many pieces sold and many opportunities opened up to me as a result of that body of work. The experience was hugely reassuring and encouraged me to continue developing my work in this vein.

This opportunity to exhibit at “from out of the blue studio gallery” has allowed me to continue to explore ideas and experiment with different ways of working. Creating a larger body of work has provided me with the time and purpose to think more deeply about concepts and to follow ideas in different and often unexpected directions. At this stage (writing this 2 months prior to opening) I don’t yet know how the whole exhibition will actually all come together as I’ve never done this before but this is all part of my journey of learning and relishing the unknown. There are many aspects that have had me feeling completely out of my comfort zone but I have recognized this as an incredible opportunity and so I have tried to trust that I will work it out as I go and believe that I can do this!

I’m so looking forward to my time in residence, while my exhibition is on, as being an extended opportunity to interact with visitors to the gallery, to seek out other artists in the region and to create as inspiration strikes. I already feel as if my practice is on the cusp of stepping off into new directions. Having this time in residence, away from the usual distractions and familiar surroundings, I am eager to discover what inspires me. I’m eager to focus on developing my mark making vocabulary and skills, experimenting with different ways of working with fibres and papers, and further exploring ways to really capture a true sense of a place. I don’t know how my work might evolve as a result of this experience or what might come next but I am very excited by the not knowing.

What advice would you give an aspiring artist?

Take time in your practice to play. Be experimental and allow happy accidents to happen. Don’t be afraid to mess up. There are no rules you have to follow. Or, if there are, break them and see what happens. Be reflective. KEEP A STUDIO JOURNAL (I tell anyone and everyone to do this!) to record your processes, what went well and more importantly, what didn’t. Don’t throw away your mistakes. Keep them, learn from them. Then look back on them to see how far you’ve come. When something new and unexpected emerges, don’t stick rigidly to your plans. Allow yourself to go off the beaten path. You never know where this will end up. Magic happens when you least expect it.

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We have circled the dates on the calendar of when Toni will be our Artist in Residence for the six weeks of her Solo Exhibition – Waymarkers – Into The Unknown. Previously we enjoyed her works as part of the invitational Collection – The Beach – Paper, Books & Baskets.

Toni has written us a lovely descriptor of this upcoming adventure.

Early in February 2022, as I was preparing for my first solo exhibition, Viv Davy contacted me via my blog site and extended an invitation to have a solo exhibition and to do a residency at her gallery, in November 2023.  Of course I was delighted, and excited at the prospect, and immediately set about percolating ideas for a completely new body of work.  Viv also invited me to exhibit a collection of pieces in The Beach group exhibition at the gallery last summer. This was a wonderful chance to participate with this creative community and I’m so grateful to have been invited to contribute. The extreme weather events of Jan/Feb 2023 hindered my plans to visit the gallery at the time however I did have the chance to pop down to Opunake in July. Meeting Viv, seeing the gallery and staying in the residency gave us ample opportunity to discuss everything from installation nitty gritty to possible workshops and residency plans. My time with Viv quelled my fears and sent my excitement levels through the roof! Now, in Aug 2023, I am at the pointy end of preparations. I think I have completed all new work and I’m now embarking on the many admin tasks required to prepare so many pieces, of such diverse size, shape and form, for the exhibition. I’m also beginning to plan my goals and intentions for the residency. Having this very special time and space to work on my art, away from the distractions of my everyday life, is beyond thrilling. I am so looking forward to sharing my work with a new audience and am especially looking forward to meeting some of the many creative people who have a special connection with Viv and her gallery.  See you there! 

And to whet our appetite here are some ‘in process’ images from the studio.

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December 2022- Jan 2023:

We are pleased to have Toni Hartill join us for the collection The Beach – Paper, Books & Baskets. The endless fascination I have with Toni’s work is her attention to the tiniest of details – nothing is overlooked or unresolved. Each piece of her art holds your mind through your eyes as well as through the sensitive use of materials and textures. The palette chosen by Toni for her collection for The Beach is so resonate with our own waters here in Ōpunakē that they speak to my soul and my sense of belonging. It is wonderful seeing the works up close and personal.

Working from her home studio-come-workshop in Western Springs, Auckland, Toni Hartill is an artist who enjoys working with a variety of media. With a background in interior and spatial design, including custom decorative paint finishes and bespoke furniture design, plus as a secondary school art & design teacher, Toni has developed a broad range of skills allowing her to not feel limited to working within the bounds of any particular medium. Although currently working primarily in the many-faceted medium of printmaking, she is just as likely to include paint, collage, fabric, stitch and construction using ephemera and found objects to create her work. Her love for the tactile qualities of paper and found objects often result in her unique artist’s books and sculptural constructions.

Toni exhibits regularly in group and selected shows and enjoys participating in collaborative projects. She has works in collections in New Zealand, Australia, USA and UK, most recently the special collections of the Auckland War Memorial Museum and the Auckland Libraries’ Angela Morton Room. 

Toni has a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Elam and a Post Graduate Diploma of Secondary Teaching, University of Auckland.

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Read Toni’s own description of this exhibition and of her future involvement with the gallery.

Colour, texture, pattern and form in the natural environment is an eternal inspiration in my work. Common themes include explorations of environmental concerns and a fascination for the strong ties that come with connections to “place” especially through my connections to Aotearoa as a 6^th generation New Zealander. I am greatly inspired by the coastline and the sea. Growing up in, on or near the sea in Northland, I readily seek solace, respite and refreshment from our coastal environments. Big skies ground me and help to put things into perspective while there’s nothing like a lung-full of ocean air to revitalise, soothe and energize. 

Although I work with many media, printmaking holds the greatest allure because it allows me to be spontaneous, experimental and playful and to let go of my “perfectionist” tendencies. It is also a great starting point to spring off into using other media and processes as the inspiration and imagination demands. I often start with an idea of what and why, and then allow the choice of media and process to follow, to best express my intentions. I have a particular passion for mark-making and colour, and love the eternal opportunities for play and experimentation that printmaking allows.

My work often strays off the beaten track into creating unique artists books, mini dioramas and other, often sculptural, creations, many with a touch of whimsy. A starting point for my artist’s books can often be a found “treasure” and, with time and contemplation, I seek to coerce the imagined story out of the object into being. I try to capture an essence of a time and place, perhaps from memories or treasured places long since gone, or I might reimagine places to suit my developed narrative.

Backstory for involvement in exhibition:

Early in February 2022, as I was preparing for my first solo exhibition, Artful Narratives, I was contacted by Viv Davy via my blog site. Viv extended an invitation to have a solo exhibition and to do a residency at her gallery, in November 2023. 

Of course I was delighted, and excited at the prospect, and immediately set about percolating ideas for a completely new body of work. As of November 2022, I have completed a number of pieces, with plans and a vision of where I’m aiming to take my work over the next few months.

Meanwhile, in September, I was invited to also take part in this summertime exhibition and to participate in the collaborative project of reworking one of 8 concertina books prepared by Wendy Watson. Despite a heavy workload, I couldn’t resist the challenge, and have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to create these works, inspired by the whiff of the ocean breeze and sand between my toes. 

To view Toni’s work and to connect online:

BLOG:  https://tonihartillart.blogspot.com/

INSTAGRAM:    https://www.instagram.com/tonihartillart/

FACEBOOK:        https://www.facebook.com/tonihartillart

LINKTREE: https://linktr.ee/tonihartillart 

You might also enjoy this interview with Toni. https://www.fibreartstaketwo.com/articles/hartill/

Please call the gallery on +64 021 407 424 or email viv@blacknosugar.com for more details about any of these works.