I have for many years had a compulsion to draw and have done many pen and ink sketches, mostly for my own amusement; the same with watercolours. I have tried other printing techniques but find linocuts the most satisfying in terms of the physical process and the mental exercise in making the correct choice of what to cut.

Linocut is a printmaking technique in which a sheet of linoleum is cut into to remove unwanted material, ink is then applied to the remaining surface and a piece of paper pressed onto it to reveal the image. The technique is often used with art students as an introduction to the world of printing.

The use of lino as an art form started at the beginning of the 20th century and was at its height of popularity of in the early part of the century. Australian artists such as Norman Lindsay, Thea Proctor and Margaret Preston were popular exponents of the technique. The technique still hold its appeal as a 'hands on' type of art which forces the artist to make choices about what will be black or white as well as creating the image in reverse....to be revealed the right way around when printed.

Portland and its surrounds are full of interesting things that when looked at through the right eyes offer inspiration for making pictures.

- Bob Stone 2008