'Mezzotints' A Solo Exhibition by Cleo Wilkinson - Coming Soon to Gallery NWC

COMING SOON!

First Prize winner of the Blue Mountains Print Prize 2025, Cleo Wilkinson, was awarded a sponsored 2-week exhibition, courtesy of us, Gallery NWC - Gallery 1.

19 March - 5 April, 2026

OPENING NIGHT: Saturday 21 March 2-4pm

Cleo Wilkinson B. Melbourne, Australia

Cleo Wilkinson was born in Melbourne Australia, she has a Bachelor of Fine Arts (honours) degree from Auckland University (New Zealand) and Graduate Diploma in Information Science (Australia). Her mezzotints have achieved significant global recognition; exhibited in over 900 international juried group, solo exhibitions and been artist in residence and guest artist in over 40 international locations. Cleo has been awarded over 95 major international and national print awards. Her work is held in over 90 internationally significant collections, galleries and museums worldwide.

Artist Statement:

I try to emphasize the singularity and silence of a form - what is missing in the shadows provides the greatest potential for me. I love nursing the life of an image out of its pitch-black womb into hope - in the form of light – the process has a primordial, spiritual magic. The Mezzotint Print technique and tools have largely remained unchanged for the last 300 years. The process achieves tonality by roughening the metal plate with a metal tool, a rocker. The small teeth of the rocker create tiny burrs that hold ink during the printing process. The rocked areas that are left will produce a rich black print, areas that have been burnished (knocking the burrs down) will hold less ink, producing lighter values. This process produces an image with a high level of tonal richness.