The Society of Wood Engravers (SWE) is a UK-based artists’ exhibiting society, formed in 1920, one of its founder-members being Eric Gill. It was originally restricted to artist-engravers printing with oil-based inks in a press, distinct from the separate discipline of woodcuts. Today, its support extends to other forms of relief printmaking, and awards honorary membership to collectors and enthusiasts.

History

The Society of Wood Engravers was founded on 27 March 1920 by a group of 10 artists who all wanted to promote wood engraving as a medium for modern artists. Unlike other societies of the time devoted to various aspects of relief printmaking, the SWE survived, successfully engaging up-coming generations, and celebrates its centenary in 2020. The liberation of wood engraving as a medium for artists was begun in the 1890s.

Charles Ricketts Charles de Sousy Ricketts (2 October 1866 – 7 October 1931) was a British artist, illustrator, author and printer, known for his work as a book designer and typographer and for his costume and scenery designs for plays and operas. Ricketts ...

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Charles Haslewood Shannon Charles Haslewood Shannon (26 April 1863 – 18 March 1937) was an English artist best known for his portraits. These appear in several major European collections, including London's National Portrait Gallery. Several authorities spell his mi ...

were the first in modern times to cut the blocks of their own designs or, more to the point, create their designs by the process of engraving them. This was well before the SWE was thought of. The foundation of the Society built on the development of this approach by a later generation of artists and in the Modernist era. Their names are listed below. Historically, white-line engraving on end-grain wood and black-line work on the plank side of the wood were both referred to as ‘woodcuts’. The habit of calling the first method ‘wood engraving’, and the second ‘woodcut’, crystallised after World War II. The Society went into abeyance during the 1960s but was revived in 1984 by Hilary Paynter. The major regeneration of the SWE, virtually amounting to a re-foundation after a difficult mid-century, was built on the distinction between ‘wood engraving’ and ‘woodcut’: by then the more visible as the two traditions developed in different ways. Now that synthetic materials can be used for engraving on, it has been suggested that it is the fine engraving rather than the material engraved which really defines the medium; this is the quality many practitioners are drawn to and the reason for the continued growth of the Society. The SWE supports all kinds of relief printmaking but chiefly promotes fine wood engraving – as its name implies.

Founder members

* Philip Hagreen *

Lucien Pissarro Lucien Pissarro (20 February 1863 – 10 July 1944) was a landscape painter, printmaker, wood engraver and designer and printer of fine books. His landscape paintings employ techniques of Impressionism and Neo-Impressionism, but he also exhi ...

Robert Gibbings Robert John Gibbings (23 March 1889 – 19 January 1958) was an Irish artist and author who was most noted for his work as a wood engraver and sculptor, and for his books on travel and natural history.Martin J. Andrews, ''The Life and Work of R ...

* E M O’Rourke Dickey * Sydney Lee * Noel Rooke *

Edward Gordon Craig Edward Henry Gordon CraigSome sources give "Henry Edward Gordon Craig". (born Edward Godwin; 16 January 1872 – 29 July 1966), sometimes known as Gordon Craig, was an English modernist theatre practitioner; he worked as an actor, director a ...

* Eric Gill *

Gwen Raverat Gwendolen Mary "Gwen" Raverat (née Darwin; 26 August 1885 – 11 February 1957), was an English wood engraver who was a founder member of the Society of Wood Engravers. Her memoir '' Period Piece'' was published in 1952. Biography Gwendolen ...

* John Nash

Aims

The SWE was founded primarily to promote wood engraving in the European manner – printing with oil-based inks in a press, rather than with water-based ink and manual pressure in the Japanese tradition. Secondly, its aim was to promote the work of artist-engravers as distinct from the nineteenth-century artisans, who engraved designs provided by artists but were not necessarily artists themselves. The artists Noel Rooke and

, were the driving force behind the society.Joanna Selborne, ‘The Society of Wood Engravers: the early years’ in ''Craft History 1'' (1988), published by Combined Arts. They determined to hold annual exhibitions of their work and to promote wood engraving through teaching. Current members remain committed to this ethos 100 years later.

Annual exhibition

Wood engraving has multiple applications in fine-art prints, in book illustration and in commerce. It attracts passionate practitioners who continue to develop experimental themes. The Society reflects these in its annual exhibitions. The Annual Exhibition is the largest and most important event in the SWE’s calendar, showing relief prints of all kinds, though wood engravings predominate. Submission to this exhibition is open to members and non-members alike. All entries go before a selection committee which includes the current Chairperson and two other elected Members of the Society. Initially restricted to London, the show now tours the UK visiting established galleries and those in remote areas where wood engraving may not have been seen before.

Subscribers and members

Subscription to the Society is by payment of an annual fee. The Society welcomes enthusiasts, collectors, as well as artists. In order to become a member, the applicant must have exhibited wood engravings in the Annual Exhibition for three years, although these don’t need to run consecutively. Submission of a portfolio of work including preparatory work and sketch books will then be subject to scrutiny by the Member’s Selection Committee. All new members receive a copy of the Society’s constitution and may enter a third piece of work for the annual show in addition to the two allowed for non-members. The Society also recognises non-engravers who work hard on its behalf by awarding them Honorary Membership. An AGM is held, usually in the autumn, to which everyone is invited. Another social gathering held annually is the SWE Picnic which usually features an auction of prints and books. The Society has cordial relations with the Wood Engravers’ Network (WEN), an American group with similar aims.

Publications

The SWE publishes a monthly on-line Newsletter of up-coming events and a quarterly journal of record, information and discussion entitled ‘Multiples’. These are circulated to all subscribers and members. Special occasion publications range from Christmas cards and broadsheets to limited edition boxed sets of engravings.

Teaching

Imparting information and teaching wood engraving are strong components of the SWE's commitment.

Funding

The SWE receives no outside funding. A bequest from earlier member William Rawlinson has enabled grants to students and funding for special projects. More recently, Rachel Reckitt has bequeathed annual prizes.

Chair persons

Since 1984 the committee has been chaired by the following people: * George Tute 1984 – 1986 * Simon Brett 1986 – 1992 * Ian Stephens 1992 – 1995 * Sarah van Niekerk 1995 – 1998 * Hilary Paynter 1998 – 2006 * Peter Lawrence 2006 – 2011 * Harry Brockway 2011 – 2014 * Geri Waddington 2015 – 2018 * Chris Daunt 2018 – 2020 * Merlin Waterson – Current Chair since 2020

Other former members

* David Jones * Sydney Lee * Paul Nash *

Iain Macnab Iain Macnab of Barachastlain (21 October 1890 – 24 December 1967) was a Scottish wood-engraver and painter. As a prominent teacher he was influential in the development of the British school of wood-engraving. His pictures are noted for cl ...

* Gwenda Morgan * Herry Perry * Hester Sainsbury * Leon Underwood

References

External links

*
Artist Biographies: British and Irish Artists of the 20th Century
{{Authority control Wood, Society Woodworking Art and design-related professional associations Arts organisations based in the United Kingdom