PrintFest7
1st – 11th MAY
Continuing the success of PrintFest7, launched in 2018 in partnership with France’s Manifestampe, this year’s PrintFest takes a Nordic twist.
Artists from Sweden’s prestigious Algården Workshop and Gallery will be exhibiting at the Kaleidoscope Gallery from the 1 – 11thMay 2019. The art of Printmaking is practised widely in the Nordic countries and an emphasis on non toxic methods prevail. The Ålgården workshop and Gallery is situated by the river Viskan in Borås near the west coast of Sweden. Consisting of four large buildings and two outhouses there is a beautiful Gallery hosting exhibitions by both national and international artists. The workshops are divided into three – one for lithography, silkscreen and glass – one for intaglio printing – and one for a digital workshop, kitchen and guest rooms.
https://www.algarden.se/en/about-us/ Exhibition of original prints by some of Sweden’s finest Printmakers and Charity Auction of prints donated by printmakers including Dawn Cole, Margaret Ashman, Hester Cox, Christina France, Sonia Griffin, Kristina Thun (images below) and many more.
OPENING EVENT Saturday May 4th 1 – 4pm
The exhibition and charity auction will be opened by Sevenoaks Mayor Councillor Roderick Hogarth. Timothy Shaw, founder of Hospital Rooms will be talking about the charity’s work and the impact it has on lives. Come along to Sevenoaks Kaleidoscope Gallery from 1pm-4pm to meet the artists, learn about printmaking techniques such as lithography, etching, screen printing, sample some delicious Smorgasbord and bid for an Original Print by some of the UK’s finest artist printmakers.
The charity Hospital Rooms. ‘Our vision is for all people in mental health wards to have the freedom to experience extraordinary artworks. We believe in the power of art to provide joy and dignity and to stimulate and heal’ Hospital Rooms is a mental health charity that believes in the enduring power of the arts to instil value, dignity and wellbeing in people. Their mission is to bring world class art to mental health hospitals https://hospital-rooms.com
Meet the Artists on Thursday May 9th 6 – 8pm
All welcome to join us for talks by Printmakers Hester Cox and Christina Lindberg. No booking required. 
On Thursday May 9th 6-8pm as part of SVAF’s ongoing series of talks, Hester Cox, one of the UK’s foremost Printmakers will be talking about her collographs and her attachment to Sweden’s Algården Workshop. Her colourful and richly textured limited-edition collagraph prints reflect her appreciation of the natural landscape and are often inspired by things that she sees whilst out fell running. 
Christina Lindberg Sweden’s eminent artist printmaker, author and sculptor will be talking about her work and the history of the Algården Workshop and Gallery, of which she is director. Christina is also editor of Grafiknytt, Scandinavia’s printmaking journal. Using a wide range of materials and techniques, her elegant use of dry point and colour blocks define the principal of Less is More. Many invited artists including Christina France and Hester Cox have benefitted from Algården’s Artist in Residence programme which Christina oversees. PrintFest7 has been organised by SVAF artist Christina France who was invited to be Artist in Residence at the Algården Workshop in 2015 and has been returning ever since drawn to Nordic approach to printmaking where nontoxic methods prevail 
