As Willie prepares for his latest exhibition at South Block in Glasgow, I took the opportunity to catch up with him at the Peacock print studio as he added the finishing touches to a new set of prints.
I'm always fascinated to see his approach to print making and his last exhibition 'Offshore Fieldnotes' felt like a masterclass in print experimentation and execution. With immaculately coloured frames to the creation of a mini folio suite, the show was quite special and upped the stakes. But then Willie is pretty special in his approach to his craft. His entire body of work seems to be informed by an incredible knowledge of the printing process and a desire to push it that little bit further. From his choice of colours to use of shape, every aspect of his work seems to be derived from hours spent in the print studio, layering up the screens, re configuring pieces until finally he reaches a light bulb moment.With work included in the Jealous London group show last year and numerous sold out editions, I began to ponder why he isn't more widely known or why he's not an art super star? Maybe he is and I'm stuck in a bubble! Certainly his work ticks all the boxes and he's already established a legacy that many art school grards could only dream of. But perhaps to view things that way is wrong and misses the point. In fact when watching him print at the studio, working out the next step in the process I found an artist in his element, happy to be doing what he enjoys and upon reflection, I think that is what true success looks like. But you should buy some prints just in case he does become a massive star!
'Transit' by William Moulding opens this Friday at South Block in Glasgow and is sure to be an incredible show. You can checkout more about Willies work via his website here.
