The Search for Verrazzano's Sea - The Creative Voyage of Adrian Paul Metcalfe
In 1524 Giovanni da Verrazzano set sail in his ship 'La Dauphine' in search of the fabled North West Passage. He encountered unexplored strange lands, eventually believing he had found a sea linking the two oceans. This was marked on charts as the 'Sea of Verrazzano'. Unfortunately he had only discovered a deep river estuary leading further into land. This error of navigation has been a starting point for much recent work, which explores this imaginary sea and examines the limitless possibilities of that which may or may not exist.
In this book Adrian Paul Metcalfe describes the development of his creative work, exploring its themes, ideas and techniques while examine the contexts in which it can be seen. Over 150 full colour illustrations accompany a text by the artist and a new in depth interview by Alexandra Trowbridge-Matthews.
'The work is abstract and no one specific meaning can or should be sought. As many questions are raised as are answered but the works celebrate the possibilities of existence and the richness of life. I hope readers will explore the work in this book for themselves, find their own meanings and enhance their own voyage of discovery.'
Click on book cover to view sample pages
The Sea of Verrazzano - A limited edition of 23 books containing fully 16 fully screen printed pages and cover based on a series of collage with hand painted marks
2008-2009
Icons of the Great Ocean - A limited edition of 100 reproductions of the artist’s original hand painted book containing 20 watercolours painted on fragments of Admiralty charts.
2002
White Water - Proof copies of as yet unpublished edition of reproductions of artist’s watercolours detailing waterfalls in the Vale of Neath.
2000
Mysterious Voyage - Limited edition of 50 books containing reproductions of original mixed media word and image pieces by the artist, based on poetry by Alexandra Trowbridge-Matthews. Book contains the poems.
1999
Earth Stones - A limited edition of 25 hand printed books containing a set of 8 black and white woodcuts, title and text print detailing a series of standing stones visited on August 25 1991 in the area of Cader Idris, North Wales. Hand printed sleeve for book.
1996
Shining Islands - A limited edition of 50 books containing woodcut prints , 12 black and white and one hand coloured. The book was produced during five weeks as artist in residence at the Bonhoga Gallery, Wiesdale, Shetland in November 1996. The images derive from the artist’s initial response to the landscape of Shetland.
1996
Pwll Du / The Black Pool - A limited edition of 100 book containing 16 reproductions of watercolours and 2 black and white drawings by the artist.
1996
Pwll Du / The Black Pool ( A study in light ) - Hand printed and coloured book containing 10 original woodcut prints in a constructed relief box cover. Limited edition of 10 plus 2 artist’s proof copies.
1995-1996
Earth Sites - A limited edition of four hand printed and bound books containing 13 woodcuts and 2 lino - cuts in black and white.
1985
Traces of Albion - Hand printed and bound book containing 10 lino prints in a limited edition of 22. Details ancient sites visited in England.
1982
The Sea of Verrazzano - Hand made book of painted canvas pages with canvas covered wood painted cover. Inspired by Verrazzanos discovery of the ''false' sea leading to the pacific form the Atlantic ocean in 1524
2006 -2008
Dell' Arcano del Mare - Mixed media hand made book of painted canvas pages with wood painted cover. Inspired by Robert Dudleys Atlas of Nautical Charts published in Florance in 1646.
2002 -2004
