MALCA SCHOTTEN

North House Gallery is delighted to present this extensive show of paintings and drawings from two bodies of work by Norwich-based artist, Malca Schotten: 'Pictures from an Exhibition' and 'Letterpress Amsterdam'. Most of the paintings on Tela oil painting paper or drawings on archival paper are large, a format that she is known for.

This is surprising as the subjects of the 'Pictures from an Exhibition' series have to be done from tiny surreptitious sketches or from memory. Over the last two years, Malca has spent months in multiple exhibitions at the Sainsbury Centre in Norwich in her part-time role as gallery invigilator. Her work is inspired by her observations of visitors to the exhibitions, their reactions to the exhibits, or simply their fatigue. There is also a passion, in the context of conversations about cuts to the arts, to promote the importance of art for all. She agrees with Lord Bragg that 'The arts are not the cherry on the cake, they are the cake.'

The Letterpress Amsterdam series was inspired by a week Malca spent in residence at the letterpress studio of master letterpress designer, Thomas Gravemaker in Amsterdam. Thomas teaches and lectures around the world and was recently Printer in Residence at The Bodleian Library, Oxford. At the time of her visit, Thomas was teaching Vibeke Luther O'Rourke (also a printmaker) a specialist technique, for her to pass on to her students at Oslo's National Academy of the Arts. Appropriately, the drawings and paintings of Thomas teaching Vibeke will be shown in the context of the letterpress studio of North House Gallery.

Malca Schotten was raised in North London by European immigrant parents. Her father was a book jacket designer and her mother a potter. After Foundation at Hornsey (1979–80) and BA Hons Illustration in Brighton (1980–83) she joined her father in London at Thames and Hudson where she continued her artistic journey in a nurturing atmosphere, dedicated to the visual arts and its heroes. After 10 glorious years she married and moved to Norfolk to raise a family and continue her artistic path.

She has initiated and led several public interest focused projects, funded by Arts Council England, including 'I'm Not Dead Yet', 'The East Anglia Rural Building Trade Project' and 'Lives in Science'. She has exhibited in East Anglia and across the UK including The National Portrait Gallery and the Prince's Foundation, Shoreditch.