su grierson (scotland) 

1. tell us about your everyday environment,
your hobbies and lifestyle

2. what do you see as the point of your works?

3. tell us your thoughts on the problems printmaking is facing today ? what might they be and where's the solution?

4. do you use computers in your work,
and if so, how do they help you and what do you think of them?

5. what do you think are the best and worst sides of print art?

6. what does printmaking give and mean to you?

7. where did you get the idea from to take part
in the tallinn print triennial?

8. your favourite artists?

i am su grierson and i come from scotland. i studied art later in life and graduated 6 years ago. i took my first degree (4 years) at dundee then a masters degree (2 years) at glasgow school of art. i have always worked in a multi-disciplinary way, using many techniques both 2 and 3 dimensional. for the last 7 years i have worked primarily with video, photography and computer. at the moment i make digital prints of images that are created either with camera, video or still, or within the computer itself so that, in effect, some work, like the one here in tallinn looks into the medium itself, while other works look outward at the world. these images are often combined with installations of video work on tv monitors or as video projections. actually at the moment i also have a desire to make some hand drawn prints and 3 dimensional pieces again. because we live in a digital and very visually orientated world, i enjoy the challenge of using these facts to challenge how we see, to create images which may take people by surprise, make them think, both about art and life, and at the same time make people more aware of the effect and influence that images can have in our everyday life. i have recently moved my studio from the city (glasgow) back home to the farm in perthshire where i live. this does create a sense of isolation, but by making connections with artists in various parts of the world via e-mail and the internet, and by coming to events such as this one in tallinn, it is possible to overcome that situation. before studying art i spent fifteen years carrying out theoretical and practical research into the history and use of natural dyes in scotland. i wrote a number of papers and books on this subject. although i am not actively involved in this any more, i still keep in touch with textile workers and attend symposiums and conferences, which adds variety to my life! although my work does get selected for photographic and printmaking exhibitions i don't describe myself as either a photographer or a printmaker. i just call myself an artist and i use these mediums where they are appropriate to the ideas i have at any time. i think there are many artists who work this way now. i think it is important that there are artists who specialise in these areas and keep the skills and techniques alive, but artists who come in from other positions can sometimes challenge the boundaries that the specialist areas tend to build round themselves. i happen to believe that challenge, change and new directions are exciting and that art should always be open to them, of course some traditionalists will disagree with this.