Nicki Massos: "I’ve enjoyed connecting more deeply with the landscapes that inspire me"

We catch up with Greenwich Printmaker Nicki Massos, who is preparing for her postgraduate show at Camberwell College of Arts at the end of June. She talks about the experience of studying an MA in Fine Art and how it has influenced her work.

Nicki Massos screen printing

It's almost a year since Nicki's last blog post for Greenwich Printmakers and quite a lot has changed. Last September, she started studying for a Fine Art MA, specialising in printmaking.

What is your favourite thing about taking an MA in Fine Art?

The course has really expanded my creative practice, and I have so much energy to create as a result of all the research I’ve been doing. Combining thinking and making more closely has been hugely beneficial to my creativity. Having access to the knowledge and experience of tutors and print technicians all in one place is invaluable, as are the talks by a vast variety of visiting practicing artists, who are incredibly inspiring and encouraging. It’s been great to have the opportunity to experiment freely and test new ideas.

Testing display and moving projection over woodcut prints on different Japanese papers

Have there been particular challenges? Any that surprised you?

Everyone knows art is subjective, and not everyone is going to understand what you’re trying to do. Sometimes it’s difficult not to take that personally. What has surprised me most is how much my work has changed during the course and how much I’m enjoying the new work I’m creating. Looking more deeply into the same subjects that inspired my landscape and nature screen prints has led me in new directions.

I’ve particularly enjoyed working with the collagraph process, which involves using different materials to create textured printing plates. I like this method because it allows you to use accessible and often discarded materials, such as offcuts of mountboard, Tetra Pak, and, in the case of my latest work, the clay that inspired the print itself.

Peeling back the paper to reveal the print from a collagraph plate

Are you finding that working across different mediums is changing the way you think about/approach printmaking?

Yes, absolutely, it’s also enabled me to be more confident working in other media alongside printmaking. I’ve started incorporating photography and video into my practice much more than before. I’ve also really enjoyed researching my subject matter through site visits, making work on location, and then trying to capture the essence of the landscape through different forms of making.

Markmaking with different coloured clays, Mappleton beach

Printmaking is often quite a social and sometimes collaborative process because of the nature of working in a shared printmaking studio. Are you finding the same kind of thing with your course group?

Yes, it’s wonderful to have people around to bounce ideas off. Talking through your work and your ideas is incredibly helpful, particularly as we approach the show, when things can become a little stressful. Having supportive people around you makes a huge difference. I’m very grateful for the group of people on the course with me who encourage one another, listen to ideas, and share their own experiences.

Preparing clay to make ink

What changes have you noticed in your work since starting the MA?

Big changes, starting with deeper research has allowed me to approach my work from a completely different angle. I’ve enjoyed connecting more deeply with the landscapes that inspire me and learning about both their visible and hidden beauty.

I think we should all take more time to appreciate the natural world around us. We are so busy in our day-to-day lives, especially living in a city. It’s important to have reminders to pause, look around, and reconnect with nature.

Ink tests with the clay it came from

How do you see your work developing in the future?

That’s a difficult question because I would never have imagined my work developing into what it is right now. Only time will tell.

Testing different papers for printing

What are you working on at the moment?

The postgraduate show is coming up very soon, so I’m busy preparing for that. The exhibition is open to the public, and I’d love people to come and see it.

Nicki's postgraduate show will be held at Camberwell College of Arts, 45-65 Peckham Road, London SE5 8UF, from June 29 to July 4. Private View Monday: 6-9pm (open to all, free tickets on Eventbrite), Tuesday-Friday: 12-8.30pm, Saturday 10.30am-4.30pm.

For more about Nicki's work, follow her on Instagram @nickimassosart and visit her artist's page.