Musings

NHS Lothian Charity’s Tonic Arts Programme are delighted to present an exciting new exhibition from two artists, Joanna Blémont and Lauren Cory, who recently undertook residencies at Out of the Blueprint in Leith.

Entitled “Musings”, this exhibition showcases risograph printed artworks that delve into landscapes created from dreams and distant memories. Blémont and Cory invite viewers to uncover the tranquil and enchanting elements nestled within their present environment. Explore the dreamy worlds they create within familiar backdrops, evoking a sense of nostalgia heightened by the unique riso printing technique.

Riso printing created a space for us to experiment with the printer extensively, creating unexpected results with colour combinations and overlapping details. The texture of the risograph helps add a physicality to the prints, hinting at both of our artistic processes which start with analogue techniques such as watercolour painting and pastel drawings. By showing our work together, we hope it encourages people to find the quiet and beautiful moments in their surroundings.”

Joanna Blémon

About The Artists

Joanna Blémont is an illustrator and artist born in Belgium who studied an MA in Illustration at Edinburgh College of Art. She undertook her residency at Out of the Blueprint in the summer of 2022. Drawing from her own personal dreams and early visual research in psychology, Joanna creates mirrored associations within her work to create enigmatic landscapes that are open to interpretation. The ambiguous tone of her work immerses the viewer in the language of dreams seeking to speak to a musings collective perspective.

Lauren Cory was born and raised in Edinburgh and graduated in 2023 from Kingston University, London. She undertook her residency in winter 2023/2024. Lauren’s work explores themes of identity, change and belonging. Inspired by retro video game graphics, Lauren incorporates repetitive motifs and patterns into her work with meticulous attention to detail, reminiscent of the craftsmanship found in traditional domestic textiles such as tapestries, rugs and cross, stitch samplers. Framed with delicate pixel designs, Lauren’s hand-drawn pastel landscapes blend the cosy, nostalgic comfort of home with the sense of something bigger on the horizon.

Out of the Blueprint is a social enterprise in Leith. The print studio specialises in riso printing. Unpredictable and idiosyncratic, riso provides a unique challenge for artists, allowing them to produce vibrant, tactile prints with unexpected outcomes. Out of the Blueprint host four paid residencies a year, open to artists aged 24 or under. The residency programme helps young artists at a vital point in their artistic careers, giving them the space, time and resources to develop their work