Artist: Harry Brockway

Title: Who can turn the skies back and begin again?

Medium: Woodcut print on paper

Size: 355mm x 300mm

The print includes the stars and herring shoal, spoken of by Peter Grimes, [in the opera by Benjamin Britten, but the subject of the print is regret and resignation.

The artist, Harry Brockways says: ‘The line resonated with me as I think it may for many, as it reflects a feeling that there are times in our lives when we wish we had done things differently or taken another path. The poetry of the line comes from the skill of the librettist. I don’t think the line would work half as well if the words ‘Skies’ and ‘Back’ were placed the other way around.’

Signed limited edition of 14 copies

Text from the liberetto of Peter Grimes! by Benjamin Britten.  Words by Montagu Slater from George Crabbe’s poem.

About the artist

Harry Brockway studied sculpture at art school and then trained as a stone mason. He is interested in relief sculpture and likes to combine relief carving with lettering whenever possible. Beside his work as an architectural carver and maker of memorials he is a Wood Engraver, and has designed and engraved illustrations for many books. He finds the two disciplines complement each other very well. Literary ideas for illustrations often find their way into his sculpture and sculptural forms are what he favours in his engraving. He also teaches stone carving and wood engraving.