The Monoprint ‘Ringed’ thematises coastal birds with a focus on Ringed Plover. The motif shows my coastal walk at Horden Beach where I observed pollution, and coastal birds, living in seemingly harmony; except, unfortunately, they are not.
Surrounding the red line are feathers that I collected during walks on sites in South Tyneside, one of which was a construction build as compensation for the loss of the Ringed Plover’s habitat. Whether the feathers I found, or the two wading birds I saw were my species in focus, becomes less important than whether they were not, ergo the lack of such.

The title ‘Ringed’ reflects one of its many names, but also that of being marked.

Through research – e.g. trips initiated by Northern Print and myself – I have learned that the Ringed Plover is personable, sociable and ‘the homiest of all our native shorebirds, nesting all round the coast and even inland’. So unique in its appearance it ‘will form friendships with birds of an entirely different race, colour, size or habit’ and amusing ‘so inconsequent and full of new ideas that one never gets tired of spending hours in his company.’ (Massingham, 1931)

However, according to South Tyneside Council (2023) ‘due to their numbers declining by over 50 per cent, they have been placed on Red List of conservation concern.’ The Ringed Plover seems to be brilliant at so many things, except one of its qualities has become its enemy. Further, a South Tyneside area ‘is known for having multiple pairs breed each year although most nests fail to fledge any chicks due to disturbance. Their brilliant camouflage allows them to be hidden in plain sight making them at risk of trampling from humans and dogs. This means that few, if any, chicks survive to fledge the nest.’

Artist Gallery

Åse Vikse

Åse Vikse is a multidisciplinary Printmaker from western Norway. Vikse has a Master’s degree in Fine Art (Printmaking) from Middlesex University, London, and a BA (Hons) in Communication Design (Illustration) from Gray School of Art, Aberdeen. She currently lives in Whitley Bay and is Artist in Residence at York St John University during the academic year 2023/24.

Vikse refers to herself as a wandering artist and her work as research-based, with a strong focus on process-led practice. As a printmaker, she works both with traditional techniques such as Woodcut, as well as more contemporary Monoprints.

The latter often takes shape as artist maps that embody themselves in a physical and mental encounter with the landscape where the artwork and the artist absorb the surroundings together. Vikse gravitates towards themes such as place, found objects and the already existing element. She often seeks to interpret the misplaced, to convey the story of the forgotten, the everyday, or seemingly coincidental encounter that binds us together.

Vikse strives to source the material she uses and the process of developing these as environmentally sustainable as possible.