Art by Ian Bell gives new life to old technology

Ian Bell’s latest project combines his passions as a folk singer, writer, artist and “history nerd.”

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Broadside Ballads & Penny Dreadfuls, a 30-piece collection, is on display in the lobby of the Lighthouse Festival Theater in Port Dover.

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“It scratches a lot of itches,” Bell said of the art display satisfying all his creative instincts, while at the show’s opening on Sunday.

Using a 118-year-old printing press and a collection of antique wooden and metal type, Bell combines old technology with original wood engravings and linocuts to create new artworks inspired by the “broadsides” and street literature of the early 1800s.

A broadside is a large piece of paper printed on one side. Historically in Europe, they were used as posters, announcing events or proclamations, giving political views, commentary in the form of ballads or advertisements.

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“As a folksinger, I’ve always been intrigued with the idea of ​​ballad broadsides sold on the streets by hawkers who would sing the songs to give people an idea of ​​what they were getting,” said Bell. “The lyrics were usually accompanied by a woodcut illustration.”

Penny dreadfuls were cheap, popular serial literature produced during the 19th century in the United Kingdom. The term typically referred to a story published in weekly parts, each costing a penny. The subject matter of these stories was usually sensational, focusing on the exploits of detectives, criminals, or supernatural entities.

Well-known as a musician and songwriter, Bell, not surprisingly, uses music as the main theme of his show, which includes a number of illustrated broadsides of his own songs.

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“For me, it’s all storytelling. My paintings have always had a certain narrative. Singing is storytelling with a tune.”

The prints are in the style of the song sheets hawked on the streets by ballad sellers of the 19th century, created with hand-set lead type, and illustrated with Bell’s wood engravings and linocuts. Some were printed on his 1906 “Pearl” printing press; others were done on a 70-year-old Nolan proof press.

Bell has fun with some of the prints, using imaginary sheet music covers for old rock ‘n’ roll songs – a skeleton playing a guitar with some lyrics from Chuck Berry’s Johnny B. Goode; and similarly creepy characters grooving to some lyrics from the Beatles’ Twist and Shout.

“A lot of this is pretty jokey,” said Bell. “It’s not all that earns.”

Bell said he began thinking about the art project about two years ago, doing much of the work during the pandemic.

A lot of the lead type and equipment used in the printing of Broadside Ballads and Penny Dreadfuls came from basements of local newspaper offices where letterpress technology had long been abandoned.

Broadside Ballads & Penny Dreadfuls will be on display at Lighthouse Theater, on Main Street in Port Dover, throughout the theater’s 2024 season.

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