Jonny Hannah – Pedal Your Blues Away – Signed Limited Edition Linocut 32/50 – Cakes & Ale Press – 2010

Description

A compact and highly appealing original colour linocut by Jonny Hannah, entitled Pedal Your Blues Away, dating from 2010.

The work measures 16.4 × 16 cm and was issued in a limited edition of only 50 impressions. This example is number 32/50, signed and dated 2010 by Jonny Hannah in pencil, with the Cakes & Ale Press imprint printed vertically in red along the left-hand margin.

The composition is deliberately simple and immediately legible. At its centre is an old-fashioned bicycle, rendered in black against the pale ground, framed above and below by two bright blue ribbon devices carrying the words:

PEDAL YOUR
BLUES AWAY

The restrained palette of black, blue, red and pale grey-white gives the image the directness of a small advertising sign, motivational slogan or vintage cycling handbill.

Cycling and Humour

The title is a characteristic Hannah play on words.

“Pedal Your Blues Away” transforms the familiar idea of driving away melancholy into a cheerful cycling slogan, combining physical movement with emotional release.

The image is not presented as a literal sporting study. Instead, the bicycle becomes a graphic emblem: part transport, part visual joke and part nostalgic object.

That balance of humour and affection is central to the work. Hannah takes an everyday object and gives it the character of a hand-painted shop sign or piece of invented commercial ephemera.

The Bicycle Motif

The central bicycle has an intentionally old-fashioned appearance, with an exaggerated large front wheel and much smaller rear wheel, evoking early cycle design and the visual shorthand of historic cycling imagery.

Behind it, loosely cut black marks suggest movement, landscape or a shadowy background, but Hannah keeps the imagery deliberately sparse.

This simplicity is one of the work’s strengths. Unlike his more densely populated prints, Pedal Your Blues Away relies on a small number of elements — bicycle, slogan and colour — to create immediate impact.

Typography and Graphic Design

The blue ribbon devices are as important as the bicycle itself.

The lettering is bold, clean and highly legible, giving the work the appearance of an old promotional sign or public-information graphic. The contrast between the relatively formal ribbon typography and the irregular handmade bicycle creates the visual tension that gives the print much of its charm.

As throughout Hannah’s work, words and images are treated as equal components of the composition.

Linocut Technique

This is an original colour linocut, not a later photographic or digital reproduction.

The relief-printing process is visible in the hand-cut black bicycle, small irregularities of line and slight variations in ink density. The blue ribbon forms are crisp but still retain the tactile quality of a handmade print.

These characteristics are intrinsic to the linocut process and contribute to the individuality of the impression.

Compact Format

At 16.4 × 16 cm, the work is small in scale, giving it the concentrated feel of a miniature sign, label or handbill.

The size suits the subject particularly well. The composition reads instantly, while close inspection reveals the irregularity and texture of Hannah’s carved line.

Date and Edition

The work dates from 2010.

This example is:

32/50

from an edition of only 50 impressions.

The pencil signature, date, edition number and Cakes & Ale Press imprint are all visible on the sheet.

Condition

Very good condition overall.

The blue and black printing remains strong and clear, with good contrast against the pale ground.

There is light natural handling and slight paper undulation visible, consistent with the age and handmade nature of the print. Small variations in ink coverage are characteristic of the original linocut process rather than later deterioration.

The pencil signature, 2010 date and edition number 32/50 remain clear and legible.

Please study the photographs carefully as they form an integral part of the description.

Artist: Jonny Hannah
Title: Pedal Your Blues Away
Date: 2010
Medium: Original colour linocut
Edition: 32/50
Edition size: 50
Signed: Yes, in pencil
Dated: 2010
Size: 16.4 × 16 cm
Imprint: Cakes & Ale Press
Subject: Cycling / humour / typography
Format: Original limited-edition artist’s linocut
Modern reproduction: No

Authenticity

This work has been handled, inspected and catalogued in-house at Hornseys before being offered for sale.

The pencil signature, date, edition number 32/50 and Cakes & Ale Press imprint are all present and visible.

It is an original signed and numbered Jonny Hannah linocut from an edition of only 50, not a later reproduction.

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Explore our evolving collection of Jonny Hannah original paintings, signed and limited-edition prints, illustrated books and related artworks. His distinctive imagery, hand lettering and narrative style draw upon music, maritime culture, vintage advertising, folk art, popular entertainment and the visual character of British towns and seaside communities.

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Established in 1976 and based in Ripon, North Yorkshire, Hornseys is an independent gallery and bookseller specialising in original art, prints, design, collectable books and historic material. Every item is handled, inspected and catalogued in-house at our Ripon gallery.