‘Herring Gull (Larus Argentatus). UK Conservation Status Red’ depicts against a graduated grey-ish background a juvenile gull in monochrome fine lines three times on the left, diminishing in size from bottom to top; and an adult herring gull in colour on the right.

It is printed in three different shaped dot halftones and a line halftone in four colours: cerulean blue, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK) on Japanese Hosho paper (lightweight but strong).

The Herring Gulls’ common name indicates how they took advantage of the herring fleet providing good food. Their Latin name means ‘silvery gull.’ Intriguingly, their eye colour changes from dark as a juvenile to very pale greenish-blue when adult.

Avian flu has affected sea and coastal bird populations in the North East in the past few years but the herring gull population had been declining over a long period even before that.

The cries of herring gulls would have been amongst the first bird calls I heard, and remain the sound of home for me. These are intelligent and beautiful birds, and I would miss them if they disappeared.

A new bestiary and herbarium for at risk species by artists from Northern Print.

“Endless Forms Most Beautiful” is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to support visits, new printmaking and school’s programme for this project.

Northern Print artists bring together traditional printmaking and the natural world with a series of new prints highlighting the diversity of species that are categorised as ‘at risk’.

The ‘endless forms’ include marine life; plants; birds; insects and mammals with many familiar and much-loved species as well as less known and intriguing creatures that have captured the imagination and hearts of Northern Print’s artists.

This exhibition of 45 new prints has been made following a series of visits to our region’s natural history collections and habitats and represents the tiniest tip of the iceberg of our natural world under threat.

The artwork includes a range of approaches and printmaking processes – including heritage craft skills also deemed at risk including letterpress and mould-made papers