in the studio

This week I kept working on far from the stars, or the forest for the trees. And I didn't think about the title once, so I still don't know if that's what the finished piece will be called. And I forgot to take pictures on most days. But...

I did work on this.

This is a synthetic rubber block, approximately 4.5" x 2.75". Dick Blick* carries lots of sizes in their stores, and I picked up the smallest, because I wasn't sure if I would like it. I loved it. It was so easy to cut - I guess the E-Z-Cut name is here is appropriate. It cut like butter, and I will get more of them. It is thick enough to carve both sides but after looking at it again, I don't think I will, because I did cut a few spots really deeply.

The test print above has single printing in the bottom section and layered printing on the top, including some upside down. I wasn't very careful with this printing, in terms of registration, etc, because I just wanted to see how it looked repeated and if the carving was alright. This is block ink on printmaking paper. The blockiness wasn't really going to work in this painting, but I rolled from the center out and left the edges uninked. Note: the painting is printed with acrylic paint not ink.

And here is where I have ended the week. I have about 3 super thin layers of paint over the tree trunks on top of the printing. Still a wip. Hope to finish this up next week.

 Also this week, saw some shows and showed some support for other artists. Bad Business opened yesterday at Paul Henry's. On Friday I went to Brauer Museum of Art to see Tom Brand and Carole Stodder but really liked two of the other shows: Fred Frey and Jeanette Pasin Sloan.

Next week: There will not be an in the studio post. I will be off the grid for the Holiday weekend. I'll be taking a sketchbook and a camera, and hope to come back with lots of inspiration.



*Dick Blick did not pay me to say this. I really did like it. But if someone at Dick Blick wants to pay me to say this, or send me samples to "review" then I would totally be okay with that.