[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking.

Baren Digest               Sunday, 19 April 1998       Volume 03 : Number 132

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From: Blueman <blueman@pantek.com>
Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 12:34:28 -0400
Subject: [Baren 656] Re: Baren Digest V3 #131 

Baren--

Dave, the one point lesson is a wonderful idea.
I can't wait til you tell us how to get the ink
on the skinny lines without getting it down
where you don't want it.  Also, when you do
the black ink, skinny-lined block, do you 
use watercolor or sumi ink?  These are pro-
bably questions that are answered somewhere
among the writings on your site, but for some
reason I'm just not "getting it."

Gayle

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From: Matthew.W.Brown@VALLEY.NET (Matthew W Brown)
Date: 18 Apr 98 14:35:19 EDT
Subject: [Baren 657] Re: Woods ... 

Dave asked,
	Dave asked,
 "Just what _is_ this basswood stuff, anyway?"

	April answered it; it is a tree like the European linden, big-leafed
and a bit of a loner, growing amongst mixed hardwoods in our area. It seems to
vary considerably from tree to tree as far as firmness, perhaps due to how fast
it has grown.
	There are two types of poplar growing in our area that look the same
and are also known as aspen or cottonwood. (We call it "popple".) It is quite
different than the basswood as a tree, but the wood can be quite similar. For
carving I find it a bit firmer. It also seems to print a bit differently (James
mentionned its'oily' quality). It is harder to dry than basswood, moving around
a lot, but once dry it is a pretty stable wood.

Matt

A little advertising:
 I am leading two 3-day 'weekend' workshops upcoming in May and June down in
Mass. Details are on my site in The Calendar. The one in June is at a place
called  Horizons Craft Center, which makes for a great place to be at that time
of year(and there is a very fine painter, Scott Prior, teaching there that same
weekend).

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From: jimandkatemundie@juno.com (James G Mundie)
Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 15:26:12 -0400
Subject: [Baren 658] IPCNY 

Howdy folks,
	I know Ray wanted to take a break from the MPBaren topic, but...
	I got some information in the mail today from Anne Coffin, the
director of the International Print Center New York.  Apparently this
museum was scheduled to open in New York in '96, but hasn't quite gelled
yet due to funding.  However, it seems to me after reading the IPCNY
mission statement that (when it finally opens) ICPNY might be an ideal
organization to approach for a Baren show.
 	The statement says:

>"International Print Center New York will be the first
>non-profit exhibition space, resource and learning center 
>devoted to artists' prints.  It will foster a climate for the 
>serious study, examination and enjoyment of the art of the fine print...

>"...IPCNY will be the first institution whose exhibition 
>program will be devoted solely to the presentation of art in the print
>medium... Independent curators, museum professionals, critics,
>artists and scholars will be invited to submit ideas and to curate 	
>individual shows.  Every opportunity to tour and lend to educational 	
>institutions, non-profit presenters and corporations will be pursued.

>IPCNY will also serve as the venue for traveling exhibitions that
>would not otherwise be seen in the New York area...
>"The exhibitions will be complemented by publications,
>gallery talks, lectures, demonstrations and other educational events 	
>and incorporated into IPCNY's archive and international Website..."
	
	This would seem to fit the bill of educating the public about
woodblock printing, no?  I think IPCNY might find Ray's idea of relating
how the internet brought all of us formschnitters together especially
appealing.  
	I'd be happy to send a photocopy of this info to anybody who
wants it.  In the meantime, you might like to check out their website:

http://www.ipcny.org

	Does anyone know if IPCNY is the same museum the Print Club of
Albany was trying to help get underway?

****
I leave you all with some Scottish Gaelic proverbs to ponder:
	Fear na ba\ fhe\in sa pholl an toiseach. (The owner of the cow
	should be the first to step into the mire.)
  
	and

Cha b'e la\ na gaoithe la\ nan sgolb. (A windy day is not the day
for thatch-wattles.)

Sla/inte do bheo agus tro/caire do mharbh,
James Mundie, Philadelphia USA

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From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@islandnet.com>
Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 23:37:20 -0700
Subject: [Baren 659] Re: Woods ... 

Just what _is_ this basswood stuff, anyway?

As a kid I used to build forts in the groves of Basswood trees, so they
have a lot of fond memories.
Back then (55 odd years) the only use for this wood was packing crates. For
years it was considered junk wood and had very little commercial value.
Now the decoy and bird carvers use it almost exclusively.
These trees grow mostly in the eastern part of Canada....Ontario and Que
although found to some degree in upper Eastern States and lesser in the
Maritimes. They can grow to about three feet in diameter and 40 ft high, in
a clump not unlike blackwillow you see growing along stream banks.  The
basswood grow mostly on the edge of forests and seldom in the forests.  The
Canadian grown trees in the colder and shorter growing season is the best
wood.  The leaf is large 5" to 6" in a spade (playing card) shape.  White
cluster of flowers late spring and small green pea size fruit in the late
summer.   Great for pea shooter fights.

Canadian Aspen is a species on to them selves.  The leaves have a similar
shape to Poplar however the tree does not grow as tall. They grow at higher
elevation in great clusters in moderate to cold climates.  Found in the
foothill mountains in British Columbia, Alberta and Montana,Wyoming,
Colorado.

Cottonwoods.  Are another species that get confused with poplars and Aspen.
Not so they are a tree species and there are numerous varieties and are
classed with the poplars. The familiar ones in the north are Black
Cottonwood, also sometimes called Western Balsam Poplar.  There are some
just down the street from our house.  Also found in Alberta.
Another is the Eastern Cottonwood found mostly in southern Manitoba and N &
S Dakota and Minn.

Poplar.  There many varieties of this tree and they vary in their growth
formation depending on the location.  In moderate temperature forests they
grow tall and straight  A good size forest Poplar is about 14 to 18 "
diameter. The bark is smooth and has a powdery feel and look. They grow in
the northern parts of Canada but only get a few feet tall.  On the forest
edge or in groves in a draw they tend to be shorter and bushy in dryer
zones.

Parana Pine.  I see that it comes mostly from Brazil, and some from
Paraguay and Argentina.
Not available in Canada.


Hope this clearifies these woods.

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End of Baren Digest V3 #132
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