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

Baren Digest               Tuesday, 14 July 1998       Volume 04 : Number 213

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From: Don Furst <furstd@UNCWIL.EDU>
Date: Mon, 13 Jul 1998 09:11:48 -0500 (EST)
Subject: [Baren 1158] Japanese Print Triennial 

snip..." I had seen the prospectus for an exhibition (biennial? triennial?)
sponsored by a paper company in Japan..."
 
James,
Perhaps you are thinking of the Kochi Triennial, which took place most
recently in 1996 and 1993.  What was particularly interesting about the
exhibit prospectus was their  inclusion of many beautiful little samples of
paper.    --Don

P.S.  I, too, have the exhibition bug and will display  mezzotints in the
Albany and Pittsburgh print shows this fall.  

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From: "Roger A. Ball" <beckorro@inquo.net>
Date: Mon, 13 Jul 1998 07:39:15 -0600
Subject: [Baren 1159] Thanks 

Jim:  

Well, thanks for actually saying what I needed to hear regarding Speedball
inks.  Being the proud cutter of -wow- seven woodcuts now, I guess it is
time to graduate from "crayons" to something better.  When I first started
looking around for water-based block printing ink, I didn't even know I
could get anything but Speedball.  I looked at my results and knowing no
better, felt happy.  I'm still selling prints and people seem to like them.
 It's just that I have no training.  I joined this list to find out more.
I want to learn.  I thought it was wierd that no one would actually come
out and say _why_ they disliked it.  At any rate, I'll be trying tube
watercolor and rice paste next and I'm looking into other possiblities.
Thank you for putting up with my beginner mentality.

- -Roger

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From: Phil Bivins <pbivins@mindspring.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Jul 1998 11:42:46 -0400
Subject: [Baren 1160] Re: Thanks 

Hey Jim, man can I related to the "having no training". I have learned a
great deal from Baren and it's members, a gold mine of information and
sharing. Being a video nut, especially those having to do with art
technique, I have found videos to be a good alternative. I have said this
before the best video that I  have seen concerning Japanese Woodcut is one
that may be purchased from McClains called "Japanese Woodcut Workshop". I
would recommend this to anyone who is interested in learning more about
this wonderful medium.

Phil 

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From: Phil Bivins <pbivins@mindspring.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Jul 1998 11:44:02 -0400
Subject: [Baren 1161] Re: Thanks 

I'm sorry but my last message was for Roger and anyone else who may be
interested.
Phil

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From: steiner <steiner@mbox.kyoto-inet.or.jp>
Date: Tue, 14 Jul 1998 01:05:18 +0900
Subject: [Baren 1162] Old friends and new 

from Richard Steiner, Kyoto

Phil;  
Akira Kurosaki is an old friend of mine.  We teach
woodblock printmaking at the same college, Kyoto Seika University, he
in the Print dept. (where he is head) and I in the Manga dept.  He
graduated from and initially taught at Kyoto Tech U., but not woodblock
printmaking. So when he got an offer to teach it at Seika, he jumped
over the hill that separates the two schools.  His early prints were as
you stated, but he is now into more subtle works, just as sophisticated
and with nearly the same bokashi skill:  his early work was printed by
his personal printer, who passed on a couple years ago leaving him to
have to print his pieces himself.

Gary: 
You bet I design all my own work, and carve it and
print it, too.  When I get busy, I have an assistant who does some of
the printing, and am training another.  But I love the carving, and had
one of the best teachers for learning that skill, Masahiko Tokumitsu in
Hiroshima, so I do 99% of my own carving  (There are still many
professional carvers and printers, in Tokyo and Kyoto, who are kept
quite busy.  They are not a dwindling breed:  a few years ago a young
Japanese woman began studying to be a pro-carver, and has moved into
the pro ranks since.  She is still in her 20s.  Two of my students at
Seika are now working for a pro-printer in Kyoto.  Many years ago I
occasionally hired a pro-printer to do a project, but haven't recently
at all.)

No web site yet, but one planned, for the Kyoto International Woodprint
Asso., KIWA.  I will probably have some pieces there.  Whereas David
(list owner) is in the Ukiyo-e line of printmaking, I was trained and
continue to abide within the Independent line (Sosaku Hanga).  The
other teacher I studied under, Toshi Yoshida, was a New Ukiyo-e line
adherent.  My time with him was, alas, too brief, so that his approach
didn't have time to rub off on me.  He is gone now, as most of you
probably know, and what a great loss that is. A kinder, more patient,
generous human would be hard to find.  Walter Pagdett, not a BAREN
member but a participant in the recent KIWA exhibition and a superb
printmaker, obviously studied under either Toshi or his brother,
Hodaka.  Walter's work is right in the New Ukiyo-e line, but with
refreshing American humor added.  Does anyone know Walter?  I don't but
would like to.

To the new member, Hideshi Yoshida:  are you of that Yoshida family?

Enuf for now.  Richard

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From: Gary Luedtke <GLuedtke@compuserve.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Jul 1998 16:46:36 -0400
Subject: [Baren 1163] Art-related inquiry 

Richard,
Thanks for your answers, which now leads to a few more questions.

What is the "New Ukiyo-e Line"?  And is Sosaku Hanga in any way descriptive
of an artistic style in addition to a "do-it-all-yourself" approach to
printmaking?  

I am very curious to see some of your work and really looking forward to
hearing more about your experiences with your teachers.   Perhaps if you
could scan something and send it to Dave, he could post it where all might
get an opportunity to see it on Baren.


Dave,
Here's another thought proceeding from that one.  What about a small
gallery in Baren where members display a sample of their work, so that a
new member, or curious old one, can on one page see a cross-section of
members work?  Since not all members have a web-site of their own, this
might be a nice added feature to Baren.  (Please don't tell me you have one
already and I just haven't noticed it!)

Just a thought.

Gary Luedtke

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From: Hideshi Yoshida <dodoland@silver.plala.or.jp>
Date: Tue, 14 Jul 1998 10:30:50 +0900
Subject: [Baren 1164] Kochi Triennial 

Hello everybody ,

I got a little information for Kochi Triennial .
You can access to its website .
< http://www.pref.kochi.jp/~kougyou/triennial >
This website is written in Japanese and English .

Hideshi

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End of Baren Digest V4 #213
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