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

Baren Digest            Wednesday, 10 November 1999    Volume 09 : Number 774

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From: "Philip Smith" <smithart@pacifier.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Nov 1999 07:06:19 -0800
Subject: [none]

Graham, question;...  Just curious as to what you have to pay there in 
the north woods for your cherry 5/4 a board foot plus planing? Philip

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From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@home.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Nov 1999 09:06:05 -0800
Subject: [Baren 6531] New site. 

Got an announcement about a new site.

http://www.woodlike.co.jp/  

Matsumura?
Dave is the the chap you told us was going to put up a site?
And he has very good professional product available.?

Graham

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From: Jack Reisland <reislandj001@hawaii.rr.com>
Date: Tue, 09 Nov 1999 08:53:18 -1000
Subject: [Baren 6532] Re: New site. 

A while back, I got my father in law to call Matsumurasan, and he very
graciously sent me a copy of his catalog, in Japanese. My dad in law then
translated much of it for me. The pages on barens are already in the Baren
encyclopedia, provided by Dave. Much of it was on paper and wood, probably
not stuff you would want to order all the way from Japan. There are a couple
of pages of carving tools, a little less expensive than McClain's, but I
don't know how the qualities compare. There are also a couple pages of
brushes. Hanga bake seem to be a little cheaper than McClain's, maru bake
are more, but he has a larger size range (6.0 cm X 18.2 cm- 11760 yen!).
There is one page each of color pigments and sumi, and some misc. I was
mostly looking for his shark skins (cleaned, dried, unmounted - 6000 to
12000 yen).
   Although I have not actually ordered anything from him, I got the
impression (much reinforced by his web site) that it would be difficult to
do so without speaking or writing Japanese.

Jack

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From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@home.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Nov 1999 11:48:10 -0800
Subject: [Baren 6533] Re: New site. 

Thanks Jack,

The shark skin sure interests me....hummmm  That's 84.00 up to 168.00
the Yen is so high just now....

Graham

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From: Jack Reisland <reislandj001@hawaii.rr.com>
Date: Tue, 09 Nov 1999 10:29:27 -1000
Subject: [Baren 6534] Re: New site. 

I too thought it was a tad high. I was also following up another very
promising sounding lead for angel shark skins out of Australia, but that seems
to have stalled some how. I have just written to them again to see if I could
get things re-started, and will let you know what I come up with. I also found
that a variety of angel shark is commercially fished in your area, Graham, and
sold as spiny dog fish or spiny dog shark (but not to be confused with the
regular dog fish or shark). Maybe you can find something there.

Jack

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From: Josephine Severn <severn@acay.com.au>
Date: Tue, 09 Nov 1999 19:42:48 +1100
Subject: [Baren 6535] Print exchange 

Hi everyone

I wonder if you 'oldies' realise how frustrating it is for us 'newbies'
to listen to all the exciting chatter about print exchanges that we are
not part of? I am definately 'in' the next, providing you'll have me?

The varied interpretations of a single print sounds like one of those
projects you get given in art school. Not say that that's not a bad idea
however. They always used to amaze me how the students would all come up
with different interpretations and excellent work around the topic.
I think it is a good idea. Especially if it leads the group into an
investigation into a particular artist's work, or a printing style or
method. 

I saw a work once (I have the info somewhere) about an artist who took
one image and cut it into squares and then rendered each square in a
different manner, after a particular artist or school. You know, there
was the picasso square, the van gogh square etc. Interesting comment on
artistic interpretation but one which is all to easily copied. Wish I
could remember her name.

Whichever image you choose Dave, can you choose one with vegetation in
it? I put my name on the list some time ago.

A friend of mine in Texas sent me information about a print show/prize
in San Antonio, it closes Dec 18th. Info has been put on the Print Aus
page. Too soon for me, and a bit far, but if you have some slides of
your work handy you might like to enter. Its a fundraiser for stonemetal
press a printmaking co-operative.

yours in printmaking
Josephine

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From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@home.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Nov 1999 13:04:08 -0800
Subject: [Baren 6536] Re: Print exchange 

>Whichever image you choose Dave, can you choose one with vegetation in
>it? I put my name on the list some time ago.

AND a lighthouse.....

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From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@home.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Nov 1999 13:09:39 -0800
Subject: [Baren 6537] Re: New site. 

Jack

A fellow that was putting a new roof on my studio told me he use to be a
commerical fisherman and mention sharks.  I asked him to get me the name of
someone that I could contact.   Nothing yet.
I will persue this further.  Thanks for the memory jog

Graham

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From: David Bull <davebull@woodblock.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1999 08:46:25 +0900
Subject: [Baren 6538] Re: New site. 

Graham wrote:
> http://www.woodlike.co.jp/

> Dave is this the chap you told us was going to put up a site?

Yes, this is Matsumura-san, ready at last ...  (at least sort of ready -
the site is still very much in preparation; the section on knives is not
ready, among others.)

> And he has very good professional product available.?

Well yes ... and no.  Traditional type printmakers here generally deal
with the baren makers, brush makers, etc. etc. directly - ordering 'from
the horse's mouth'.  I doubt very much that many of the members of the
old craftsman's group have even heard of Matsumura-san.

Matsumura-san's market is 'sosaku hanga' people (modern printmakers) and
'Sunday printmakers'.  Namely - most [Baren] members!

His barens:
- - a complete range, from the top professional stuff, down to hobby
things.

Wood:
- - all my surimono prints this year have been made on boards that I got
from Matsumura-san

Brushes:
- - basically the same stuff that is available anywhere here now.  I don't
feel so happy with them, but it's no good crying about the 'old days'
...

Edged tools:
- - Very useable stuff.  Might seem a bit expensive to folks overseas, but
when you use them you'll see why ...

Paper:
- - a good range of printmaking papers, with the emphasis on heavy stuff
for modern printmaking styles.

Other stuff:
- - I use his 'mold stop' stuff ...  I sometimes use his 'ategami', the
slick paper that is used between the printing paper and the baren.  I
swear by his thick black sumi concentrate - invaluable for getting a
black so deep you can fall into it.


I should mention also that they are good people - you can trust them
completely.  Their English is ... well you can see from the page what
their English is like, but it's a lot better than your Japanese, right?

Jack added:
> Although I have not actually ordered anything from him, I got the
> impression (much reinforced by his web site) that it would be 
> difficult to do so without speaking or writing Japanese.

Matt Brown has experience dealing with them, and as far as I know, did
so with no problems.

***

Josephine wrote:
> I wonder if you 'oldies' realise how frustrating it is for us 
> 'newbies' to listen to all the exciting chatter about print 
> exchanges that we are not part of?

Yep ... we sure do!  :~)

***

Seeing you guys mention sharkskin again reminds me that when I was at
Matt's place last month, he showed me a small piece of that 'dragonskin'
stuff, and asked me what I thought of it.

The piece was pretty small, but I grabbed one of my brushes and had a
quick rub at it.  Right away, the brown 'dust' started to build up on
it, telling us that it _was_ indeed cutting away at the hair.  We didn't
have time for a more exhaustive test, but it seems that dragonskin
_will_ work in the same way as sharkskin, to soften up your brushes.

Dave


P.S.  Sunday was 'Culture Day' celebrations here in Hamura.  I put a
couple of photos up on the 'Show and Tell' board ...

http://woodblock.com

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From: Maria Arango <Maria@mariarango.com>
Date: Tue, 09 Nov 1999 17:27:30 -0800
Subject: [Baren 6539] Re: New site. 

> 'Sunday printmakers'.  Namely - most [Baren] members!

I resemble that remark! Everyone knows that Sunday is
lawn-trash-clean-the-house and rest-a-bit-day. We Southwestern types are
Saturday prinmakers, thank you. : )

Anyone that dealt with Dan Patrick know how long it takes for a press to
make the road trip from his place to the US of A? My press was shipped
last Friday by Canadian freight, then transferred to US, truck I assume.
Graham, any ETA tips?

Maria

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From: B Mason <bemason@concentric.net>
Date: Tue, 09 Nov 1999 17:36:11 -0800
Subject: [Baren 6540] freight to LV 

Maria,
Once it gets to the US it will take about 5 days to get to you,
depending on the freight line and how many times it transfers from one
truck to another. If it comes direct you could have it in 3 days after
it clears customs. We ship stuff all the time and it all depends on the
freight company and what their routes are. If you don't see it in a
week, get on the phone, ask for the freight line and get a PRO number
from Patrick Press. This is how they will track it if it comes truch
freight. He should have gotten this when he shipped it. Call the freight
line in you city, or closest city and they should be able to tell you
exactly when it will arrive. Computers have made tracking freight a
piece of cake (well, maybe not that good).
Barbara

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From: szvetecz <szvetecz@alexia.lis.uiuc.edu>
Date: Tue, 9 Nov 1999 19:42:43 -0600
Subject: [Baren 6541] RE: Print exchange 

Josephine,
The artist you are thinking of is Pat Stier (or maybe Steir).  She is one of 
my favorite artists. She is a conceptual artist/painter whose work has a 
pronouced lyric quality.

Margaret 
(Currently I lurk on the baren site but I haven't posted as of yet.)

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From: David Bull <davebull@woodblock.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1999 11:07:25 +0900
Subject: [Baren 6542] Re: New site. 

Maria wrote:
> > 'Sunday printmakers'.  Namely - most [Baren] members!
> >
> I resemble that remark! 

Ooh, am I in trouble?

Actually I said:
> 'sosaku hanga' people (modern printmakers) and
> 'Sunday printmakers'.  Namely - most [Baren] members!

There are _two_ categories there, that cover all [Baren] members
but one.  Choose whichever one you like!

Dave

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From: Maria Arango <Maria@mariarango.com>
Date: Tue, 09 Nov 1999 21:04:11 -0800
Subject: [Baren 6544] joking, joking 

No offenseat all taken for the Sunday-printmaker remark, Dave, I was in
a good mood, enjoyed your analysis of Matsumura, and felt a bit playful.
If you ever print with oil inks you will understand (I think it's called
"chemical psychosis").
Health, sniiiiiiiffff, to all,
Maria

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From: Julio.Rodriguez@walgreens.com
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1999 04:13:38 -0600
Subject: [Baren 6547] Re: Print exchange theme...OOOPS! 

Yes,  I can see a theme developing for exchange #5......a LIGHTHOUSE in the
middle of a tropical jungle...with the top of the light tower just barely
sticking up above the upper canopy of VEGETATION....calling attention to down
below on the ground level where a wild ferocious pack of RATS are attacking a
poor defenseless SHEEP.......that's been hit on the head by a BASEBALL...(that's
my request!)

I am sure Dave has just such a picture ( or something close!) among his vast
resources of old hanga.....

ps......We'll have to have the sheep wear a hat to accomodate Gayle and also
plenty of room for dogs & cats for those many Bareners that fancy pets.....just
go ahead an add your own piece to the composition!

 Did I mentioned the giant turtle ?

Julio {:-)

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From: David Bull <davebull@woodblock.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1999 19:15:19 +0900
Subject: [Baren 6548] Hey, Who? 

I have been a bit delinquent this afternoon ... I should have been
carving on my current print ... but got tired of all that fur, and
played a bit of hooky instead.

At long last, the 'Who is Baren?' page has been updated with a whole
bunch of new images - from members Crawford, Robertson, Ryrie, White and
Williams.

http://woodblock.com

My 'waiting to do' file for that page is now empty, but I'm sure that
more members are waiting to be included.  If you are one of them, you
will see a new link on the 'Who is Baren?' page that gives instructions
on what to do ...

Dave

Back to the jungle ...

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End of Baren Digest V9 #774
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