[Baren] the mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking Baren Digest Saturday, 22 July 2000 Volume 12 : Number1085 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John and Jan Telfer Date: Sat, 22 Jul 00 00:03:31 -0000 Subject: [Baren 10552] Re:Brown Gallery "Baren Digest" Sharen >http://www.renbrown.com/gallery.html Thank you for posting this website and the discussion of the TV programme. Of course we won't get it "down under", but I did scan through just a couple of the artists featured in the gallery and to my excitement was Katsunori Hamanishi and his Division 51 and X....well, believe it or not.....I have an original " " and it is a messotint Division 44 (32/50) and is of 6 coloured plates segmented of a rice "dolly"...and the print actually measures 16 inches x 26 inches and the frame is 2 feet by about 3 feet. It was in an exhibition here in Fremantle (south of Perth, Western Australia) in Gallery East and being an old messotint fan couldn't resist buying it. So...how about that! I couldn't believe my eyes!!!! Thank you, Sharen. Now I will have to go back and look at the rest of the artists and then walk around my walls!!!!! Jan in sunny Perth, Australia ------------------------------ From: slinder@mediaone.net Date: Fri, 21 Jul 2000 11:34:03 -0500 Subject: [Baren 10553] Re:Brown Gallery > >http://www.renbrown.com/gallery.html > .......... Katsunori Hamanishi and his Division 51 and X....well, Hi, Jan! I had to go back to the 'gallery' to see your print! What beautiful work! These were internet galleries also suggested at go to July 18 The Verne Collection The Ronin Gallery Sharen ------------------------------ From: Julio.Rodriguez@walgreens.com Date: Fri, 21 Jul 2000 14:27:11 -0500 Subject: [Baren 10554] Printmakers For anyone who has not had enough on the digital vs hand-pulled debate, there's a good debate going on now over at the Printmakers list. Because this group caters to a wider range of disciplines than found at Baren there are quite a few twists to the debate..... Hopefully none of the people in that debate will take this the wrong way, but I think this one it's too funny....one thread follows on the idea that some people start out by creating a digital image, use an inkjet to print it.... but then use photo and other screening techniques to obtain a matrix that is then printed in intaglio fashion to create true hand-pulled prints.....others complain that this is not good and will not help in promoting digital art prints.... Check it out.....at: Printmakers List @ www.onelist.com To post a message send e-mail to printmakers@onelist.com For subscribe / unsubscribe info go to www.onelist.com/ ------------------------------ From: Kris Alder Date: Fri, 21 Jul 2000 15:42:47 -0600 Subject: [Baren 10555] RE: Exchange #6 Hi All! Whew! Just put the finishing touches on my print for exchange 6. What a relief! In a summer that has been made up of leaping from one "crisis" to the next, it feels great to have accomplished this goal. Now to get them in the mail... I joined Baren several months ago and even signed on and said hello a time or two, but I've been mostly observing in the background. It's been enlightening and informative. Thank you for all of the good information and "stimulating discussion." I read back through some of the old digests and found out that I never really introduced myself, so I thought I'd tell you who I am and a little about my background. My name is Kristine, though I usually go by Kris. I was born in Salt Lake City, where I lived until I was about 13. My family moved to south central Utah where I stayed until about six years ago. My husband decided it was time to return to the university to finish his degree, so we packed up the kids (two boys, and a girl sandwiched in between) and headed for Utah State University in Logan. Cache Valley is in the northernmost corner of Utah, near the Idaho and Wyoming Borders, in the mountains. The area we had lived in was considered high desert even though it too was in the Manti/LaSal mountains. Whenever I see one of Maria's landscapes, it reminds me of the desert of southern Utah/Nevada and brings me a little closer to home. Thanks Maria! After Glen (my sweet husband) graduated, we decided I should go back and finish up too. I had put it off after we started our family. Initially I went back with a goal of getting a degree in Graphic Design, since I had been doing alot of that kind of work anyway, along with illustration. As part of the graphics program, we were required to take a course in printmaking. As soon as I pulled my first print I was totally hooked! That was an intaglio print. Then we did woodblock and linocuts. My blood turned to printer's ink then and there! I was fortunate to do an internship with the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art here on campus, working primarily with the Education Curator. We spent a great deal of time training docents to work in our Museum. The idea was that by training and teaching them, they could help pass on good information to the viewing public, boosting our goal of educating the public about art. Many of the schools from all over Northern Utah and even Idaho, from elementary to upper secondary, would come to the museum during the school year. It was a great opportunity to teach the newest generation of art lovers what is really important about art and what makes it such a big part of our lives and cultures. The children make such interesting comments about the art they see. There are a couple of paintings and assembleges in the museum that seem to repulse many adult patrons because the themes are very dark and forboding. What I found interesting was that most of the children could sit right down in front of these pieces and tell the adults what was going on. They often helped to educate the "close-minded" adults around them. It was amazing stuff! I completed my BFA degree in printmaking, with an additional emphasis in Graphics, this spring. (And no, I don't want to touch the digital vs. hand-made issue with a ten foot pole! I'm definitely staying neutral.) Somewhere along the way I decided that I would like to teach to pays the bills, and also so that I could ultimately do what I want to do...make art. I am doing some student-teaching in art this fall in order to get my teaching credentials. Glen and the kids (and the dogs,too...you know, many missed walks and swims for the poor things) have been patient (most of the time)and supportive of my exploration, whims, and wanderings in art. I think they have even come to appreciate the art that hangs on our walls. Julio, you raised an interesting question a while ago, talking about themes in artwork. I know there has already been quite a bit of input on your question and we all seem to have our own perspective. In art school I think we are encouraged to explore themes. I think sometimes that it just makes it easier on the professors if everyone is working on the same theme (like the bowl of fruit or the skull...don't yell you profs out there.) I've noticed different themes at different times in my life. For example, for a long time all I did was weathered old trees and pieces of wood. I still don't know why. Something in me wanted to identify the stability of the trees through all of the forces that were against them I suppose. I had my portfolio juried at the end of spring semester this year and the juror's response was, "It's all very nice work, but I don't really find out too much about who you are from your work." I think it was Andrea who sited a similar example, and I'm sure there are many more out there with the same story to tell. Similar to Andrea, I have gone through various themes only to come back to wildlife. Most of my work has to do with wildlife, the mountain areas where I live, and various bits of nature. Even the books I like to make usually have some relation to this "theme." Maybe it doesn't tell much about who I am as a person, but I certainly hope that it is a reflection of me and the value I place on the natural world. Well. Enough of that. I'm sorry to have gone on so long. I promise that future postings will be shorter. Thanks for the great URLs lately. So much good useful info.! Soon to be cuttin' and printin' again, Kris *********************** Kristine Alder, Printmaker/Art Educator Logan, UT *********************** ------------------------------ From: Cucamongie@aol.com Date: Fri, 21 Jul 2000 19:13:52 EDT Subject: [Baren 10556] boot camp, Martha Stewart Hi all, finally got a chance to see Graham's bootcamp pages - love them! looks like you folks had fun and did some lovely work - kudos all of you - Gayle, love your "take me to your leader" look, I wear similar goggle-type things when I can discipline myself to, as I seem to always get sawdust in my eyes. As for Martha Stewart, I already made comments on the after-five forum, but anyway, I thought Joshua Rome was pleasant, and a good sport to let Martha use his tools etc! I liked his simple way of doing a bokashi by twisting a paper towel in a circle after applying pigment for a circular bokashi. I too am curious as to whether he always prints on dry paper, also, he was using the deckle edges of the paper, even to drop into the kento, must make it more difficult to get a very accurate registration. I'm curious about the kimono dye as well, anyone ever used this, or Dave, have you ever seen this stuff? I also wonder about the pigment applied directly to the brush, I've always seen it put on the block. Martha I find to be scary, just my gut reaction! Also, in the "history" part of the program, they said that Hiroshige became a buddhist monk and started doing woodblock prints at the age of 60, doesn't this sound like an exaggeration?? best wishes Sarah ------------------------------ From: Julio.Rodriguez@walgreens.com Date: Fri, 21 Jul 2000 18:34:19 -0500 Subject: [Baren 10557] Printmakers today... Not meaning to open up any old wounds....What follows is a post I made to the Printmakers list I mentioned on an earlier post today.... "On the current subject of digital vs hand-pulled, I hope I don't ruffle any feathers. I am open to digital prints and seen some really wonderful work. Like someone said, crap is crap regardless of the tool in use..........as someone who has worked in the computer field for over 22 years, I am always impressed with the way man can get machines to do things in a faster more consistent fashion. As long as we label the work and technique involved appropriately everyone shoud be happy. While the amount of effort required to create a successful digital image can equal or surpass the artist doing non-computer asssisted work....the actual steps required to hand-pull a print can not compare with watching a finished digital image on a screen and then clicking a button to obtain a "safe" print. Part of the magic is that moment of doubt when you pull the paper away from your matrix and wonder wether you got a good one or not.....the repetitive creation of multiples that are always going to be just a "bit" off from each other, makes it for a magic that can not be compared with the cold output of a printer.... To me, the act of creating a print involves a very simple action. Ink to matrix, for an impression on paper to be taken. Until the ink actually touches the paper.....a "print" has not been created, it just does not exist. You may have a design, or a digital art work, or a drawing, or a woodblock, or a linocut...or whatever....but until ink hits paper....you don't have a print. Like in the old japanese tradition of woodblock prinmaking where the division of labor would have the artist create a design to pass on to a carver to cut and then to one or many printers to make the impressions.........a piece of computer software and a high end printer take up the roll of the carver and the printer for the modern digital artist. In the true sense of the word...I don't consider people like Hasui, Yoshida, Hiroshige great printmakers.....great artists yes, wonderful visionaries and designers.... YES....but a printmaker by definition has to do that and more.....get his hands dirty....you got to work your format, you have to handle the paper and get ink in your fingernails...and you have to be able to exercise control over your edition....... In all fairness you can't equate that type of effort to someone loading a PC with a new upgrade for it's favorite graphics tool or putting in a new ink cartridge on your color printer..... There is some great digital art work being created today...really wonderful imaging unlike anything seen before !!!!.........but it is not been done by printmakers! " ------------------------------ From: Graham Scholes Date: Fri, 21 Jul 2000 19:23:47 -0700 Subject: [Baren 10559] Somethin' new Have updated the newest effort on my site. Just a little more light...... http://members.home.net/gscholes/triple.html Graham ------------------------------ From: David Bull Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2000 12:50:53 +0900 Subject: [Baren 10560] Re: questions ... Sarah wrote: > I'm curious about the kimono dye as well, anyone ever used this, or Dave, have you > ever seen this stuff? I experimented with using dyes instead of pigments in the early years of working here in Japan. I quit for a couple of reasons: - - the result was not as pleasing as that obtained with the traditional pigment/washi combination. When dyed, the paper takes on an appearance of being 'saturated' with the colour, rather than the soft blend of pigment and paper that we see in the traditional method. - - I was strongly warned against it by other printers, who mostly were afraid of finding that the colour in the print would change a lot in subsequent years. None of this is to speak against Rome's way, as I have no experience at all with the particular dyes or methods he is using ... *** > I also wonder about the pigment applied directly to the brush, > I've always seen it put on the block. Most common method here is to dab directly onto the wood, but dabbing onto the brush is also frequently seen, as is dabbing onto a tile placed beside the woodblock. There are also other methods available for those times when there are extremely fine lines in the block, and you have to avoid any build-up of pigment whatsoever. You use whatever method gives the best control for the particular situation facing you at any moment. *** > Also, in the "history" part of the program, they said that Hiroshige became a buddhist > monk and started doing woodblock prints at the age of 60, doesn't this sound like an > exaggeration?? It's balderdash. If this is indicative of the depth of their research, then one has to doubt the veracity of everything else they say too ... Dave ------------------------------ From: Caz Bentley Date: 22 Jul 00 00:56:58 EDT Subject: [Baren 10561] Re: X-Mailer: USANET web-mailer (34WB1.4.03) Hi, I'm Caz and this seemed like a good way to start. I have a Hons. Ba.in fine arts from the University of Waterloo, Canada. I went on to get a B.ed. at Western, also in Canada. My interest in printmaking is in wood-engraving, spurred by inheriting an antique press and some engraving burins from a family friend. I've been working in wood-engraving for eight years, only creating a couple a year because I also have a stained glass studio, Verre Borealis, I am an educator, and in the summer, a carpenter. Many of my prints are Celtic in theme. I have experimented in Intaglio and Serigraph. Print makers that particularly inspire me are, Albrecht Durer, Maurits Escher, Hokusai, Edvard Munch, and my friend Steve Von Mossel who did wood-block prints as big as 36" X 50". My other interests in art are, wood-carving, sculpture, painting, silver-point drawing, calligraphy & illumination. I live in Canada, near Toronto. I am married to a writer, and have a nine year old son. In my spare time, which I have little of, I pull on my battered armour and take stance against worthy, and some not so worthy opponents. We belong to the Society for Creative Anachronism, a Medievel recreation thing. I'm glad my wife found your site...it looks like something that will hold my interest for a long time. What I have seen so far, has been very impressive. We have only lately created a website, and you are welcome to roam. Soon, I will have more of my prints and other artwork on there as well. http://sites.netscape.net/jcazbentley ------------------------------ From: Gerald Soworka Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2000 22:29:42 +1000 Subject: [Baren 10562] Re: questions ... > David Bull wrote: > they said that Hiroshige became a buddhist > >> > monk and started doing woodblock prints at the age of 60, >> >> It's balderdash. If this is indicative of the depth of their research, >> then one has to doubt the veracity of everything else they say too ... >> > So for us less literate folk out here, What is the real story? Gerald - -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gerald Soworka - On-line Gallery and Portfolio http://www.crosswinds.net/~geralds/art.html (Contains gallery of prints, drawings and paintings, as well as a detailed rŽsumŽ and calendar of forthcoming exhibitions and activities.) ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V12 #1085 *****************************