[Baren] the mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking Baren Digest Sunday, 23 July 2000 Volume 12 : Number1086 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Bull Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2000 22:14:21 +0900 Subject: [Baren 10563] Re: questions ... Gerald wrote: > So for us less literate folk out here, What is the real story? Well, I'm not the historian here, but how about I pull something off my shelf here for a basic outline of Hiroshige's life. *** Quote from 'Images From the Floating World' by Richard Lane: Hiroshige (1797=971858): this last major master of the Ukiyo-e School (d.= IX/6/1858) was born in 1797, son of an Edo fire warden. Hiroshige succeeded to his father=92s hereditary post early but in 1811 entered the= studio of the ukiyo-e master Utagawa Toyohiro, soon receiving the nom d'artiste Hiroshige. His first published work, in the field of book illustration, dates from 1818; during the following decade Hiroshige published capable work in the field of figure prints: actors, warriors and girls. From the year 1831 he began (under the influence of the great Hokusai) the series of landscape prints that were to make his name: Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido. and later Famous Views of Japan, Famous Views of Kyoto, Eight Views of Lake Biwa, Sixty-nine Stations of the Kiso Highway. Though not the prodigious eccentric that Hokusai was, Hiroshige nevertheless made a large contribution to the development of the landscape print, as well as to the field of flower-and-bird prints (these revealing his inclination toward the Kyoto Shijo school more than toward ukiyo-e). In effect, Hiroshige consolidated the landscape form and adapted it to popular taste, thereby diffusing the form to all strata of society. But eventually this also led to overproduction and declining standards of quality. At his best, however, Hiroshige was a master of the impressionist, poetic view of nature, and he remains the best-loved of all Japanese artists. Among his pupils were Hiroshige II, Shigekatsu, Shigekiyo and Hiroshige III. *** Nothing here about = > Hiroshige became a buddhist monk and started doing = > woodblock prints at the age of 60 ... Dave ------------------------------ From: Gayle Wohlken Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2000 09:43:04 -0400 Subject: [Baren 10564] Re: Baren Digest V12 #1085 For all those in Baren Exchange #6, I believe I have a little show we can put these in. My friend, Heidi, is an art professor at Kent State University's Geauga Branch, here in Burton. She stopped over last night for a chat and to show me photos of a number of large paintings she did this summer at Rocky Mountain National Park. Then she asked me if I'd put up an exhibit of my woodcuts in the gallery at Kent/Geauga come October. I said yes, of course; then I got a little brainstorm. There is a wonderful big enclosed window (showcase) style like a department store window beside the door of the gallery. I asked Heidi if I could put Exchange 6 in the showcase (the prints are small enough) and we wouldn't even have to frame them as we will put up a few thin "clotheslines" and pin the prints to them with tiny clothespins. There would be room for all the prints, plus a display on the floor of the showcase which could show the tools of the different styles of printmaking; oil, hanga and possibly engraving if any of those show up in the prints. We'd put a rich color curtain for the backdrop and an explanation about the Baren Forum and Encyclopedia. Let me know if you like this idea. * * Welcome to Caz (I went to your webpage, Caz, but found the images of your work downloaded too slowly--I have a fairly fast computer, too.) Maybe your resolution is too high. * * Welcome again to Kris Alder and thanks for sharing your story with us. I like Utah--went there when I was only about 20; took the train across the country with a boyfriend and visited his parents in Ogden. Such beautiful country and those mountains! It was my first view of the West and when the train pulled out of the station to come back east, I admit I wept a little; the goodbye to such magnificence felt too final. The color of the sun setting on those mountains I'll never forget. We even had an earthquake while I was out there. What a trip!!! * * Graham, lovely new lighthouse!!! Gayle ------------------------------ From: Vollmer/Yamaguchi Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2000 10:07:10 -0400 Subject: [Baren 10565] Re: Baren Digest V12 #1084 Boot camp looks pretty good, Graham, thanks for the pictures. Lynita, thank you for the review of Martha Stewart's woodcut artist. I had to be at work at the time. Dry paper and kimono dyes sound strange to me, too! Boy, that Martha gets around, though. And who was talking about Southern Graphics Council? I was thinking of going next time to the meeting Austin, now that I know some of the participants. Does anyone know who I might contact about doing a demonstration? And Dave, yes, I recommended "WOODBLOCK.com" not "WOODCUT.com" always have to remember! April Vollmer 174 Eldridge St, NYC 10002, 212-677-5691 http://www.aprilvollmer.com ------------------------------ From: Krista Harberson Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2000 23:55:13 +0900 Subject: [Baren 10566] Re: Baren Digest V12 #1084 april, sydney cross is the current president i believe and greg carter is the current v.p. i can't remember which school in austin is hosting SGC next year but it's always a good turnout. last year i spoke on a panel at the conference in miami, they pay you a little something for expenses and such but really just a great chance to net work and see a lot of art. my advice is find out which scool is hosting the conference and then contact the schools liason to SGC. i'm sure others will have suggestions as to a course of action. hope you find what you're looking for. krista harberson ogaki-shi, gifu-ken japan ------------------------------ From: baren_member@woodblock.com (Margaret M. Szvetecz) Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2000 11:41:54 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [Baren 10567] SGC conference in 2001 Message posted by: Margaret M. Szvetecz The University of Texas at Austin is hosting the Southern Graphics Conference in March, 2001. Here is the URL for the printmaking unit in the Art Department at UIUC: http://www.utexas.edu/cofa/a_ah/studio/sa_print.html This site includes a link to SGC's 2001 conference site. Margaret (Szvetecz) szvetecz@alexia.lis.uiuc.edu ------------------------------ From: B Mason Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2000 08:30:21 -0700 Subject: [Baren 10568] Southern Graphics Council Border Crossings is the theme for the 2001 Southern Graphics Council Conference at the University of Texas at Austin. The words may first bring to mind the physical reality of geographical/political borders. Multiculturalism, one of the most widely used catchwords of the '90s, has its roots in the dynamic blending of cultures occurring most frequently across borders. With Texas' proximity providing a vantage point, we are well positioned to examine the rich heritage of Mexican, Central and South American influences, all of which have stirred the imaginations of artists. Border Crossings is a theme that allows many other interpretations as well: there are borders between disciplines, techniques, between the traditional and the new. There are social delineations and psychological borders, real and perceived. This theme gives us the latitude to examine and explore issues crucial to artists who have just crossed the border into the 21st century. We invite proposals for panels, presentations and demonstrations that will explore the concept of "border" in its wider context. Submissions for the conference held March 7-11, 2001 in Austin are welcome. Information on Submissions Presentations and Panels: should fit into 1 hour and 20 minute block of time, including question and answer periods. An abstract of 500 words maximum is required for the deadline of August. 1, 2000. Panel proposals should contain the theme of the panel and a list of the proposed panel members with biographies and abstracts. After preselection, authors of presentations will send their full text, including a list of illustrations, slides, videos or other materials. Demonstrations: this year will follow three different formats. 1) There will be one large event taking place in several studios which will be ongoing throughout the conference, producing collaborative works which will illustrate the theme of Border Crossings. Artists for this project will be invited. 2) we are seeking people to demonstrate classical techniques such as wood and metal engraving, cribble, mezzotint etc. These demos will be short (around 1 hr.) and may be repeated. 3) demonstrations that do not fall into either of these categories can be presented to the conference in the form of videos for viewing throughout the conference and will be for sale as well. Written ideas for your videos can be submitted by the deadline of Aug. 1, and if accepted, completed video should be submitted by Dec.1, 2000. To respond to the call for participation, send proposals to Tom Druecker Department of Art and Art History University of Texas at Austin Art Building, 23rd and San Jacinto Austin, TX 78712-1104 or email submissions to cheesehead@mail.utexas.edu Note: all proposals, papers, presentations and other entries should be accompanied by a cover page stating full name and address of the authors, the title and a short abstract of the contents. NAME INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION ADDRESS CITY/STATE/POSTAL CODE PHONE/FAX/EMAIL I intend to submit a project/paper/panel entitled__________, and the abstract is enclosed. Digital Image Roundup: we are requesting digital print images for use and display during the conference. These images may be used during the course of collaborative projects, printed as hard copy, displayed via the web or on video monitors. Specifications for these are Mode: RGB Resolution 72 dpi File Format: JPEG Maximum Pixwl Dimensions: 640 horizontal, 480 vertical. Number: Up to ten images per participant. Send images as specified as email attachments to: digital@art1.art.utexas.edu. In the body of the email state that you give us permission to use your image in any non commercial manner we find fit. Images may or may not be used and those used may or may not be credited. Digital submission deadline is Jan. 1, 2001. For more information please contact Bob Anderson at bazooka@mail.utexas.edu. ------------------------------ From: Wanda Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2000 08:50:41 -0700 Subject: [Baren 10569] Re: questions ... David Bull wrote: > > 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 ... This statement was made by the woman at the museum! Brooklyn Art Museum - - so unless she has access to some resources that we don't - I have to wonder about her job security. All of the books I have read (mostly I look at the prints) said that Hiroshige was the son of a fireman & early on he got someone else to take his place in the fire brigade so he could pursue a career in the arts. I understood that he was very popular from an early age onward. Nothing was ever mentioned in these books about him becoming a monk - at any age. What have the rest of you found? Wanda ------------------------------ From: Gary Luedtke Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2000 15:42:43 -0400 Subject: [Baren 10570] Hiroshige Odd that Hiroshige became a Buddhist monk at the age of 60 and _ began_ doing woodblock prints then. As over 5,000 prints are reputed to be his output, and the fact that he was born in 1797 and died in 1858, which means he died at age 61?, means that guy turned out prints even faster than Maria! : ) ( O.K., Maria, this means you got a little under 6 months to get your 2000 prints done. ) Let's see, 5,000 in a year. 2,500 in 6 months, 1250 in 3, 625 in 6 wks, over 110 per week, that's over 14 prints per day! And he didn't even have a Mac! Richard Lane also says of Hiroshige, in his book, "Hiroshige, unlike Hokusai, lived a relatively uneventful life--his life was his work. He was a largely self-taught artisit, who limited himself to the devices and capacities of his own nature. Hiroshige was fond of travel, loved wine and good food, and in his other tastes was a true citizen of Edo. Dying ( in the midst of a Cholera epidemic in the autumn of 1858) he did not, like Hokusai, demand of heaven additional years to prove his greatness. He only enjoined his family to refrain from excessive funeral ceremony, quoting an old verse that well expresses the hedonism of old Edo: "When I die don't cremate me, don't bury me just throw me in the fields and let me fill the belly of some starving dog" Wow! Quite a Buddhist monk! Now that's selfless. My own guess as to the origin of this Buddhist Monk theory is this. One of his artist friends did a memorial portrait of Hiroshige dressed somewhat like a monk, and as this portrait would have depicted him at about the age of 60 or 61, someone, perhaps the lady at the Brooklyn Museum, saw the portrait, and without futher study, deduced that Hiroshige was a Buddhist monk at the age of 60. Now there's depth of research! I suspect, along with others, that she may be "promoted" soon to some other equally important role in the museum...... perhaps serving tea in the Garden Cafe, or sweeping up cigarette butts from the front steps? I guess what is equally disturbing, is that in the entire Martha Stewart production staff, no one was familiar enough with Hiroshige to catch the misinformation there. Gary KC ------------------------------ From: Legreenart@cs.com Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2000 20:07:42 EDT Subject: [Baren 10571] Re: Baren Digest V12 #1083 Suuthern Graphics Council includes members from everywhere. http://www.utc.edu/~utcsgc is the web site address. It is a great organization. The conferences are a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the company of other printmakers, and learn alot, too. Le ------------------------------ From: "Daniel L. Dew" Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2000 20:45:06 -0400 Subject: [Baren 10572] lotsa fun today Hello all! :-) Fun, fun, fun...... spent most of the day working on the print for exchange #6, only to get a brainstorm and spend the est of the day with the scanner and the iMac and a really old book of Victorian clipart for another idea for #6! Oh, phoey, now I have to pick one! One is very sweet and one is funny, in a wierd way. oh well, family calls. Maybe I'll win the $65M lottery and can open up my dream studio/school! see ya, dan dew ------------------------------ From: "Daniel L. Dew" Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2000 20:49:53 -0400 Subject: [Baren 10573] my dirty little secret Oh no, I just realized I gave up my dirty little secret and now Graham knows! :-0 Yes, sir. A MAC man! I have 17 Macs at work and 2 Macs at home and I love them! This one's an iMac. dan dew ------------------------------ From: "pwalls1234" Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2000 20:14:25 -0500 Subject: [Baren 10575] Re: my dirty little secret Dan, go mac ;-) I still run a small legion of Power Macs and one dell. do you like your imac? whatcha do with it verses a G-3 or 4? they are so cute, but? would love to know. pete baton rouge ------------------------------ From: Jack Reisland Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2000 17:33:25 -1000 Subject: [Baren 10577] Re: Hiroshige Gary Luedtke wrote: > ...Now there's depth of research! I suspect, along with others, that she > may > be "promoted" soon to some other equally important role in the museum...... > perhaps serving tea in the Garden Cafe, or sweeping up cigarette butts from > the front steps? ...It's been my experience that she will probably be promoted to curator, especially since she now knows Martha ($)! Jack Aiea, Hawaii ------------------------------ From: Graham Scholes Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2000 21:12:56 -0700 Subject: [Baren 10578] Re: lotsa fun today >spent most of the day working on the print for exchange #6, only to get a >brainstorm and spend the est of the day with the scanner and the iMac and a >really old book of Victorian clipart for another idea for #6! Yikes..... I broke out with hives and a rash and now I understand why. The Dr says it is stress ..... Graham Your just foolin around about clipart ...... aren't you? ------------------------------ From: Wanda Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2000 22:54:43 -0700 Subject: [Baren 10579] Re: my dirty little secret Yippee! Another Mack-er! I'm not telling how many I have, but I just acquired an old 280c duo-dock. The funnest Mac yet! Welcome to the Mac contingent, Dan! By the way, your print from the swap shop is wonderful! How did you do the gold robe? With acrylic? Or something exotic? Very nice! Wanda ------------------------------ From: Cucamongie@aol.com Date: Sun, 23 Jul 2000 09:00:01 EDT Subject: [Baren 10580] Hiroshige, primates, etc Hi all, Dave, thanks for your answers to my questions about the Martha Stewart segment. After getting out my Hiroshige books and doing some reading, I think perhaps what they were referring to as far as Hiroshige being 60 years old & printmaking is that apparently he started his last series, the "100 Famous Views of Edo" (I think that's the correct name) at the age of 60 (and very sadly, he died of cholera about a year later). Amazing that he was able to design all those GORGEOUS prints in the space of roughly a year! I also wanted to let people know that another one of my prints ("Two Lion Tamarins on Tree Branch") is up for auction which benefits the Primates Conservation Welfare Society, an organization which does a lot of work to try to help the many dwindling species of primates. The bidding starts at the ridiculously low price of $14.99. I think this seems like a very good organization - anyway, the link to the website is: http://www.primates-online.com/auction.html if you're interested in looking at the print and/or bidding. Best wishes, Sarah Hauser Cucamongie@aol.com ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V12 #1086 *****************************