Melissa West Santa Cruz, California USA


'The Cut Worm Thanks the Plow'

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Artist's comments ...

Name: Melissa West
Location: Santa Cruz, CA

Print Title: The Cut Worm Thanks the Plow
Paper Dimension: Chuban, 10" x 7.5"
Image Dimension: 7" x 5"
Block: Linoleum
Ink: Daniel Smith
Paper: Rives BFK Heavyweight
Edition: 55
Comments: "The cut worm thanks the plow" is one of William Blake's "Proverbs of Hell."  Blake was a free-thinking visionary and an innovative printmaker.  In his theology, heaven was associated with reason and structure, while Hell was the realm of the body and therefore of passion and creativity.  His "Proverbs of Hell" posit a new and independent worldview. 
My other inspiration is the primers used in early American schools.  These often drew upon Bible verses for their lessons.  The subtitle of the New England Primer was "Spritual milk for American babes, drawn from the breasts of both testaments."
I would like to imagine a world where children are taught to value and celebrate non-conformity.  Consider this print the first page of a new primer.