I’m kind of a foodie and have always loved children’s picture books, so you’ll probably see both influences at work in my woodblock prints . My designs tend to be more whimsical than serious, though they sometimes muster themselves to convey MESSAGES OF GREATER IMPORT. This does, however, take more energy, so it doesn't reliably occur.
What *does* reliably occur is the process. Each woodblock print begins as a sketch -- maybe a doodle over a cup of coffee -- which I then play with until I have a pleasing illustration. For a couple days or weeks, I live with the image and think about the ideas underlying it; I make faces at the characters as I imagine their state in the scene and repeatedly pencil in and erase features and details until I feel the design is done. Then I transfer the drawing onto a woodblock (or blocks, if I want prints with more than one color) and I begin carving away any spaces that should be blank on the finished print. Carving mistakes happen and happy accidents happen -- as well as improvisation -- and the woodblock print always looks different than the original drawing -- and this, too, is great!
Once the woodblock is carved, I cover the raised surface with ink, lay a sheet of paper on top and rub the ink into the paper using favorite barens and wooden spoons. This is a completely hand done process -- I do not have a printing press -- so my editions tend to be small; and even within editions, minor variations will occur.
Happy Summer 2009!
For Michigan folk: The Shadow Art Fair at the Corner Brewery in Ypsilanti, MI is coming up fast! I'll have a table there, on Saturday July 18th, noon to midnight. Swing by & say hello!
Also, the next time you're in Dexter, please visit my framed prints at the Side Door Gallery adjoining the Dexter Picture Frame Company.
