Plum Blossoms

Hello Friends

I have been quite busy during the time that I haven't been blogging. I did a number of woodcut prints last year. The last one was a pretty little print of plum blossoms. I made quite a few prints for framing and a lot for cards. The background was hand painted so took a little time.

Plum Blossoms, woodcut with hand colouring, Karr, 2014

I also participated in a small print exchange earlier in 2014. Only 18 participants thank goodness. I am not used to doing editions bigger than 5 or 10 (except for Christmas card illustrations) and it is hard to keep the quality up. I originally made the exchange print as a very personal gift for a friend of a friend whose husband had just died.  But I liked the effect of an inkjet transfer background with the message printed in black over so much that I used it for the exchange.

ink jet transfer background, woodcut print edition of 22, Karr 2014

I had entries in a few Waikato Society of Arts shows as well. And went looking at a lot of shows in big galleries and small places. One that I really enjoyed was a posthumous show of a selection of Stan Boyle's prints-- some done here and some done in China. He really loved his time in China. That show was at David Lloyd's little private gallery.

Just the other day I went to see Kate Hill's show at Artspost. It was called Place Marks and was an exploration of all the things she loves about her property, the foliage and birds, done in monoprints, woodcuts, collages, and paintings.   Being familiar with her work I could see the progression from her previous pieces to these new lovely pieces. 

Rabbits by Fiona Tunnicliffe 2014

Fiona working on a ceramic sculpture

At the same time at Artspost this month I really enjoyed a display of the work of ceramic sculptor Fiona Tunnicliffe. The show was called Edward's Companions. I assumed she was referencing Edward also known as Teddy Bear. Great reasonably large in most cases, animals. Great sense of humour as you can see by her titles eg. Houndstooth puppy, Chair with Crocodile, How to Cook a Hare.

Mad Dog Bad Dog, monoprint using a Gellipad, 

Karr 2014

You can look at more of the work by these New Zealand artist by looking them up on Google.

Deadlines..................

Despite doing a lot of preparation, doing sketches, buying paint, preparing canvas-- I found myself making little books this week. My self imposed project was actually to do a nude portrait for Waikato Society of Arts members' show. Entries to be in next week.

I've gone to several workshops and read lots of books about making books over the years. It is enjoyable to make a little book for your own use. Although  I am probably not alone in thinking the little books are too pretty to actually use and just wrap them up and put them away for another day.

Gwen Diehn's book real life Journals (Lark Books ISBN 13:978-1-60059-492-2) did stimulate me to think maybe I could do a journal about the content and discussion of the study group I recently started attending. I had actually put a few thoughts together on the computer already, and copied some readings we were using for the basis of the study. So.. it was only a short step to considering making a little journal. Four little books later I am well behind with my nude painting.

The book is very interesting (well I don't tend to read dull books), with lots of illustrations. Gwen Diehn has tackled a large subject in a very ordered manner. She says she is a long-time lover of journals and journaling with several bookshelves devoted to her journals.  I am not addicted to journaling but am in love with books so was more than happy to browse through her book and find the parts that interested me most-- directions for making the books and for making covers for the books. 

I do think the book making directions are not completely user friendly. But several readings, careful attention to the diagrams and a few trials later I felt comfortable with the technique for making what she calls 'Flat-style Australian reversed piano hinge'. The beauty of this technique is that your book opens flat, there is no sewing involved, and you can add , take out, or replace pages easily. 

If you were bored at a meeting and had some extra paper with you you could make a small version of this book in your lap. You wouldn't even need scissors if you tore the paper carefully. 

On the left the front cover of my study journal and right above the inside of the potential journal.