[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking. Baren Digest Friday, 12 December 1997 Volume 01 : Number 013 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Bull Date: Thu, 11 Dec 1997 23:38:23 +0900 Subject: [Baren 63] Artists and Craftsmen There was a piece in my newspaper this evening that jumped up at me and yelled "[Baren] [Baren] Send me to [Baren]!" It's actually from an English teaching column, but if you can get past the stilted conversation style, there are some very interesting ideas expressed. *** 'Artists and Craftsmen' (Story by Margaret Price) Margaret: I have to buy some Christmas presents for my friends in Australia. Do you know any shops that sell good crafts? Keiko: Do you mean folk crafts? Margaret: I mean high quality crafts. Remember when I took you to some craft shops in Australia that had pottery and woodwork by Australian artists? Things like that. Keiko: You mean one-off pieces by artist-craftsmen? Margaret: Yes, I suppose that's what I mean. Is there another meaning? Keiko: Yes, we have two categories of crafts in Japan - those made by 'sakka' and those made by 'shokunin'. Margaret: 'Sakka' means "maker"? Keiko: "Creator," perhaps. But "artist-craftsmen" is probably how you would describe them in your culture. Margaret: And what was the other word? Keiko: Shokunin. A shokunin is someone who is skilled in a craft - for example, paper making, lacquerware making, pottery making, woodworking or cabinet making. Margaret: I think we would call a cabinet maker a "tradesman", but the others we would call "artisans" or "craftsmen". Keiko: But do your artisans and craftsmen sign their names to their work? Margaret: Usually, yes. Keiko: Well, I guess the big difference between sakka and shokunin in Japan is that shokunin don't sign their names, and they're following traditional patterns, not using their own creativity. Margaret: I suppose in the old days of craftsmen's guilds in Europe the craftsmen would all have been shokunin, just like in Japan. But things have changed so much with the machine age. Handmade objects have become too expensive for most people. Now, a craftsman can't survive unless he becomes an "artist." Keiko: It's similar in Japan too. Don't you think that the quality of handmade objects has gone down ever since artisans started signing their own names to their work? Margaret: Really, why? Keiko: Well, as soon as a person puts his or her name on a work, the artist starts trying too hard to be "different." Margaret: You mean their work becomes self-conscious. Keiko: Yes. Margaret: People tend to do much better work when they are working anonymously for a common goal. Keiko: Have you ever read essays by Yanagi Soetsu? Margaret: No, Who's he? Keiko: He's the founder of the mingei movement in Japan. Margaret: Mingei? Keiko: It literally means 'art of the people.' But we usually translate it as 'folk craft'. Yanagi coined the word in the 1920's. Margaret: You mean there was no name for folk art in Japanese before then? Keiko: There was no real distinction between 'art' and 'folk art' because just about everything was made by community effort. For example in the making of woodblock prints, there would have been one person to carve the wood, another person to do the printing, and there would have been one person overseeing the whole process. Margaret: What about the essays? Keiko: In Yanagi's essays he writes that the greatest beauty is to be found in objects that are made when the ego is not involved. Margaret: For example? Keiko: He talks about the rice bowls made by children and slaves in Korea in the 15th and 16th centuries. These bowls were regarded by the Japanese tea masters as having the profoundest beauty, and Yanagi said it was because they were made by people who had no interest in creating something artistic, but were just doing a repetitive job every day. Margaret: It's certainly true that some of the greatest art in the world has been made by unknown artisans. *** There you have it. I don't particularly agree with some of this, but there is certainly a lot of food for thought. Dave B. ------------------------------ From: Matthew.W.Brown@VALLEY.NET (Matthew W Brown) Date: 11 Dec 97 14:37:08 EST Subject: [Baren 64] Ego-less art, paste recipe, pigments, carving tools Baren, Graham: A bit back did you get talking about rice paste recipes? I am enjoying today recollections of my first visit with Hiroshi Yoshida's book (from 1939, see David Bull's list of 'related publications' for title, etc.) and particularly a quote of his form the Conclusion(p. 116): "After all, it is like painting - this art of colour printing. Each artist is entitled to work in his own way." In that spirit I will share my own approach to the rice paste: -with a heavy saucepan and some rice starch (used by bookmakers, available from Kremer Pigments, 800-995-5501) -use a proportion of approx. 1: 8 (1/2 tbspn starch (which is basically like your rice flour only maybe more pure) to 1/3 cup water -stir constantly over a low heat. Mixture will begin to turn translucent and thicken after a few minutes. Concentrate while stirring. There is a golden moment - before the paste starts to boil- when it is just right (take it just a little ways into that translucent state over the heat) and remove from the heat. If taken off too soon (or if proportion is too much water) paste will be runny, if heated too long paste will be too thick and then will not keep, becoming runny after a day. A good batch of paste kept in the refrigerator will keep several days. This approach is thanks primarily to Toshi Yoshida. Walter Phillips' approach of boiling the paste did not work as well for me. I was interested in your use of a rice and wheat flour mixture. I had found the wheat too sticky, but will try this mixture. Keith: Japan Woodworker has some excellent carving knives (Japanese made, that sell for approx. $16 US.). They are a bit different than the traditional "to", having a big long wide blead you can really get your fingers around. Comes with a cover. This and a little set of US-made micro gouges (Woodcraft Supply: comes with a pouch for approx. $40 US) is pretty much all I use for my carving. Students have really enjoyed this arrangement, for you can have the whole business in your pocket and, if you bring a little piece of rug under-matting with you (Japan Woodworker "Skid Not"), your are set to carve anywhere: kitchen table, in the restaurant, at your desk... (If you go to The Shop section of my web-site - www.ooloopress.com - you will find links to the Web-pages of both these suppliers). Daniel: I am eager to get you hooked up with this Kremer Pigments place. E-mail me your snail mail address and I'll send you a catalogue; better yet, call them at 800-995-5501 (228 Elizabeth St., NYC 10012). If you are in touch with folks who are looking for low cost natural pigments this could be a great 'link' for you. Their selection of earth colors from all over the world is really amazing, and it is actually a lot cheaper to buy than stuff that has gone through the processing plants of the paint, ink , or dye-makers ( I have no doubt many of the ochres, siennas, umbers, red and green earths come from the mines in Italy, France, Spain that have been supplying artists for centuries). Dave: I enjoyed the discussion of artist and craftsmen, 'sakka' and 'shokunin' very much. My favorite part: ">Keiko: In Yanagi's essays he writes that the greatest beauty is to be >found in objects that are made when the ego is not involved." Phew! In my previous work in the building trades I found, though craftsmen rarely signed their work, ego was a dominant player in the whole scene. And it does often seem to be an obstacle to making the right decision, or selecting the most suited or beautiful path. Becoming involved in this world of prints has been so refreshing for me, for the pursuit is so Don Quixote-like and the reward so remote; ego can finally start to seem like an old habit in need of retirement. In your work-time, does it not become evident at moments that ego isn't really helping out too much (in the pursuit of better paste)? But now that we are on the World-Wide Web... And will not ego always be a player in whatever craft or art we are involved in? Isn't it a bit like the roof over our heads, something that helps us survive in this world? I might share that I have never found an activity seemingly so helpful in balancing my relationship with my ego as this colour woodblock printing, particularly the printing (with the carving a close second). Now selling the product of the process: there I have a lot of ground to cover! And what about writing about the process, and the experience? Can this be done without the aid of ego? You seem to be someone who has made great progress in this direction (pardon the ego encouragement). But perhaps it is more a matter of be-friending our ego. Of working with it as we would a tool and a material, as a potter befriends the clay, a wood-carver befriends the knife, a printer might befriend his press. Uh-oh, earth to Matt... Thanks to everyone, I am enjoying the Baren more and more, though with barely time to follow it! Matt ------------------------------ From: Graham Scholes Date: Thu, 11 Dec 1997 21:14:00 -0800 Subject: [Baren 65] Re: Ego-less art, paste recipe, pigments, carving tools Hi Matt. The info from Hiroshi Yoshida's book re paste is interesting. I notice it states "rice starch" where in I have used "rice flour" I wonder if there is a difference. Shall head out to the store tomorrow and check. Does anybody know, out there in print land. I can't imagine not having ego. Keeping it in check is the challenge. My 2=A2 Cheers Graham ------------------------------ From: Graham Scholes Date: Thu, 11 Dec 1997 21:15:33 -0800 Subject: [Baren 66] Re: Tools & Can $ Hi Keith. The Canadian buck is down to 0.69 today so understand your problem of buying from outside the country. I hope you can find a Japanese source for your tools. Here is a list of tools that I started with and then a couple I added when I knew that this was the sport, I would be doing for most part, the rest of my life. I will list them in their importants. 90% of my carving is using Basewood that is in most 3/4' to 1" thick, depending on the size of the plate being carved. I carve images on both sides of the wood. Be careful not to carve a plate the would have to be printed in the next sequence of the printing procedure. I like to dry the plate before using it for the next colour. All prices are Canadian and for professional grade, which may be some sort of guide for you. Hangito (Woodcarving Knife) 7.5mm $64.00 I have used this knife to carve 4" x 5" up to 12" x 24" blocks. Komasuki ( U shape gouge) 4.5mm $48.00 I added two years later a 3mm $36.00 and a 1.5mm $36.00 Aisuki (Bull-nose flat chisel) 6mm $42.00 I added two years later a 3mm $34.00 and a 1.5mm $34.00.......this was a waist of money for the twice or three times I have used it in 3 years. Asamarunomi (Half round chisel) 15mm $76.00 (Dave named this marunomi) I added a years later a 9mm $64.00 I purchased a Sankakuto (V gouge chisel) but hardly ever use it. I (and I will be doing wood engraving) it will come in very useful. It takes a lot of practice to use it accurately. But I won't get into that just now. I didn't buy a Kentonomi for cutting Kento marks. I cut all of mine freehand as it cut all my straight lines freehand. I suppose I could use a ruler but I doubt that I could get a better line. I mean by that...artist don't have to draw straight lines because a slightly bend or wavy line has more character and often allows your personality to prevail. Tell this to an architect or engineer and you will get that 'out-to-lunch-look'. All of these tools come in three grades and the prices go down accordingly... Pro, Semi Pro and Student. I have used borrowed tools of the last two grades and could see a very big difference in the cutting and holding of an edge. I mentioned in a previous Baren that in the 4 years and 300 plates I have only worn down the blades by a 1/16" The Professional are made from damascus steel and are well worth the cost if you are going to become a woodblock print nut. If I can help further you can shout. Regards Graham ------------------------------ From: Oilcolors Date: Fri, 12 Dec 1997 00:43:30 EST Subject: [Baren 67] Re: Artists and Craftsmen Dave: Wow! That was amazing. I do agree with it much more than I don't. Could you send me the full *cite* for this text? I would love to post it up at my site if I had the proper credits for it. I hesitate to ask but I will... can you refer me to or even send me some English language material on *wabi*, *sabi*, and *mono no aware*? A critic one described my painting a Egon Schiele by Norman Rockwell by way of Zen painting... my work is popular with some artists I respect but dealers won't go near it. Very precise drawings of unromantic nudes done on irregular shaped scraps of corrugated cardboard carton washed with loose glazes of color... My sculpture is this kind of raunchy constructovist drawing with 1x2 inch construction grade pine with drippy carpenter's glue and snagly ill hammered nails holding it together... in the days I exhibited and worried about artist's statements I wrote about the ephemeral nature of painting, expressionist minimalism, presence and absence, the shunning of calculated transcendence and faux monumentality, the pathos of artistic ambition, etc. etc. My wife said it was about *mono no aware* but I'll I have ever found on the subject is *In Praise of Shadows*. ------------------------------ From: David Bull Date: Fri, 12 Dec 1997 15:37:36 +0900 Subject: [Baren 68] Re: Ego-less art Graham wrote: > I can't imagine not having ego. Keeping it in check is the challenge. Hear Hear! I wrestle with this all the time. Without it - I'm nothing. With too much ... well we all know about that ... I think that Yanagi-san, the gentleman quoted in the story, had it a little bit wrong when he said: > the greatest beauty is to be found in objects that are > made when the ego is not involved. I think that what he means is 'when the _mind_ is not involved'. Picture the shokunin sitting at his bench, printing copy after copy after copy after copy ... When the arms and hands are so well trained that the work can be done without conscious effort - that is when it is done best! To take a silly sort of example - think of the way you ate dinner last night. The fork picked up food and lifted it into your mouth in a perfectly smooth and beautiful arc. Did you _think_ about it? Of course not. Your body knows exactly what to do. You don't need your mind. Try thinking consciously about directing your arm, and you'll probably poke yourself in the eye. So, for the actual _manufacture_ of any product, either the tea bowls he mentioned in his story or our woodblock prints, I think it should be the body - without the mind - that controls the process. And that means training training training ... Of course, this is the 'mindless' craftsman David speaking. _How to fill that blank white page_ is no part of my thoughts ... For you 'artist' types, the story is different. Or is it? Dave ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V1 #13 **************************