[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking.

Baren Digest               Friday, 30 April 1999       Volume 07 : Number 548

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From: Gayle Wohlken <blueman@nacs.net>
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 09:22:45 -0400
Subject: [Baren 4255] Re: Baren Digest V7 #546 

It's taken me hours to read all the Barens and BA5's 
for the past week.  (I got back from Tennessee Wednesday
afternoon)

I'm enchanted with the conversations regarding Michael's
work and the discussions on abstraction.  I'd like to share
this.  I was involved with a number of artists (about 8 of us)
at Lake Erie College here in Northeast Ohio--at an event called
48 Hours Making Art.  I did woodcuts, some did sculpture,
a couple of painters were among us, etc.  One of the projects
was a long sheet of paper.  Not only the participatings artists, 
but  people who came to watch us work on our individual projects were
encouraged to pick up the oil pastels and add something to that paper.
After the 48 hours we had an eight foot  wide sheet of paper with 
something that could be likened to a jazz piece.  It was amazing
how much continuity there was at the end.  I remember someone
had put a series of tiny "o"s on one end of the paper, and someone
else picked up on it and the o's began to travel like a small train 
through the image.  There were mandalas and lakes of color.  It
was abstract and colorful and had the most exciting feeling to it.
You wanted to look and look and look at it.  The thing touched something
in us that was deeper than what we see with our eyes.  I felt the 
underpinnings of the life force when I looked at it.  And I feel that
when
I look at Michaels work.  There is a glow that speaks of something
more sacred.

* * *

I enjoyed the gorilla art, especially the ones that dealt with emotions.
I wish I could teach my cat to find some deeper expression than
whining at the upstairs window like he's doing right now.  I've always
felt a sadness when I look at gorillas (at the zoo).  They look as
though
they have something to communicate.  It's like a sigh in their eyes.

* * *
Jack, thanks very much for the tape and translation.  I watched it last
night with Jim, and Dave it was a wonderful presenation of you.  I
couldn't help but think of "My Neighbor Totoro" when I saw you with
your daughters.  And your display of work on the walls of the gallery.
Oh, the accomplishment!!!!  And of course, I wept with you and the
girls when those last prints were made.  

* * * 
Welcome all new people.

Gayle

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From: Gayle Wohlken <blueman@nacs.net>
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 13:08:21 -0400
Subject: [Baren 4256] Re: Baren Digest V7 #546 

Graham mentioned varnish.  Does varnish and it's solvent
dissolve the permanent marker one might use to draw on 
the design?  I mean when you put that second coat on after
carving?  I like to see my lines after carving so I can go back
in and do some extra carving if I have to and I've run into a 
lot of problems with the marker being dissolved by the solvents
in the shellac (I use shellac and denatured alcohol).  

Gayle

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From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@home.com>
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 16:13:23 -0700
Subject: [Baren 4257] Re: Baren Digest V7 #546 

Hi Gayle.

No varnish will not desolve permanent marker.
Shellac is not good to use with a waterbase pigments.
Water softens the shellac after a reasonable time exposure.
I should thing that in an hour or two the shellac will breakdown and not
protect or add stiffness to the wood fibres

Graham

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From: Beth_LaCour@yavapai.cc.az.us
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 20:50:45 -0700
Subject: [Baren 4258] Trip to China 

I will soon be taking a trip to Beijing and Xian for two weeks. The leader of
the group, a Beijing native, has asked for specific places that we would like to
visit, and she will make arrangements for us.  Not all of the travelers are
artists, but about a third of us are... and we are very interested in paper,
papermaking, and printmaking.

Any recommendations of studios or museums to visit, tool sources, and places to
purchase papers will be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Beth LaCour

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End of Baren Digest V7 #548
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