[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking. Baren Digest Saturday, 14 August 1999 Volume 08 : Number 660 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gayle Wohlken Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 09:26:24 -0400 Subject: [Baren 5254] Re: Baren Digest V8 #659 Georga said: > thank you for the kind words gayle the skeleton on my site was done for > DIA DE LOS MUERTOS DAY OF THE DEAD That's what I did my skeleton prints for. There was a Dia De Los Muertos art exhibit at Lake Erie College and I was invited to show a few woodcuts since the coordinators were aware I like to do skeletons. Along with the ones I mentioned (the skeleton dancing a woman out the door, and the skeleton in lotus position meditating), I also showed one of death serving a dying man a cup of something hot to drink. It was an interesting show, by the way. The art done by people alive and celebrating versus art done by people who were actually dying was different. The living artists' work was full of dark images and playful skeletons. The dying artists used intense color and the imagery was of light and transcendence. Gayle ------------------------------ From: Cucamongie@aol.com Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 09:27:03 EDT Subject: [Baren 5255] bravo to the new images I just visited the new images on "who is baren" - Bea's prints, Georga's prints, and Gayle's new print - they're all great and each person has such a distinctive style - what a talented group here - it's humbling - wonderful to finally see Bea's & georga's work and Gayle's hound is great - aoooo! [virtual dog howl of appreciation]- best to all & thanks Sarah ------------------------------ From: Bea Gold Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 07:27:52 -0700 Subject: [Baren 5256] Re: Me too Meeting Matt How nice to read your e-mail Lynita - Where are you from? I also met Mat Brown today (Thursday) at the fair. I loved meeting him and his enthusiasm, watched both he and a not yet "out in the open" Baren member, Sandy, do demonstrations of hanga printing - working on a lovely landscape - with a discussion of color choices - and experiments with different overlays - In the short time I was there I learned a lot - like not piling pigment on the block - letting it build up and then allowing it to ride a while with the pigment soaked into the wood and the several wide chinese brushes he uses -dry- to smooth the pigment and paste on the block. His kento marks and the jig he was using. His exhibit is beautiful - tons of clear teaching demonstrations - both live and displayed - such as from drawing (concept) to fully executed block and print. The fair itself is excellent - over 60 years of doing it annually - booth after booth of beautiful craft items, including other the print makers. One booth of a printmaker doing etchings, had a very good display of many different print methods. We're going back to the fair tomorrow and then on to a bit more New England touring - yesterday it was Rockport Ma - and 1 1/2 lb lobster in the rough - each, Bennington, for pottery and the Grandma Moses collection at the Bennington Art Museum. Sunday it's the Elderhostel and April. ------------------------------ From: Bea Gold Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 07:28:52 -0700 Subject: [Baren 5257] Jean wrote: > Bea, I love your print "Rest Time" Thanks Jean - I have enjoyed your work - I used 5 blocks and 7 colors - it was my first hanga print and convinced me that that's what I want to do (mostly) from now on . I am going back, though, to print some favorite old blocks in black and white oil. I'm in New Hampshire right now visiting with Matt Brown at the NH Arts and Crafts fair - what a treat! Then on to April and the Elderhostel class. Bea Gayle wrote: > Just grabbed a look at Bea's entries on "Who Is Baren". I very > much like the loose quality of your knife strokes. Thanks Gayle - enjoy your work a lot. Bea ------------------------------ From: Sherpsm@aol.com Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 11:22:37 EDT Subject: [Baren 5259] Re: Me too Meeting Matt Which Fair did you meet Matt at and where is it and do you know the dates? If you are in New England and have the time, go to the Sargent exhibition at the Museum of Fine arts in Boston! Great light and color! Joe ------------------------------ From: Graham Scholes Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:36:25 -0800 Subject: [Baren 5260] Opening night. Well guys......pretty exciting evening. The unexpected at the opening at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, last night is the first time they have opened only one exhibition. Usually the procedure is to have two or three exhibitions in different rooms and they are opened together with blah blah blah about each in turn. The night belong to Marnie and I. The other is that the work spilled over into another room. The concert series was hung and featured separately. And yet another surprise was the way the exhibition was hung. Rather than me on a wall and Phillips on another wall....the curators mixed and matched. They brought together pieces that were compatible and hung them side by each or one under the other. It made for a very interesting presentation with 39 of mine and 23 of Phillips works. There were over 300 people in attendance which was a delightful surprise. In planning I was asked numbers to expect, so the Gallery could plan the food and wine. I had told them that 125 persons would be about right.... .So what do I know. Another surprise and incidentally, a foot in mouth happening, was the Mayor of the Municipality where I lived came to the show. I was talking to her for a moment and finally my memory could not put a name to the face......and so said....."I am trying to remember where we had met and recall a name". She was the last person in the world I would have expected to come. It is almost an hours drive (one way) and I never triggered. She was most gracious and I was most apologetic. Sorry no photos at this time. Go to the poster. http://www.members.home.net/gscholes/Poster.html Go to Walter J Phillips http://www.sharecom.ca/phillips/ Cheers, Graham ------------------------------ From: "Andrea Rich" Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:53:40 -0700 Subject: [Baren 5261] exchange Hi All, I'm just back from Alaska and was delighted to find the second exchange in the stacks of mail. Nice job everyone! It really is interesting to see everyones slyles and techniques. I have some favorites based in part I'm sure on my affinity for wildlife, I love John's turtle complete with embossing, also Barbara's A Very Old Bird, wonderful characture, James' Thoroughbred, such fine detail, is it an engraving? And Sarah your Lady in the Park with Four Dogs, really makes me smile. Every print in here is a jewel and I really want to thank everyone for sharing. I have an idea for a simple color print for the next one if I can just find time. Jean I don't know if I can make the portfolio party in Sept. I have a show in Wisconsin and will be rushing around. I hope April will come by and see me in Santa Cruz while she's in town. And last a question for Hideshi that I should have asked after the last exchange, How did you print those transparent spheres over the esher-like birds? It looks like you used oil base ink. Do you have some kind of transparent medium? Andrea Rich ------------------------------ From: Barbara Mason Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 14:46:23 -0700 Subject: [Baren 5265] Graham's opening Congratulations Graham, I tried to talk Lee into coming up, but we are so busy it is insane. I would have loved to see you and Marnie dressed to the nines. I hope someone took pictures. I'll bet you never forget the mayor again! Hope you sold some work as well. Barbara ------------------------------ From: Cucamongie@aol.com Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 17:48:09 EDT Subject: [Baren 5266] Charlevoix show I just got materials regarding the show I mentioned before at Charlevoix Gallery in New Mexico, and it turns out that at least two fellow bareners are going to be in the group show with me - Maria Arango and Andrea Rich - I'm certainly pleased & flattered to be in their company! best to all, Sarah ------------------------------ From: Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 20:47:03 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [Baren 5269] Re: Exchange Techniques This is from Ray Hudson in Vermont. Michelle--glad you liked the swirling lines in the background of Lilac Sail, but when I tell you how I did it I suppose I'll be asked to leave Baren forever. I've loved the effect master users of the baren achieve to create lines in the background. I've seen this especially in prints by Ito Shinsui (1898-1972). I suspect there's a proper name for this technique and a proper way of doing it. I just attacked the print with a hairbrush--one of those plastic brushes where each bristle ends with a small plastic or rubber knob or tip, creating a soft feel on your scalp. The bristles in these brushes also are anchored in a slightly convex rubber piece that gives the brush some give-and-take. For this print, I printed the "key" block first and did the background last. After getting the blue and violet shading printed, I placed a dry cover sheet on top of the print. (I print with a very thin Chinese unsized paper and so never apply the baren directly to the paper but always to a cover sheet or sheets.) Without adding any new pigment, I slammed the brush bristles down and swirled the brush around to attempt to create some motion in an otherwise rather dull surface. Sometimes it worked. This 2nd exchange has been every bit as enjoyable as the first. ray ------------------------------ From: David Bull Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 10:26:47 +0900 Subject: [Baren 5270] Re: Meeting Matt Bea and Lynita wrote about visiting Matt Brown's 'fair' Hey, didn't anybody take along a camera? I'd love to see some shots of this! If anybody has some, _please_ send them to: ftp://woodblock.com/incoming *** Ray Hudson wrote: > I've loved the effect master users of the baren achieve to > create lines in the background. I've seen this especially in prints by > Ito Shinsui (1898-1972). I suspect there's a proper name for this > technique and a proper way of doing it. The 'proper' name is 'baren-suji' (baren marks), and the 'proper' way is simply to use a heavy-gauge baren to swirl lightly over the area to be printed. But your method sounds nifty indeed ... >I suppose I'll be asked to leave Baren forever. Not 'forever'. Just go sit in the corner for five minutes! ;>) Dave ------------------------------ From: Bea Gold Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 19:00:41 -0700 Subject: [Baren 5271] Re: Me too Meeting Matt The fair is in Sunapee NH and it's over tomorrow - Matt's booths awarded "Best Booth" or somethiung like that - it was great - go next year! ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V8 #660 ***************************