Baren Digest Saturday, 27 January 2001 Volume 14 : Number 1299 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: GWohlken Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2001 08:38:46 -0500 Subject: [Baren 13108] Re: Baren Digest v14 #1298 I want to thank everyone for the snakes. I can't believe the wonderful variations on the theme. The first third of mine are ready for envelopes and will be completed with snake stamps; I just have to go out today and find the right size envelope. The second third is drying and waiting for some final tweaking, and the third third waits to be printed. Exchange 9 is carved and ready to print. Everything's going too smoothly; there must be a hitch on the horizon I'm not seeing. Dave, your exhibit is always a joy to see and I'm grateful for the walkthrough you always give us. How I study it! Gayle ------------------------------ From: "Kinzua" Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2001 09:12:56 -0500 Subject: [Baren 13109] Re: Baren Digest v14 #1298 charset="Windows-1252" I have printed with an old wringer with little sucess but that's just because it was a real relic and the wringers were pretty beat up. I put the plate and paper between two pieces and ran it through. This is a really old wringer so it was close to impossible to control the pressure but it was fun to experiment and it should work great on a better one. Karen http://homepages.msn.com/timessquare/kfberkenfeld/ ------------------------------ From: Mike Lyon Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2001 09:23:32 -0600 Subject: [Baren 13110] Re: Baren Digest v14 #1298 WOW! Wonderful exhibition design this year, Dave! When do you find time to print? Congratulations and good luck -- I'm sure this is going to be a very successful year for you. Your work just keeps improving, I think, and this year's surimono look terrific -- at least the two you let us see here... the kacho-e really is fantastic, and I love the lighting design to show off the embossing! Great Job and good luck for the new year! Mike Mike Lyon mikelyon@mlyon.com http://www.mlyon.com ------------------------------ From: Julio.Rodriguez@walgreens.com Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2001 09:43:52 -0600 Subject: [Baren 13111] Re: Surimono's 01/26/2001 09:43:44 AM Mike writes: "...Your work just keeps improving, I think, and this year's surimono look terrific -- at least the two you let us see here... " David's entire Surimono project and album can be seen at: http://www.woodblock.com/surimono/index.html thanks..Julio ------------------------------ From: Sunnffunn@aol.com Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2001 13:09:44 EST Subject: [Baren 13112] Re: Exhibition news ... thank you for sharing that exhibition. How wonderful to see the embossed effects of your work. So often photographs do not let us see the true essence of a piece. I felt like I could almost reach out and touch these. Once some years ago I went with a group to another city to visit some shows and go to a museum. There was an abstract piece in the museum that I fell in love with. The weird thing about this was that when, in school, I had studied about this artists work i did not like the work. It was pure abstraction. But when I could stand in front of it and see it I was overwhelmed by its beauty. A photograph in an art history book did not give the viewer the true essence and beauty of the piece. When I saw how truly beautiful your work is I was in awe of your abilities. It makes me want to learn how to do this. How wonderful to share such a passion with so many. Marilynn ------------------------------ From: Graham Scholes Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2001 10:33:33 -0800 Subject: [Baren 13113] Signing off I have found that with the three project I have at hand. A book. A video documentary Finalizing my 8 year project I find it necessary to unsubscribe. I wish everybody the very best with their work. I leave you with a quote from, (I posted this about two years ago and find it worthy of another posting) Jack Shadbolt 1909 - 1998, was one of Canada's foremost artist. An opening address, to an exhibition of artwork by fine arts students. - --------------------------------------------------------- One: What is the state of the student's mind? Is he or she clear about what they wish to convey, or is there evidence of a confused or unresolved thought process? In short what is the content of the work? "By this I don't mean, 'Is there a message or a moral or an obvious social statement?' I mean, 'has this been a real experience?' Has it penetrated live genuinely or is it just superficial? Does it finally add up to a poetic truth? Is it just a prosaic statement? Two: Is it stated with adequate means? In short, has the artist used the vehicles at his or here disposal with clarity and intelligence? Is the statement authoritative, giving a sense of being completely right to project the experience involved? This would be my definition of technique. Three: Is the artist over-anxious to convince us, resorting to heavy dramatics and melodramatic statement? Is he or she trying to win us over by sentimentality or cuteness? Are there painting 'tricks' present, or is there too much technical bravura? Is there a self-conscious attitude, or does the artist keep themselves out of it and leaving something for our imagination to complete, thus involving us in his or her process? Four: Does the whole performance have a vitality? Is it vital (the first necessity), and sensitive in the sense that it takes us deeper into the subtle areas of experience opening us up to insight. "These are tough criteria, but even to have thought about them is the true training process of a potentially serious artist. To the degree that each of these works has realized some element of these notions, the artist involved should be encouraged. Finally, does the organization of the work achieves a totally coherent configuration, exactly suitable to the nature of the experience presented. - --------------------------------------------------------- I leave you with one last personal thought. Risk in what you do is an important ingredient to originating your personal style and imagery. It is critical to experiment and move to the higher plateaus of creativity. CREATE-Cut-Print Graham/Victoria BC An Island in the Pacific Home of the Boot Camp http://members.home.net/woodblocks/ ------------------------------ From: Studio Dalwood Date: Sat, 27 Jan 2001 18:58:48 +1100 Subject: [Baren 13114] wringer washing machine "Has anyone tried to print lino or anything else using one of those old wringer washing machines? I'm talking about the rollers on top, not washing them! I think I read about this in a book. Any input? Carolyn" Yes I have. We bought one from a second hand store and clamped it to a table. Put a cardboard box next to it that was the same height as the gap tween the rollers. THis was to support the a piece of plywood cut to fit the width of the rollers and which travels back and forth as a press bed. A couple of pieces of old wool blanket on top and away you go. HAd to be careful getting this between the rollers and better not to let it run right out from between or you have to get it back in again. Problems with pressure and with the curve in the rollers where they were worn - couldnt get new rollers. But otherwise managed to produce prints. Not of highest quality, a proper press is definitely better. Dont use it at the moment, printing by hand with wooden spoon instead. Hope this helps. Josephine ------------------------------ From: Daniel Dew Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2001 15:59:21 -0500 Subject: [Baren 13115] Show Ideas Well, I met with the folks at the Artists Unlimited and the show is on! Tentative date is August 3rd. It will be an international, juried exhibition with the theme of "Endangered Species"! So, all you all that got into #9, keep a couple extra prints and submit them! Details will follow once a few more things are nailed down. This is my first time, so any ideas, tips or hints, off list please, would be greatly appreciated. Dan Dew ------------------------------ From: Raymond Pflederer Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2001 16:48:55 -0600 Subject: [Baren 13118] aspen wood Does anyone know anything about aspen wood? Is it a hard wood/soft wood...is it easy to cut or about medium...how does it hold detail...do you need to varnish the surface, etc...? My best guess is that it would be similar to poplar. I saw some lovely looking aspen in the local store and would like to hear any opinions before I go and buy some. Thanks, Carolyn P.S. Thanks for those who gave nice input on the "wringer washer" question. Not exactly hanga, but inquiring minds can't sleep sometimes. ------------------------------ From: Sunnffunn@aol.com Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2001 18:19:39 EST Subject: [Baren 13119] I am just excited I started my morning reading about David's work, it is so incredible. I went to cut paper to run yet more prints from a block I am doing a series on. I never got to that block. I looked over to a block that had never quite worked. I thought hmmm I wonder if I tried some of those thinner black lines, like David is using if this piece would work???? Wow, I started carving and new shapes came into being, the piece was speaking to me, I was just following what it was saying. What an experience. This was linoleum, but I found out that I have much to learn from you wood people. I also found out no matter what surface you are carving that there are some strong things that can flow back and forth. I now have a much more successful and interesting block. I have to go clean it and touch up some areas before this one will also be ready for a series. Thanks so for sharing your work and your process. It opens the mind for new ideas and opens new doors for more exciting work! Marilynn ------------------------------ From: "Lezle Williams" Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2001 21:14:19 -0600 Subject: [Baren 13120] Re: endangered species charset="iso-8859-1" I have been out of town for a few weeks and tried to read the Baren digest when I could... Unfortunately, I missed the sign up for the endangered species exchange. I believe that there was some conversation of perhaps having an additional exchange for those wait-listed or one through another forum? Did anything ever come of this? I would definitely be interested... Thanks! Lezle Williams www.laughingcrow.org Mission, SD ------------------------------ From: Legreenart@cs.com Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2001 22:51:59 EST Subject: [Baren 13121] Re: Baren Digest v14 #1298 Bridget's tongue tied snakes were great. The boat docked on the San Antonio River yesterday. Mine should start their voyages Monday. My snakes allude to the medical cadueses, and organ memorials. So many wondrful snakes are on the gallery walls. Yours, Le Green Stonemetal Press Email: legreenart@cs.com Website: www.stonemetalpress.homepage.com ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest v14 #1299 *****************************