Baren Digest              Sunday, 4 February 2001      Volume 14 : Number 1308


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From: Cucamongie@aol.com
Date: Sat, 3 Feb 2001 10:54:40 EST
Subject: [Baren 13254] snakes etc 

Hi folks, thanks for all the nice kudos, etc., it means a lot! 
I've been receiving a procession of amazing snakes in the mail, I love them 
all and am putting them together in a little book to make it easier to show 
them to people (using acid free photo corners).  Sharri, your print just came 
today and it looks great!  as you also mentioned yesterday that you used 
Green Drop Ink, the quality of the ink looks lovely on the print (not to 
mention that the print would look great with any type of ink).  Anyway, it 
makes me want to check the ink out, always fun to try new materials.
best wishes all,
Sarah

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From: Claude Villeneuve <klaud@sympatico.ca>
Date: Sat, 03 Feb 2001 13:03:03 -0500
Subject: [Baren 13255] Munataka Shiko 

Hello everyone!
I just wanted to share with you a quote from Munataka Shiko (1903-1975),
a wonderful printmaker whose zest for life and very powerful work is an
inspiration to me. I just borrow from the library (for the nth time) a
commemorative publication made in 1976  on the occasion of an exhibit of
his work and that of Matsubara Naoko (1937 -) at the Art Gallery of
Greater Victoria, B.C. (Stanley-Baker, Joan: Mokuhan: The Woodcuts of
Munakata & Matsubara. Victoria, BC: Art Gallery of Greater Victoria,
1976.)

Love that is absolute
Surprise of each moment
Joy that cannot be diminished
Sadness which cannot be dissipated
Such is hanga

You can see some of his work on the following website:
http://spectacle.berkeley.edu/~fiorillo/3munakata.html

If in search of inspiration or energy, go check it out!

Claude Aimˇe Villeneuve

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From: Sunnffunn@aol.com
Date: Sat, 3 Feb 2001 14:09:16 EST
Subject: [Baren 13256] Re: Baby Oil (Mineral Oil) 


Weqr gloves anyways I do.  I loved Maria's page on cleaning the plates and 
brayer and found them a tad bit helpfuol.  I am trying to use her method to 
avoid that horrid turp   ugh!  so far it is working well and my plates are 
not sick.
Mairlynn

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From: Wanda <robertson@canby.com>
Date: Sat, 03 Feb 2001 11:34:23 -0700
Subject: [Baren 13257] Re: Munataka Shiko 

Claude Villeneuve wrote:
 
> Love that is absolute
> Surprise of each moment
> Joy that cannot be diminished
> Sadness which cannot be dissipated
> Such is hanga

I can sure identify with that! Hanga is the most difficult, most rewarding, most
lovely looking, most frustrating method of making art I have ever attempted! But,
I must admit it is one of my favorite addictions. Thank you for the reference to
his work, Claude!

The snakes I have been receiving are really wonderful. I have gotten so carried
away with the "snake" theme that I have printed up 2 of them, and have 2 more
that I think I will also finish. What I am going to do with them all, I don't
know. They are just *so* fun!

As to easy clean-up, I don't think you can beat hanga. And as far as toxicity
goes - it is probably the least toxic art-making method there is. Except maybe
for crayons. Although crayons *are* made with petroleum by-products. Probably why
they smell so good! I do also print in oil, though, so I really appreciate all of
the cleaning tips that everyone has sent in. And I will probably try them all, too.

I would like to take the time to thank Julio for putting up all the snakes! And
for re-posting the URL to view them from time to time. I don't save all of the
bookmarks, so for those referring to web pages - it's a good idea to put your URL
in there (with the "http" attached, so that all us lazy people have to do is
click on it). 

Back to the studio. Printing is going well. Thank the printing gods! There is a
printing god, isn't there? If there isn't, I am going to invent one. 

Best to all,
Wanda

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From: Aqua4tis@aol.com
Date: Sat, 3 Feb 2001 16:11:54 EST
Subject: [Baren 13258] snakes and printing gods 

hi wanda and everyone 
   i mailed out my first batch of snakes today    due to circumstances 
beyond my control   i have to mail them out in "dribbles"   it looks like 
there are a bunch of celts in this group    my snake was modeled on the 
celtic designs    not nearly as elaborate or beautiful as others ive seen 
however 
   when i was at self-help graphics    wed joke about offering sacrifices to 
the print gods    also several women had t shirts printed up that said   
"someday my prints will come"    i keep a magic wand hanging over my press   
:-)
   also i was telling gayle that st luke is the patron saint of artists    in 
celtic art he is represented by the ox or bull    so i have a bull made out 
of stone on my drawing table   ill take all the help i can get  lol
have a lovely day everyone
georga


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From: "Gillyin Gatto" <gillying@Maineline.net>
Date: Sat, 03 Feb 2001 16:53:31 -0800
Subject: [Baren 13259] toxics in workshop

  thankyou  to   Bonnie     -who wrote eloquently about the need to address
the presence of toxics in the workshop/studio,  i can testify....as one who
has printed oil ink for twenty years  ,gloveless ,and cleaned up with
minerals spirits    i was brought up short last june when a psychic energy
healer   looked into my  aura  and said  there is a" toxic situation between
your heart chakra and your head chakra"-in other words=the LUNGS    the
result of  ink and oil fumes , compounded  by having smoked tobacco  for
thirty years  in an- at least- well ventilated studio     i quit smoking on
the spot when she told me that       but i have not addressed the mineral
spirits ; nor  having to wear gloves, yet .  i tend to say to myself 'oh  it
wont hurt me"   but it DOES hurt us , wether we're willing to admit it or
not        the discussion we have been having  has opened my eyes to
vegetable oil clean up -thanks to all....
      to clean my hands, i have used  the go-jo , followed by mild dish
detergent    another good  gently abrasive soap  i've used is  BORAXO
- --does anyone use this?  is it  toxic?  and  any brand name for cotton lined
plastic gloves?     i knew way deep down  that all those things are toxic
i knew it in my head too    but  DENIAL  is very powerful      especially
when one  ENJOYS  getting  their hand s dirty    as i do     and top it off
with the materials being bad for the environment also  and  i have to get
with it and get smarter----the safety issue  is lesson ed in a wood heated
studio ,   i just burn any cleanup paper immediately and  put cleaning rags
out door to evaporate    is vegetable oil  dangerously flammable?
    i'm off to look at maria 's  step by step clean up page    thank you
 to  Michelle and  John in SITKA  i have responded ,thank you  - but  it
keeps bouncing back to me   -yes,  Maine is like Alaska   without the high
mountains and glacier   -  our mountains are low and round     but the
forest and the sea a re similar  and  lots of same species -like orcas,
bears, moose, etc
      my web site seems to be working better now       Gillyin in machias
maine USA


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From: "eli griggs" <eli.griggs@worldnet.att.net>
Date: Sat, 3 Feb 2001 18:56:03 -0500
Subject: [Baren 13260] Re: toxics in workshop 

toxics in workshopHi there:

You should be just as careful of oily rag combustion with vegetable oils =
as petro-chems.=20

Never launder, and then dry in a dryer, a kitchen or studio cloth that =
has been soaked with vegetable oil.  A number of homes burn down each =
year because of oil residues that combust in the rapid heat of the =
dryer.

An oily rag can, in the studio, should be a must have item.  If you =
can't afford one you might want to try a heavy duty army surplus ammo =
can (metal, NOT plastic or composition material).

I remember that we used these in barracks for fire prevention of shoe =
and brass polishing materials.

 Ask your fire department for advice and see if they will come out and =
do a fire safety audit of your work space.


Eli Griggs
Charlotte N.C.
USA
                          

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From: "Bea Gold" <bnj50@earthlink.net>
Date: Sat, 3 Feb 2001 16:05:23 -0800
Subject: [Baren 13261] Re: toxics in workshop   
                 
All this talk about clean-up makes me homesick for oily prints.  I do =
still paint in oils though.  Bea

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From: FOO KWEE HORNG <khfoo@moe.edu.sg>
Date: Sun, 04 Feb 2001 16:03:08 +0800 (WST)
Subject: [Baren 13262] Re: Munakata Shiko 

Hi Claude,
I'm Kwee Horng from Singapore. I like Munakata's
works very much too. In fact, I print my works on rice papers and
colour them from the back as the paints will seep through. Try
it! I've ordered a book on all his works by Kodansha ISBN
4770016123. Have you seen it. Very
inspiring!

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From: Ray Hudson <rhudson@together.net>
Date: Sun, 04 Feb 2001 06:47:30 -0500
Subject: [Baren 13263] Re: Munakata Shiko 

Yes! the Kodansha abook is wonderful.   It's called (in English) The
Woodblock and the Artist:  The Life and Work of Shiko Munakata, edited
by Sori Yanagi.



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From: ArtfulCarol@aol.com
Date: Sun, 4 Feb 2001 07:25:20 EST
Subject: [Baren 13264] Re: Munakata Shiko 

A few years ago the Japan Society in NY had an exhibit of Munakato's prints 
and it was an an .exellent show.  There was also a video of him at work.  If 
you are in the area,the Japan Society permits a guest to use their library 
one time and you can browse throught their old print  books.   It is on E. 47 
St.
Thank you for the info of the book about him.
Carol Lyons   Irvington, NY

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End of Baren Digest v14 #1308
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