Baren Digest              Friday, 13 December 2002      Volume 21 : Number 2058


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From: Cucamongie#aol.com
Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 08:42:09 EST
Subject: [Baren 20090] April's class 

Dan Kitchen, if you can take April's class, I'm sure you'll enjoy it so much 
- - she's great!  She really got me going with hanga, and we've done a bunch of 
shows and demos together.  Go for it!

Glad people are enjoying the sheep prints and I look forward to seeing what 
everyone comes up with.
best wishes all
Sarah

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From: Bette Wappner <bettewappner#earthlink.net>
Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 09:18:14 -0500
Subject: [Baren 20091] Re: New to the Baren 

Welcome Dan!

How nice to hear you received your BFA in Des Moines, IA!  I used to live in
Des Moines as a kid, then again from 1981-1988 when I was an Art Director.
Iowa is my old stomping ground.  But now you're also lucky to be in an area
where you're close to great Baren members' resources and knowledge for
woodblock and moku hanga!

Best Wishes to you,
Bette Wappner
northern KY/Greater Cinti,OH




> From: Dan Kitchen <xweave#yahoo.com>
> Reply-To: baren#ml.asahi-net.or.jp
> Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2002 21:20:07 -0800 (PST)
> To: baren#ml.asahi-net.or.jp
> Subject: [Baren 20074] New to the Baren
> 
> Hello All,
> My name is Dan Kitchen.  I have been lurking the
> archive forums for a few weeks, and also explored the
> site quite extensively.  I am very excited about
> participating.  
> A quick synopis of my relation to woodblock.  I
> have been printing for the last few years in a couple
> of mediums (relief, intaglio, litho, collagraph), but
> always finding myself returning to relief work.  The
> relation between the tools and the marks made.  I
> recieved my BFA in printmaking in Des Moines, IA, and
> am currently working on a MFA in Long Island, NY.
> Recently, I have been trying to develop a studio
> practice in my home that involves relief printmaking.
> 
> I am also fascinated about learning moku hanga and
> water based inks, and am trying to slowly pick up
> things here and there.  I am hoping of picking up a
> workshop in NYC, for instance.
> The other day I was working on a sculpture using MDF
> fiber board.  I tried cutting it with my print chisels
> and tools and it cut very smoothly and easily.  I am
> working on a print matrix using MDF.  My only worry is
> perhaps it will be too soft to hold under printing.  I
> thought as long as I was introducing myself to the
> group I would ask if anyone has tried MDF or other
> fiberboards for printing, and if they had worthwhile
> results?  
> Excited to be involved.
> 
> Dan Kitchen
> xweave#yahoo.com

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From: "Gillyin Gatto" <gillying#Maineline.net>
Date: Mon, 27 Aug 1956 08:48:56 -0700
Subject: [Baren 20092] speedy cut 

hi Louise  
  I have used "speedy cut" for  2nd-4th graders
to introduce them to tools and carving
   but it is SO soft
it is difficult to get a sharp line    no integrity to the stuff
but great for little kids
if its speed and ease you seek-  why not just used regular lino ?
which is soft enough but still will hold fine lines

am enjoying the late trickling horses
and the early bird sheep/goats
thanks to all

gillyin in maine

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From: "Cynthia S. Bendix" <contact-print#juno.com>
Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 08:58:15 -0800
Subject: [Baren 20093] Re: New to the Baren 

Welcome
 Dan,

Hi everyone.
What is MDF. Is it also called "chip board?"  I'm wondering if it is a
similar product to 3M's mounting board? Sounds interesting. I am
currently fiddling around with thin craft foam cut into shapes and glued
to masonite. 
I've also been cutting woodblocks (a self portrait-scary) and am
frustrated with the amount of "ink" (water mixable oil paint) that the
block is "drinking." I can't seem to get enough ink on this wood (a
plywood with a poplar top- I think) to get a deep black-I'm using fairly
hard paper though (it was free!)
Have also been revisiting linoleum and using oven cleaner (caustic soda)
to etch line and textures onto my block. Very nice, but scary stuff to
use. I have alot of pets, so I take it outside in a contained box to
spray and leave to etch.
Time to go to work. Bye
Thea

------------------------------

From: Chelsea391#aol.com
Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 12:10:25 EST
Subject: [Baren 20094] Re: Baren Digest V21 #2057 

In a message dated 12/12/02 8:00:59 AM, owner-baren#ml.asahi-net.or.jp writes:

<< we are about 17 short to make 
a full 100 on the BarenMap...so if you have not
posted to the map...do it now and help meet our goal. >>

Hi Folks. I've been out and about and not writing, but storing up all the 
wonderful technical tips and conversations about why we do art that have 
filled the Forum for months. Julio, I can access the map and navigate around 
it but it won't let me post, so please add me in : Janet Hollander in Jersey 
City, NJ. I'm working on my hanga print for exchange 15 but struggling to 
clarify the image: struggling about whether to keep the world out or let it 
in. The things I've cared about in image-making feel provincial in the light 
of what feels like a dark and frightening time. That's all I'll say: Keep 
cutting and see what happens.

Hi April. I was out of town for the LESP print party. I bet it was wonderful.

Janet

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From: Sharri LaPierre <Barebonesart#attbi.com>
Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 12:38:30 -0800
Subject: [Baren 20095] Re: Baren Digest V21 #2057 

Dan,
April is right - you do have a great name. Any relation to Helen Kitchen?
Sharri

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From: "Cynthia S. Bendix" <contact-print#juno.com>
Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 19:03:30 -0800
Subject: [Baren 20096] Re: speedy cut 

THea  here,
I've been using speedy cut with success (I think?) for over a year now.
I'm able to get great sweeping curves and best yet, a double tone on my
paper (because the block is so squishable)
of black and grey right beside the black. This has give me a curious and
lovely depth of field.
However, I really like to experiment in printmaking rather than edition
my stuff ,so I'm not sure how reproducable this effect is over time.

For those of you who were interested in the printathon week of
printmaking workshop, I am 
forwarding an e-mail from Debby Neely regarding times and dates etc.
Happy printing!

Thea:
    Thanks for contacting me regarding the woodblock classes. I will be
teaching the following this summer:
 
1) Menucha: second week of Aug 10-16. The class will cover many different
types of relief and intaglio print making with an emphasis on
experimental
and combined methods. The Hanga method will be included. You can contact:
    Creative Arts Community
    PO Box 4959
    Portland, OR 97208
    (503) 281-2204
    email: info#creativeartscommunity.org
    www.creativeartscommunity.org
 ------------------------------

From: "Lee and Barbara Mason" <lbmason71#attbi.com>
Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 20:55:23 -0800
Subject: [Baren 20097] interesting couple of weeks

I have a something to share.....heart warming story to follow, read at your
own risk....

The Northwest Print Council is doing a pilot program with an inner city
school here in Portland. The plan is that we will visit the school three
times, for 8 days each time, running all 320 students from grades K-5
through our printmaking "art in the schools" program. It is a collagraph
plate make on a piece of mylar (dontate by Dan Welden of Solar plate, we
only pay shipping on the plastic). The image is built up with office
stickers and tape. The smaller children use only the stickers and the
colored ones are the favorites. We used $95 worth of stickers in 8 days. You
can see the process if you go to www.printmakersonline.com and click on
watersoluble monotypes. We buy the artist tape at a 20% discount at our
local Art Media store.

The children are so cute but this school has 85% single parent families.
They were all so excited to make the prints, it is a two day process. They
make the plates the first day and see the demonstration on the printing,
then the second day they see the demonstration again and do the printing. On
the printing day we have several artist volunteers as well as a few parent
volunteers to help. We give the children a roller loaded with ink letting
them chose from 8 colors of speedball ink. They roll the ink on their
plates. We print on damp Rives lightweight paper which we buy at a great
price from Graphic Chemical. Dean has also offered us Speeball ink and as
soon as we run out of our current supply we will be going to him hat in hand
asking for that promised ink.

One little first grader, rolling ink on his plate with huge enthusiasm, said
"this is my bestest day ever" and we heard from the special reading teacher
that one of her students started crying in the middle of his reading class
because he thought he was missing the printmaking by going to reading. These
children have no art teacher and no organized art curriculum. When you see
the school it is obvious the teachers are trying hard but are a little
overwhelmed just working the academics into their classes and art is not
their priority. So I gave 8 days of my time and made a huge difference in
the lives of 320 kids. It was so much fun and I am just exhausted. Maybe I
am too old for this....

We hope to see the imagery and the inking ability of the children develop by
the third visit and hope to use the documentation from this school to secure
funding to expand the program to other schools. Without paying the artists
and buying things at a discount, it still costs us $1 a child to run this
program. We hope to get a grant and actually pay the artists, a novel idea!

What a high, I love printmaking and I can tell you, we have 320 little kids
who will love it almost as much by the end of the school year. This almost
seems like a Christmas story, but has nothing to do with Christmas....maybe
it is just that goodwill stuff.....
I was in Walgreens buying more "stars" to stick on the plates and a little
girl with long red hair ran up and grabbed me around the knees with a hug
and said "you were at my school"....... It was just great!

Best to all,
Barbara




------------------------------

From: Charles Morgan <cmorgan#uvic.ca>
Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 17:30:43 -0800
Subject: [Baren 20098] Re: New to the Baren 

Chip board, as I know it, is also called "oriented strand board" or OSB. It 
consists or fairly large chips of wood (about the size of a 50cent piece) 
glued together in a matrix ... comes in various thicknesses, typically 4 x 
8 foot sheets. Is a nightmare to carve ... not recommended.

MDF, for medium density fiber board, is sometimes known as "particle 
board". There are no discernible chips of wood on normal inspection. It is 
more like fine sawdust bonded in a matrix ... comes in various thicknesses, 
typically 4 x 8 foot sheets. You can cut 1/4 inch MDF into shapes and then 
glue it to masonite or other hard backing ... makes fine relief prints.

If your block is absorbing too much ink, try sealing it with some sort of 
penetrating sealer, like thinned urethathane.

Cheers ...... Charles

At 08:58 AM 12/12/02 -0800, you wrote:

>Welcome
>  Dan,
>
>Hi everyone.
>What is MDF. Is it also called "chip board?"  I'm wondering if it is a
>similar product to 3M's mounting board? Sounds interesting. I am
>currently fiddling around with thin craft foam cut into shapes and glued
>to masonite.
>I've also been cutting woodblocks (a self portrait-scary) and am
>frustrated with the amount of "ink" (water mixable oil paint) that the
>block is "drinking." I can't seem to get enough ink on this wood (a
>plywood with a poplar top- I think) to get a deep black-I'm using fairly
>hard paper though (it was free!)
>Have also been revisiting linoleum and using oven cleaner (caustic soda)
>to etch line and textures onto my block. Very nice, but scary stuff to
>use. I have alot of pets, so I take it outside in a contained box to
>spray and leave to etch.
>Time to go to work. Bye
>Thea



------------------------------

From: FurryPressII#aol.com
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 04:25:18 EST
Subject: [Baren 20099] Re: interesting couple of weeks 

;-)  ^5

john

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End of Baren Digest V21 #2058
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