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Message 1
From: baren_member # barenforum.org
Date: 2 Nov 2005 13:17:41 -0000
Subject: [Baren 29144] Woodblock prints on display in Edinburgh, Scotland

Message posted from: Google News Update

Paul Furneaux is showing more than a hundred of his Japanese woodblock prints in a major exhibition in the Patriothall Gallery. He lost his entire livelihood in the fire which gutted the Old Town in 2002.

Mr Furneaux, 43, has rebuilt his career at the studio-gallery since 15 years' work was wiped out in the blaze. His studio at 233 Cowgate was not insured and the artist lost all his work, tools and related equipment.

After his loss, Mr Furneaux secured a studio at the WASPS complex in Stockbridge and gradually started producing work again. A prolific artist, in the last two years he has exhibited in Connecticut, Stockholm, Kyoto and London, but this will be his first solo show back in Edinburgh.

Mr Furneaux said it had taken this length of time to build up his portfolio to a standard he was happy with again.

He said: "Initially I just wanted to get new tools and get on with it, but I had no studio so I just used the box room.

"Then I was absolutely shattered and depressed and I spent a lot of time in the Botanics with my then one-year-old daughter after the fire. Only in the last year after winning the Aberdeen Artist Prize and the Grampian Hospitals Purchase Prize have I really got back on form."

Six months after the fire Mr Furneaux was invited to the Centre for Contemporary Printmaking in Connecticut in the United States for six weeks to work.

He took on a studio in Stockbridge on his return and also uses the Edinburgh Printmakers College workshop in return for teaching part-time.

The printmaker is one of only a handful of artists in Scotland who work with the traditional Japanese woodblock technique, which he learnt in Tokyo.

"The exhibition is based on gardens - Japanese sand-raked and stone gardens from my time in Japan and floral gardens here in Edinburgh.

"The printing is done by hand with the aid of a disc wrapped in a bamboo leaf called a baren."

Paul Nesbitt, curator of exhibitions at Inverleith House, said he recognised plants from the Botanic Gardens in Mr Furneaux's exhibition.

He said: "I've always liked Paul's work, some of which looked strangely familiar. Paul spends a lot of time here in the Botanics with his family and nature has always been a source of inspiration to him. We have lots of Japanese plants among the 20,000 species here."

David Watt, director of the Edinburgh Printmakers College, said the show would be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in colour. He said: "It's a fantastic show with incredible diversity. He's a very prolific artist who uses a traditional Japanese woodblock technique which hardly anyone here knows about. He has married traditional elements of the process with digital imaging to produce unique hybrid prints. It's like a new beginning for Paul since the fire. His work is now more direct, more stripped back, more intense."

• Blue Flowers-Red Shadows runs until November 9 at the Patriothall Gallery, 45 Hamilton Place.

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=2183342005

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Message 2
From: "robert"
Date: Wed, 02 Nov 2005 14:38:32 +0000
Subject: [Baren 29145] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V33 #3246 (Nov 2, 2005)
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to Ellen,
about this
> I love New England Winter. Great etching. So soft looking -- you got a lot
> of tonal quality. Did you aquatint, and what did you use if you did?
New England Winter is a ten state etching.
I first draw the out line of the overall composition- etch
then i do a three stage timing aqutint etch- i apply the powder cook it and then etch each given area for 1 minute at a time then cover up an area, then etch i more minute cover and then etch again. This gives me three different tones for one aquatint.
Then my secret weapon!!!!
I cover with liquid ground and use ........
SANDPAPER
i use a 150 grit and 320 grit for different tones. I actuallt cut very small strips about 3/8" wide by 4" long and use the back of a paint brush to rub it over the ground. Just go very slow and easy, baby steps. alternating different grits.
this is the slow long part.
I pull test proofs inbetween each tone or etch.
I do a lot of burnishing and removing of dark tones I don't like and so forth. I re-etch a line drawing again and keep working back and forth until I like it.
easy.
yeah right- my hands are killing me still!
I know a lot of various ways to achieve different tones and qualities in metal. I am now starting my woodcut projects though and I am very excited.
I have Barens to thank for that!
I have gone into semi-retirement on all painting. I am going to concentrate all my efforts on my various printmaking.
Keep up the great work everyone! You have inspired me!
Cheers, Robert

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Message 3
From: Shireen Holman
Date: Wed, 02 Nov 2005 10:28:57 -0500
Subject: [Baren 29146] Re: Barbara's Zebra
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Barbara,
Wonderful zebras! I'm trying my hand at a reduction print, but I'm quite
intimidated and afraid to keep cutting!
Shireen



***********************************************
Shireen Holman, Printmaker and Book Artist
email: shireen#shireenholman.com
http://www.shireenholman.com
***********************************************

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Message 4
From: "marilynn smih"
Date: Wed, 02 Nov 2005 07:56:27 -0800
Subject: [Baren 29147] RE: Baren Digest (old) V33 #3246
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I hope both Mike and Charles make it to our summit next year. I have had the privilege of meeting both these men. They are very different from each other, but yet have one similarity, great minds. Mike I am sooo impressed with your press, I think you will make it work. As with all things there may be modifications you will have to do, but it sure is a thing of beauty. A special congraguations on Anthony. It sure makes one feel humble to see such a grand invention, when i am still struggling to use basic carving tools!
Marilynn

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Message 5
From: "Ellen Shipley"
Date: Wed, 2 Nov 2005 08:15:29 -0800
Subject: [Baren 29148] Re: Woodblock prints on display in Edinburgh, Scotland
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I googled Paul Fureaux and checked out his work. I like his softer pieces.
What a devastating thing to have happen. I'm glad he's made a come back.

Ellen

http://pressing-issues.blogspot.com/
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/philippaschuyler/my_photos

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Message 6
From: "Ellen Shipley"
Date: Wed, 2 Nov 2005 08:22:35 -0800
Subject: [Baren 29149] OT: Sandpaper Auquatint
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Thanx for the detailed rundown on New England Winters. Wow, 10 states. I
can believe it from the finished product.

We use enamel and an airbrush in class for aquatint instead of resin, but I
hate the noise of the compresser so I have been using SANDPAPER too! What a
kick! It's more hands-on I find. And you can always burnish it back out.

There must have been something about the softness of your etching that
caught my attention, all due to the sandpaper. ;-]

Ha! I love printmaking and this is a great place to share secrets.

Ellen

http://pressing-issues.blogspot.com/
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/philippaschuyler/my_photos

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Message 7
From: Barbara Mason
Date: Wed, 2 Nov 2005 09:23:19 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Baren 29150] Re: Barbara's Zebra
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Shireen,
Just remind yourself you can always make another block if you mess it up...so then it will be a multi block print! It keeps you sane. They don't call then suicide prints for nothing. Actually I did block it out in the computer...if you have photoshop you can go to filter, artistic and then cut out. It blocks it in as many colors as you like.....sometimes it works and sometimes it looks really funny....
Barbara

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Message 8
From: FurryPressII # aol.com
Date: Wed, 2 Nov 2005 15:00:06 EST
Subject: [Baren 29151] exchange 26
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today arivals

D. Cutter
Wanda Robertson
Annie & cate Fitt
Melinda Cross
Barbara Mason
Connie Giancarli Brewer
M. Fykes III
Jae Sulliavan
Connie L Pierson

so far 16 prints in house for exchange 26
as well as exchange 25 lucky for me the post office loaned me a cart.

john center

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Message 9
From: Barbara Mason
Date: Wed, 2 Nov 2005 12:49:02 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Baren 29152] Re: Large format woodblock printing press becoming REAL!
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Mike,
this is beyond amazing...will you be able to use it for intaglio if you chose to do so? I seem to remember you had an etching press already. I vote we all come to Kansas City to see it work... :~> this assumes it will. I am confident you will have success with it. What an amazing design. No wonder you were able to retire early...but guess your mind is still designing equipment! Fabulous photos.
Best to you
Barbara

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Message 10
From: Mike Lyon
Date: Wed, 02 Nov 2005 16:47:43 -0600
Subject: [Baren 29153] Re: Large format woodblock printing press becoming REAL!
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Barbara Mason wrote:
>No wonder you were able to retire early...

Huh? Whatever gave you the idea that I had retired early or at all?!? I
just stopped making so much money when I resumed making 'Art' full time
fourteen years ago! :-D I continue to work seven days a week in my studio
(well, at Linda's insistence Sunday's are usually shorter than the 10 or so
hours I average each of the other six days)... I sure don't consider myself
'retired' in ANY way, really. Working my ass off, actually! LOL!

This afternoon, the new press finally stands up on its own four legs -- see
a photo of smiling me and part of the press here: http://mlyon.com/blog --
just after this photo was shot, I mounted the main end-plates and the
bottom roller now sits safely in its bearings, hanging in
position... Everything has fit perfectly so far... I'm waiting for the
inevitable 'disaster', of course, but it seems to be coming together
incredibly quickly this week!

-- Mike

PS -- and thanks so much to you and everyone (mostly answered off-list) for
your support and kind remarks!


Mike Lyon
Kansas City, Missouri
http://mlyon.com

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Message 11
From: baren_member # barenforum.org
Date: 2 Nov 2005 23:25:08 -0000
Subject: [Baren 29154] Woodblock prints on display in Silverton, Oregon ... Tokyo ...

Message posted from: Google News Update

Giant Hokusai exhibition now on in Tokyo

October 25 - December 4, 2005
Tokyo National Museum, Heiseikan 13-9 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo
9:30 - 17:00, opens until 20:00 Friday

The works of Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849), an ukiyoe artist active during Japan?fs late Edo period, quickly found an audience in Europe, where they exerted a profound influence on the Impressionists and other painters of the day. Indeed, Hokusai can be considered the most famous Japanese artist in the world, an artist whose influence has been felt throughout the world. While the name Hokusai immediately conjures images of his justly famous Thirty-Six Views of Mt. Fuji woodblock series, Hokusai?fs amazing genius and profound artistic skills led him to create works across a broad range of genres. His works include bird and flower pictures, beauties, ghosts, classical literature, and changing weather patterns. His styles were countless. He did not dabble in traditional school or stylistic affiliation, but constantly challenged himself to find his own distinctive expressive methods. Hokusai?fs creative genius continued unwavering until his death at the age of 90.

This exhibition features approximately 500 works spanning his 70 year career from his debut under the signature name of Shunrô when he was in his 20s, through paintings signed with the year of his death at age 90. The curators have divided this massive number of works into six chronologically defined sections to provide an overview of his creative accomplishments in each period.

Amongst the prints on display, those selected were printed early in each edition and reflect the finest extant versions of each subject. The exhibition also boasts more than 100 paintings. Thus this exhibition, blessed by the number, quality, and diversity of its displays, will provide an unprecedented Hokusai exhibition experience. Indeed, it would be almost impossible to duplicate the scale or size of this exhibition in the future. Please join us at this exhibition for a view of the world of Hokusai, who in his later years signed his name as Gakyôjin, or literally ? the man mad about painting.

In addition, after the Tokyo exhibition, in March 2006, the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and the Freer Gallery of Art which together form the national museum of Asian Art of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, will hold an exhibition of Hokusai featuring more than one hundred works and including works in the Freer collection which are not permitted to be displayed outside the Freer galleries. As preparations for the Tokyo exhibition continue, the American exhibition, with Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Inc. as organizer and with the special cooperation of Tokyo National Museum, is also being prepared.

This exhibition of Hokusai being held in both Japan and America is surely a noteworthy moment of international cultural exchange.

http://hokusaiten.jp/index.en.html

***

Lunaria Gallery presents “Nework” by Teresa Burgett and Kathryn Cramer. Burgett has worked as an artist in the Northwest for 30 years and was one of the founders of Lunaria Gallery. Her new work includes ceramic boxes, teapots and acrylic paintings with one common element: silliness. Cramer is a print maker and uses linoleum and woodblock to create graphic images. Her love of nature and texture is displayed in her work. Lunaria Gallery, 113 N. Water St., Silverton (503) 873-7734.

http://www.eastvalleynews.com/appeal/article.cfm?i=6398
http://www.lunariagallery.com/

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Message 12
From: Blog Manager
Date: 3 Nov 2005 04:55:03 -0000
Subject: [Baren 29155] Baren Member blogs: Update Notification
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This is an automatic update message being sent to [Baren] by the forum blog software.

The following new entries were found on the listed printmaker's websites during the past 24 hours. (8 sites checked, just before midnight Eastern time)

*****************

Site Name: BarenForum Group Weblog

Author: Ellen Shipley
Item: Letting Go - Second Color
http://barenforum.org/blog/archives/2005/11/letting_go_seco.html

*****************

Site Name: Printmakingblog

Author: Printblog
Item: SCREEN PRINTING UPDATE
http://printmakersmaterials.blogspot.com/2005/11/screen-printing-update.html

*****************

Site Name: Mike Lyon's Moku Hanga

Author: Mike Lyon
Item: New press stands on four legs!
http://mlyon.com/blog/2005/11/new-press-stands-on-four-legs.html

*****************

[Baren] members: if you have a printmaking blog (or a website with a published ATOM feed), and wish it to be included in this daily checklist, please write to the Baren Blog Manager at:
http://barenforum.org/contact_baren.php

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End of [Baren] Digest