Inspired by Japan
Maria Arango Diener, Las Vegas NV USA
Information on the print:
Paper Dim: 10 x 15 inches
Image Dim: 8 x 12.5 inches
Block: Five cherry blocks
Pigment or ink: Oil based Daniel Smith inks and shimmer-pearl pigment
Paper: Rives Moulin du Gue
Edition: 64
Comments from the artist:
The theme "Inspired by Japan" immediately brought images of cherry trees and cherry blooms, the ocean and the delicate legacy of Japanese prints.
All those images are far from my usual work, but I decided that I would honor the Japanese in this dedication and try to work my image accordingly. I went to the web and immediately fell in love with the shape of a map of Japan. After printing out a bunch of cherry trees, blooms and maps, the image came together of the islands that compose Japan bathed in cherry blooms and buds, signifying beauty and renewal.
The background was printed with shimmer-pearl and heavily embossed to simulate both ocean and the cherry wood I love to carve.