April Vollmer

Artist's comments ... This print was editioned from five blocks of all-shina plywood, printed in seven steps. The six colors used were: arylide yellow, pennone orange, pthalo blue, an ultramarine/quinacridone violet mix (purple), sumi ink, and finally carbon black for a small bokashi gradation area on the back of the fish. This bokashi was printed on the purple block. The seventh step was a second layer of perinone orange printed on just the front area of the orange block.

The yellow, pthalo blue and carbon black were formulated by Rostow & Jung as waterbase ink (wb-inks@worldnet.att.net), the sumi ink was made from Japanese ink chips, and the remainder of the colors were made from pigment dispersions mixed with gum arabic and glycerin (2:1) as binder.

Each original print was hand printed with a baren on acid free Kizuki hosho heavy weight kozo fiber paper from Japan. Color was mixed on the block with methyl cellulose.

"Counterpoint" is about the variety and unity of pattern. The rhythms of movement through three dimensional space are reflected in plants, animals and in geometric meanders. This woodcut contrasts the modulated patterns of nature with the bold black and white grid of culture. All my work concerns these underlying similarities in shape as a way of exploring the relation between nature and the individual.