Change As Good As a Rest

Change As Good As a Rest so they tell me. Well my wife and I went on a 3 day retreat at my friend’s studio and retreat this weekend. Spent all day Thursday cleaning up and packing my print shop up I had no idea what I was going to need for the week end so I took almost everything we set off just after lunch time on Friday and drove for 2 hour to get there we had plenty of time to look around on the way. Over the week end I did an impromptu demo on relief printing made 10 wood grain texture plates 2 woodcut blocks, a linocut and 2 dry points plus I got to proof them all. All in all I had a really great weekend I hope you all had one too.    

Woodcut proof

In the shadow of the mountain

I’m really looking forward to the first art group of the New Year, to meet up with artist friends at a friend’s studio. Her studio is right under a mountain range and puts on a different mood each day, it’s a great day working, talking, sharing ideas plus we have a marvellous pot luck lunch. The only down side of the day is when we have to pack up and drive home, but we came start to looking forward to the next time haha.

Woodcut (Recycle block)

Safewash ink on 220gm Print paper

Ed of 5

Now that Over with

Ok now that Christmas Day and Boxing Day are over with for another year or at lease 364 day I can start kicking all the stuff out of my studio which was hidden in there for Christmas day and I can start thinking about project to do in the New Year.

Woodcut (Recycle block)

Safewash ink on 220gm Print paper

Ed of 5

That Time of Year

Well it’s that time of year again were I can not move in my studio, as in the process of getting ready for the family Christmas dinner every thing that we do not like the look of, need to hide or need just to put some were for the day has ended up in my studio.

So there is no bench space to work on and no floor space to move, but it is a small price to pay to have a great meal and a fun time with family and friends plus the good thing is the day after I can start moving it all out again and have my studio to myself again.  

Woodcut (Recycle block)

Safewash ink on 220gm Print paper

Ed of  5

A feel of the Pacific

Ok keeping with my recycled wood block prints

Woodcut (Recycle block)

Safewash ink on 220gm Print paper

Ed of 5

That time of year again

Will its December again and the silly season is on us again and people are starting to shift into high gear getting ready for Christmas and the summer holidays.

Everything in the garden are growing and going mad including lawns and weeds so there plenty work there to do.

I have had two Members Art Exhibition openings on the 1^st December at two local community art centres.

I did get the last colour done my xmas prints finished, I had so much fun playing will them that I have decided to carry on and play with the recycled wood block printing into the new year

“I R not Turkey”

Woodcut (Recycle block)

Safewash ink on 220gm Print paper

Ed of 18

One more colour to go

Nearly done, had to let the prints have a day to dry between colours, one more colour to go and them it time to tidy them up, sign and title them and see how many are left in this edition.

First colour done and dusted

Finally found the time to get stuck in and start the printing of my xmas print it took best part of the day but I really loved the time I spent rolling up the block and them the hand burnishing of the print it really make you part of the print or the print part of you haha.

So first colour done and dusted

Underway

Ok I have my print well underway I have cut all the block. There are 4 blocks and I’m going to use 6 colours..

I have also decided on the method of printing and for the registration of the print plus I have been play with the colours

Waste not Wont not

Ok playing with some ideas for my xmas print I think I know what I want to do.

A friend have just given me a stack planks from shop fitting displays so I have decided to use the recycled wood to make the blocks for the print so I spent all day cutting some down to size. They are quite thick so I cam use both side and get the most out of my recycling