Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all, I would like to thank all the people that have taken the time to read and follow my blog. The end of last year came up real fast and I had projects unfinished and not started but this is a hole New Year completely unmarred and a clean canvas for all.

I have also taken the time to make a list of some of the goals I would like to achieve this year and the first is to keep my Blog up to date more often and try to make it more interesting for the people that take the time to read it.

I went in to my studio to clean it up a bit, a bit of a slow start in the morning and found my self playing with the inks instead of cleaning ended up make a couple of monotypes.

So with all that said here is the first monotype of the year

“New Year #2“
MonoType
W/B ink ¼ sheet 300g printmaker paper

Jan 2011

A Non-Toxic Weekend

Wow what a great full on weekend. Just spent a long weekend in a beautiful corner of our country, KeriKeri Bay of Islands at Mark Graver’s Non-Toxic Printmaking Studio set in the amazing gardens of Wharepuke. We had a hands on 2 day Acrylic Resist Etching - non toxic intaglio work shop.

Non Toxic Intaglio
Acrylic Resist Etched Aluminium Plait

Water Based ink

Non Toxic Intaglio
Acrylic Resist Etched Aluminium Plait

Water Based ink



Non Toxic Intaglio
Acrylic Resist Etched Aluminium Plait

Water Based ink

First Cuts of November

Got asked to do a bit of a printmaking demo to a small group so did a lino cut and printed a monotype background with block lino cut relief over the top in water base inks on printmaker’s paper

Monotype and Block lino cut relief

water base inks 220g paper
Nov 2010

Sap Rising

Still work in the garden weeds are growing well, seeds are poking there heads up in the trays all is well.

Small Flowers Oct 2010-#4

Soft pastel on blue Mi-Teintes wrong side (10”x8”)

Oct 2010

More Dusting

Yep I have made my mind up I would rather painting than digging but I have told myself that it has to be done and I an a hard taskmaster on myself haha.

Small Flowers Oct 2010-#3
Soft Pastels on light blue grey Fabriano pastel paper (8"x 10")
Oct 2010

Got to love pastels

Still working hard digging the veggie patch, it so nice to take an hours brake and play with my soft pastels

Small Flowers Oct 2010-#2

Soft Pastels on light blue grey Fabriano pastel paper (8"x 10")

Oct 2010

Spring Dusting

Ok we have had a couple of nice spring days back to back and I have been working in the garden to get it ready for trying to grow stuff haha. But wile doing that I felt that I needed to do some painting but setting up all takes time and is boring so I decided to play with my soft pastels as there is a lot less setup and clean up involved with them which give me more time to paint or to dig in the garden.

Small Flowers Oct 2010-#1
Soft Pastels on light blue grey Fabriano pastel paper (10"x 8")
Oct 2010

Inked up

This year is just racing along and it is still raining but least the ground is not shaking up here. Made the most of a day to myself, got out the oil based inks and played all day printing paper and shellac collage plaits.

monotye relief Collagraph

paper and shellac collage plait

oil based ink on 250gm paper

monotye relief Collagraph

paper and shellac collage plait
oil based ink on 250gm paper

And on a different Note

Today I thought I would try my hade at making some small hard covered note book. Had a great deal of fun and it has opened up a hole lot of new ideas that I can’t wait to try.

Small hard covered note books X4

Handmade

Give us our daily bread

Well I have been working hard but I feel that I have not made much progress. It seems to have been a long cold wet winter but they say the end is in sight and spring is around the corner, that will be nice. So its time to think ahead and make some plain and set some goals

I took the time to try my hand at making bread this is the first loaf of bread I have every made hahaha I made it by hand still need to practise the kneading techniques but boy it shore smelt good when baking and even better when eaten