Hand Coloured Linocut

I needed to find a present for a friend who is turning forty and I went through all my stuff and found this, I did this late in 2008. I thought I would post it as things have been very hectic and I have not had time to do much printing. I really miss it and finding this and going through all my prints made me want to get back to making some art as soon as possible! Just a few things to sort out first though so I have to 'hold that thought' for just a while longer.

This print consists of a grey cloured ink, printed first for the background, then the birds were inked in black and printed in the second printing. I then hand coloured with water colours. The print is about the importance of wetlands for the environment. The birds are creatures that depend on the health of the upper and lower water ways, and they are not just Australian birds, the wetland birds travel across the world and we are just one stop. The title of the print is....

The Silk Cut Award for Linocut Prints

I was very happy to open a letter from the Glen Eira City Council and find that my print Marriage Line had been accepted in the above award. This print featured on the invitation to the Impress exhibition below.

Anyone who is keen on linocuts should note that this award, which is highly regarded in Australia is open to international artists also. Check out the link and perhaps put it in your diary for next time.

http://www.silkcutlino.com/

I met some woodcutting relief printmakers today.....

Today I went to the Impress BBQ, I met some new artists and it was wonderful because they were relief printers. I encouraged them to join Baren and hopefully they will. I told them about the face book page (not that I am joining that!) They are both very talented and it was wonderful to talk about woodcutting and relief printing in general. It would be nice to form a little sub group of Impress for the relief printers!! It is so refreshing to talk about ones particular interest in printmaking! Which is obviously what Baren is about, but it is very exciting to talk face to face.......

Alex Gillies;

http://againstthewoodgrain.wordpress.com/

If you are near or in Brisbane this coming Friday and weekend, Alex has an exhibiton, the details of which are on his website.

Natasha;

http://www.redbubble.com/people/gibson/art/2865302-2-another-mans-castle

Exhibition of prints, in Brisbane, Australia

My Community Printmaking Organisation, Impress is having its annual exhibition, this Friday for anyone in or near Brisbane, Australia. I will post some pictures of the opening which is happening tomorrow. I have not been doing any creative printmaking lately. I have worked on some editions and some administrative work. Hopefully I will be able to get into some new work soon.

Segment of a 'perfect' lino

Linocut: The Brambles became Roses

I have become very interested in Saint Francis and have been reading various books about him. I have a friend who is a Fransiscan Brother. He has lent me some old books including The Little Flowers of ST. Francis, written 100 years after his death by Brother Ugilino. I have not yet read the whole book, but I love the Brother Juniper chapters. There will be a print coming about Brother Juniper soon enough. One story about Saint Francis that I have only so far seen on the web is how Saint Francis threw himself on brambles to distract himself from temptation, however the thorny brambles became dog roses without thorns, thus saving him from harm.

A note those on the Baren Forum. I am doing some work for a number of shows coming up and I have to do them in lino as that is my best medium. I am not sure if you want to see these prints so I am putting linocut in the title.

This print is my first 'rough' water based ink proof and thin rice paper. There is only a small amount of cutting left to be done then I shall print it 'properly' I am pretty certain this print will require a press as the blacks cannot be patchy.

Saint Francis

This is a 'final' version of the Saint Francis relief print. I rolled the paper with gold acrylic, printed with black water based ink, then over printed with graphics oil based (with some extender) . I did this so I could do it all in one day, usually I prefer oil based ink but I wanted to acheive something quickly!