Holiday Cheer

Merry XMAS, Happy Hanukah, Happy New Years & Festivus for the RestofUs.

Christmas is almost over and we have had about 18 inches of snow which is now melting. Last year in December I printed a simple linoleum block print called Cold Fish, a fish with a scarf. He sort of looks like a bottom feeder, doesn't he? I traded some of these prints in a swap on Wet Canvas.

Enjoy the holidays and remember that your friends, family and memorable experiences are the important parts of life. Take time to do things you enjoy in the new year. Make a resolution to set time - say 15 min - every day aside just for you! Paint, write, read, think, travel (if only in your head), etc. Who loves you, make a mental list!

Smile!

Clay Relief Etching - My History

The first clay relief etching I made and printed in 1997 in Linda Neely's workshop in CT is Trumpet Shell. Oil based Graphic Chemical (GC) inks are used, mixed with EZWipe. The plate is printed in color in a single printing. The intaglio is printed with burnt umber GC ink, the relief is a la poupee* with GC oil based inks. The same method was used on my second plate, also created during that first workshop. Scallops. Linda said this wouldn't print well as it had too much "architecture". The plate did print although it did crack under pressure of the press. I think that adds an old world flavor and I love this print. Some people believe that if prints are not identical these should be called monoprints. With new and different materials and printmaking methods the lines between what you call the method and how you number it are blurred. Hope you liked this, more to come in the future! * a la poupee means that the ink is applied to the surface of the etching plate prior to printing.