Baren Digest Monday, 15 January 2001 Volume 14 : Number 1287 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Charles and Gail Sheffield" Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2001 14:04:24 -0800 Subject: [Baren 12984] Cypress Has anyone made woodcut blocks from southern (Bald) cypress? Opinions = about it, if any. Gail Sheffield Covington, LA (near north shore of Lake Ponchartrain, about 40 miles = north of New Orleans) ------------------------------ From: Artsmadis@aol.com Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2001 19:35:40 EST Subject: [Baren 12985] Re: Cypress In a message dated 1/14/01 2:09:36 PM Central Standard Time, gsheffield@i-55.com writes: << Has anyone made woodcut blocks from southern (Bald) cypress? Opinions about it, if any. >> My tree book says: "The soft, narrow-ringed, pale brown to reddish wood is...easily worked, has no resin ducts, feels slightly greasy or waxy, and has a peculiar rancid odor. The heartwood is so durable in contact with the soil, or when exposed to the weather, as to be known as "the wood eternal." .....is used as flooring, water tanks, ships, cross-ties, shingles, coffins, laundry appliances and greenhouse equipment." Sounds like it should be very good for woodcuts. Darrell ********************* http://members.aol.com/artsmadis/index.htm.htm 70 pages so far ********************** ------------------------------ From: "John and Michelle Morrell" Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2001 16:29:46 -0900 Subject: [Baren 12986] Kitsch, cows and communication charset="iso-8859-1" Lawrence--you wrote: Arts primary function is communication, it's limited by the aesthetics but it's intellectual boundaries are infinite.To create for the sake of creation with no other consideration than the doing is the realm of the technician (we all have opinions on the value of work that is only about technique so I won't go there). Art that transcends a boundary because of its aesthetics, or intent merits a different class of consideration. The point I'm trying to make is that art if it is to have value must communicate, for it to do less means that it has failed in its fundamental ambition, failed in its fundamental material. That is an assumption, you know, your philosophy of aethetics is based on the notion that art has a function, and that the primary function is to communicate. That gets you smack back into your own system of values (purpose, intent, ambition, etc.) I cannot object to your values, but sometimes I'm not sure if communicating isn't some sort of disease process. Maybe it is sociopathic to bother to communicate anything that isn't warm and fuzzy. Cows have become cliches, in the realm of kitsch--on everything from mugs to doormats, but I still love them. Someone will always come up with a new cow, or a cow that is news to me. But these cows do not communicate the reality of cow life--the muddy cow corrals, the stench of cow barns, the theft of one's offspring at birth, the inevitability of the slaughterhouse when the quota pumped drops. Maybe they communicate some impossible cow Ideal in this world of cow shadows and cow tears. Maybe they are just whimsical enough to make cow reality fade to the distant background. They are so very cow. They only communicate in the Farside. Striving to communicate as an individual is a good way to try to avoid solipsism, or, on the other hand, that antlike reality of being just a neuron in the megabrain of collective consciousness. Again, I cannot object to your values. They are fine by me. I just don't have the same priorities. <^><^><^><^><^><^> Michelle Morrell jmmorrell@gci.net <^><^><^><^><^><^> ------------------------------ From: Ray Hudson Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2001 21:27:00 -0500 Subject: [Baren 12987] Woodcuts of Women I was at our local bookstore yesterday and saw a new collection of short stories by Dagoberto Gilb called, of all things, Woodcuts of Women. I opened it up and it's filled with provocative black and white prints. I jumped to the back where there was a note about the artist, Artemio Rodriguez. Lo and behold, he works in linocuts! So, the illustrations in Woodcuts of Women are done in linoleum? It's entirely too much like Alice in Wonderland. Nevertheless, the prints are striking; I'm sure the stories are terrific. Perhaps they are about men; or perhaps they are about women as much as the woodcuts are woodcuts. Or perhaps. . . well, enough. Ray Hudson ------------------------------ From: Sunnffunn@aol.com Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2001 22:21:50 EST Subject: [Baren 12988] Re: Giclee prints - --part1_49.61a9e80.2793c6ce_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I often use the designs I have created in painting for printmaking. They take on a new and a different meaning and are art on their own right. the painter does not have to resort to giclee. It sounds like painters are low lifes and there for it is ok for them to do this???? Marilynn ------------------------------ From: "Philip Smith" Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2001 19:26:22 -0800 Subject: [Baren 12989] Re: Woodcuts of Women charset="iso-8859-1" Ray,...They have a copy of your book Woodcuts of Women for $14.95 at Powell's Books in Portland,...what I'm waiting for is Linoleumcuts of Women, I understand that the illustrations will be done with woodcuts this time. Philip Hammond, OR ------------------------------ From: Lawrence Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2001 14:55:24 +1100 Subject: [Baren 12990] Re: Kitsch, cows and communication I can appreciate the difference in priority but it begs the question, why use an aesthetic medium if you deny that work you create will communicate, either with or without your intent. Its the nature of the medium. It gets away from you and people place values and concepts into it, they project. My philosophy of aesthetics just accepts that the function is formed by both the creator and the viewer, that a person who makes art because it satisfies what ever has placed a function into the art. That function maybe their yearning to create, or to learn or to show that work to others for ego gratification. Function is inherent. I am interested in your concept, mail me off list if your willing to share your ideas further with me. Either way can you direct me toward some of your work, I want to see it. Regards ------------------------------ From: Claude Villeneuve Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2001 22:54:42 -0500 Subject: [Baren 12991] Snakes from Montreal Hello everyone! Just to let you know that a bunch of snakes left snowy Montreal last Friday. The envelopes sport the new Canadian Yea-of-the-Snake stamp. Hope you like my little creature from the cold! Claud AimŽe Villeneuve Montreal ------------------------------ From: "Tyrus Clutter" Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2001 21:02:12 -0700 Subject: [Baren 12992] #8 I just finished up printing my edition for the #8 Exchange. I don't know = how some of you have the energy or time to want to be in every exchange. I = used a press to print two colors (I know that is odd considering the name = of the forum is Baren). They're drying now and will be on their way soon. = I haven't done too many woodcuts, but figured having a deadline would = force me get one done and therefore allow me to have more knowledge for my = relief printmaking class which starts in two days. ><~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~>< Prof. Tyrus Clutter Director of Friesen Art Galleries Dept. of Art & Music Northwest Nazarene University 623 Holly St. Nampa, Idaho 83686 TRClutter@NNU.edu (208) 467-8398 ------------------------------ From: Aqua4tis@aol.com Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2001 23:41:26 EST Subject: [Baren 12993] Re: Woodcuts of Women i believe i know this artist artemio rodriguez he was at self help graphics for awhile and his work is amazing i have one of his originals as a matter of fact but when i knew him he worked in wood georga ------------------------------ From: "Maria Arango" Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2001 20:43:15 -0800 Subject: [Baren 12994] RE: #8 We don't have the energy or time, we are just suicidal maniacs who want to die happy with a u-gouge on our hands and ink under our fingernails... Many of us use presses on occassion, sometimes we even use GMC Jimmies. http://www.1000woodcuts.com/Studionotes/Monster/monstercut.html And speaking of snakes, mine will be on the way Monday or Tuesday; appropriately named "rattlers" in the spirit of SouthWestern USA. They look a little mean, but really they are just dancing, I do hope everyone enjoys them, I sure have been thrilled with my growing collection of slithery friends. Thank you all. Maria <><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Maria Arango Las Vegas, Nevada, USA http://www.1000woodcuts.com maria@mariarango.com <><><><><><><><><><><><><><> ------------------------------ From: "pwalls1234" Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2001 22:54:20 -0600 Subject: [Baren 12995] Re: Subject Matter charset="iso-8859-1" Lawrence, You said, The point I'm trying to make is >that art if it is to have value must communicate, for it to do less means >that it has failed in its fundamental ambition, failed in its fundamental >material. I am always interested in discussion of art as communication and wonder where you bring in this value system? Is the value of a work of art solely based upon its ability to "correctly" communicate a desired message from the artist? I would love to read more about what you have to say on this. pete walls baton rouge ------------------------------ From: Lawrence Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2001 18:40:23 +1100 Subject: [Baren 12996] Re: Subject Matter I think my previous post touches on some of the issues you raise, but to expand slightly. As was pointed out by Michelle Morrell, it is a matter of subjectivity, values are relative, intent is personal. however the skill of an artist is measurable by the ability to communicate intent on the one hand and or to be judged by the technical quality on the other (a rather classical view), within the limits of the medium. Other than that the medium has a life of its own. Communication occurs, the mere act of viewing conveys information, often projection, sometimes intent. The more skilled the artist the more likely they can convey the meaning they intend. I find it curious that 2 posts today are trying to nail this down to a "value" system, that there is or that I am alluding to a universal unified theory of aesthetics. I am not. All I am saying is that, art (print in this instance) tends by the nature of the medium to communicate. Print is a visual medium, humans are by their nature visually stimulated (an exception are sight impaired people). People project and absorb intent and meaning. Art to my mind when it is at its most accomplished communicates the intent of the artist, neither flounders on clumsy dogma or propoganda nor gets lost in its own material. A Van Gogh painting for instance, inherently is the paint, its tactile, it is colour and it is something more. I'm putting forward that that something more is "intent". Van Gogh's intent is extruded through the subject, the material and gives his work a life of its own. Good art (my value judgement) communicates to many people and probably communicates something different to them all also. Communication isn't just about words/propoganda/rheteric it can be about conveying the emotional, the aesthetic the empathic. You wrote "Is the value of a work of art solely based upon its ability to "correctly" communicate a desired message from the artist?" All I can offer is that my mother owns the worst piece of trash I have ever done, but she loves it, she has placed her meaning into it and now, beyond my ability to control it, it has meaning. My better pieces have less room for others to hijack them. Not that I have a problem with it, I think that my mother is sweet in what she has done (if not a little typical as a loving mother). I think that art is at its best when it communicates, I'm not saying what it ought to communicate, just that the intent of the artist ought to be present. If that intent is vacuous then work that reflects that vacuity is by definition eloquent. I wouldn't hang it on my walls, unless I hijacked its meaning with my own projections however. I hope this clarify's a little of what I am alluding to. Regards Lawrence ------------------------------ From: Legreenart@cs.com Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2001 02:43:42 EST Subject: [Baren 12997] Re: Baren Digest v14 #1286 RE Art critic' I once entered an art competition in college where the Well Known & Prestigious juror of the student exhibition juried out every piece that was framed in a gold frame. The gold metal frames had been very popular for about 3 years, and he found them offensive. On the other hand, a juror once created a special category for my work so he could give me an honorable mention. At the time, large,artist's signatures in red paint were all the rage, often to the detriment to the work. Although he did actually like the work, when he gave his gallery talk, one deciding factor he was careful to explain was that I had signed in pencil on the obverse. We have a columnist in town that critques art shows from the media list and the titles of the work. As far as we know, he has never actually been to an art show. He wrote about the exploicit sezual nature of Kathleen Baker Pittman's bra because the title was "Wet Dreams" You can see this watery sculpture at the bottom of our Bra Show web page, Go to http://stonemetalpress.homepage.com/brashow.html It is the one with a fish. If he heard about it, your critic must be really upset by the topiary puppr at Rackefeler Center. Ah, well, cut and print. It'll make you fell better. Yours, Le Green Stonemetal Press Email: legreenart@cs.com Website: www.stonemetalpress.homepage.com ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest v14 #1287 *****************************