Baren Digest            Saturday, 21 September 2002    Volume 20 : Number 1967


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From: David Bull <davebull#woodblock.com>
Date: Sat, 21 Sep 2002 10:01:59 +0900
Subject: [Baren 19282] Re: Mechanics ... 

Maria wrote:

> After about the 20th one, the 40th, the movements become like
> driving on a highway: it isn't exactly "easy" or "requiring no attention
> to detail", but after a while and it's tough to tell whether it was me
> driving all the way. Printing is meditative, beautifully repetitive.


Now _this_ I will go along with! Perhaps it's a 'quibble', but even as I 
reject the term 'mechanical' I will completely accept the 'repetitive' 
part. Perhaps we are actually talking about the same 'mood', but just 
using different words.

Printing is 'mindless' - in the sense of being able to completely forget 
what you are doing, just like when you drive home from the office and 
when you are pulling into your home driveway you realize that you 
weren't actually 'there' during the drive time. Presumably we are 
describing a phenomenon where your body is so well trained at the 
particular job that your mind can switch off conscious control while 
things proceed.

**

Curiously enough, just as we are having this discussion, I just a few 
minutes ago finished up the printing work on one print. After a day or 
so for other work, my 'cycle' will begin again ...

Dave


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From: "Gillyin Gatto" <gillying#Maineline.net>
Date: Mon, 27 Aug 1956 09:56:20 -0700
Subject: [Baren 19283] carving/printing 

what a great discussion

many timesI find the images in the grain of the block
I draw right on the block
using chalk and charcoal
or black marker or brush

it may   or may not   be a tight drawing
i do both
- - work semi tight from my  photos
or
- -use the gouge as a paint brush /white pencil with only the image in my head

i was influenced by german expressionism
Kathe Kollwitz--
how she could express an idea with so FEW gouge marks!
Felix Volloton- the graceful sensuousness of his flowing
 black and white shapes
also- with few gouge marks

every time i carve
i am creating a white line
drawing/painting with the gouge
i love tiny  u-gouges

but then again
 I love BIG u-gouges too
they- for making the bigger more striking white spaces
  small gouge for lines
preparing it all with the knife

I outline my important lines
setting the course
for me a good working knife  drawing
gets me going

carving is really exhilerating

and learning to incorporate the carve marks
 into ones design
selectively rubbing the background carve marks to create a pattern

  INTUITIVELY-

  the grain  speaks the lines
and says-- here , here,and  here
then I HEAR -
 just as MARIA says

I call it TREESPEAKING

she calls it OUT OF THE WOOD

the blocks definetly speak
to wild women/men-
telling them where to carve

and plywood
since it is actually  tortured/ (highly processed)
seems to have  ALOT to say!

CARVING is creative/intense/exciting
and

PRINTING for me is
 RHYTHMIC

i like some up beat music
that keeps me in the rhythm of rolling/ pivoting
rolling/  pivoting
laying paper down
rubbing
 also- rhythmically- with the baren
round and round and round
switch hands
 round
 and round- the OTHER way

i feel like i have had a great  rhythmic/ aerobic workout-physically
and mentally-  i feel proud of
yes!   30-60 hanging- up- to- dry  prints
all hand rubbed
that is an excellent feeling of accomplishment

psychically- i feel like i have been communicated- to
by this- to me- still living, spirit of a tree......

neither  CARVING/designing
nor PRINTING are ever mechanical
for me

mechanical-- is matting /framing/shrink wrapping
ad infinatum

one has to pay attention to the INK
I am-- oily on dry paper--
each block is different
 some wood -you might have to clean it off after so many prints
cuz it get clogged up
some blocks take alot of ink  some only a little

inking takes extreme attention!
specks of dust and dog/cat hair are constantly trying to get in on the fun
i like to be near a bright window  that will make it easy
 to cast a reflection onto the block and
catch those little specks
 before laying the paper down

pulling the first good  proof
is always a thrill
then i take a proof and fasten it backwards onto that bright window
so i can see exactly where each gouge mark is
 I take another proof and
paint on it with white acrylic or chalk, if its dry,
where i think the image should go
its finding the whites-
the light-
and bringing it out
with the gouge

 when you have achieved something you set out to do
with a block of wood
it  is quite satisfying
it always amazes me to think of all the blocks
sitting on my shelves with real  images in them
created  by printing a few gouge marks

i love the simplicity and naturalness of the whole process



or also-
 when a happy surprise in the grain
does a really neat thing for ones design
a gift from the wood to me

Gillyin




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From: Cucamongie#aol.com
Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 22:51:02 -0400
Subject: [Baren 19284] baren collaborative print 

personally, I think a giant dayglo Elvis being impersonated by a 
flying saucer printed on black velvet sounds good :)
Sarah  

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From: "Tyrus Clutter" <TRClutter#NNU.Edu>
Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 21:40:25 -0600
Subject: [Baren 19285] fireman prints 

I sold two firemen's prints at the reception we had on friday 20th. Can =
someone tell me again to whom I should make the check out, and where to =
send it? It was Maria's print and John Center's that sold. However, even =
though I have another of Maria's, I was planning to send it as part of a =
set to Goddard at UofK (Steve can you e-mail me info on what to do with =
this off list?). Maria, or someone else, are there more?

TyRuS


><~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~><

Prof. Tyrus Clutter
Professor of Painting, Printmaking, & Art History
Director of Friesen Art Galleries
Dept. of Art & Music
Northwest Nazarene University
623 Holly St.
Nampa, Idaho  83686
TRClutter#NNU.edu
(208) 467-8398


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From: G Wohlken <blueman#pantek.com>
Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 23:47:30 +0000
Subject: [Baren 19286] Re: Baren Digest V20 #1966 


>>the design part and cutting part (is) the most grueling
>>for me, both mentally and physically. Printing is just...mechanics!
>>

Designing is  the worst part for me, too.  It almost makes me sick.  I'm 
working on one today that has caused so much angst I think I could sleep 
two days to get back into some kind of mental shape to go at it again. 
 I spent all day drawing, drawing, drawing, drawing.  I usually work out 
the design elements before I put it on the board, unlike Maria, who says 
she designs right on the board.  I don't trust myself enough for that. 
 I have to see it first.  I wouldn't want to take a chance and cut some 
area thinking that would be the thing to do, and have it be one of those 
"ooops, that wasn't what I wanted, after all" moments.  I've tried that 
and realize I'm just not that good an artist to get it right the first 
time.  

Printing's easy enough, but boring after a while.   I do have a system 
that works for registration (taping the paper down one side of  the 
registration board  and lifting it to add each new color block)  and I 
use oil based ink which waits nicely for you despite its sticky ways.  I 
get mad at it, but it's my fault,  not its.  If I'm too excited to find 
out what I've got on that board, I might be sloppy about my first couple 
of  prints because I just can't wait to see.  I usually settle down 
after I get my thrill, and after I clean all the goo off my hands and 
make a pact with myself that it's time to get serious.


I like carving better than printing, though.  Since I print entirely by 
hand, printing the first six or so is satifying but after that, I don't 
think it's that much fun anymore for any particular print I'm working 
on.  Carving just feels good--the knife in your hand, the sound of the 
wood as it is being gouged or scooped or needled or razorbladed out of 
the board--it's such good work after the grueling drawing sessions.  But 
with printing, I hear myself saying sighingly "Ten down,  twenty  to 
go", and then I feel sorry for myself because I  feel trapped and a 
little voice says, "you could be hiking".  Then when I get on number 
#25, I start perking up again, but I'm  tired.  The only thing I like 
about printing is the moment I get to pull that print I've been barening 
away on for twenty minutes and it's perfect.  Twenty minutes for an 
imperfect print is heartbreaking.


That's how it is for me, anyway.

Gayle
Ohio      

         
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From: Sharri LaPierre <Barebonesart#attbi.com>
Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 21:15:25 -0700
Subject: [Baren 19287] Re: Baren Digest V20 #1966 

Carving over printing?  Isn't it all part & parcel? I guess I look at it 
as Act I and Act II. Act I is the beginning of the voyage - sometimes I 
sketch a few basic ideas for placement of shapes (I hate getting a block 
all done and wishing I'd moved this a little further up or down, or 
whatever), If it's something that makes a difference in its orientation 
then I sometimes transfer the shapes from my drawing onto the block - 
otherwise I just start drawing. and get the shapes, but no detail,  
where I want them before carving. But, when I finally do get to the 
carving the chips fly. I find it mesmerizing and can carve for 8 hrs. 
and it feels like 15 min.  Well, that used to be the case before 
arthritis reared its ugly head.
Act II is just pure fun -  there are so many possibilities.  I have to 
explore most all of them before settling on the way I want to edition. 
The result is I always have a dozen color proofs, and trial proofs, 
before I finally get to the finished product.
Conversations are constant (in other words, I talk to myself) all the 
way through both acts - and the wood, and sometimes the inks answer. The 
paper is usually very quiet - probably from being confined to a plastic 
bag.  Although, come to think of it, it does voice an opinion when I'm 
choosing which one to use - Take Me! No, I'm Better! Hey! Over Here!

Sharri


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End of Baren Digest V20 #1967
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