Steamrollers, Blocks and Chili

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It’s my last day in Boise, Idaho and I spent the morning with Amy Nack, the Wingtip Press Director, at a steamroller printing session at a local school then the afternoon back at the studio to knock out a final couple of block prints. The first is a composite of a number of petroglyphs that I drew during my visit to Snake River.

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When we were out on our road trip, I sat in the mountains and cut a small block. It’s the first time I’ve done any block cutting al fresco and it was fun. I used a soft, easy-cut block, the sort they use in schools. I haven’t used it before. Here are the results.

And here are some photos of the steamroller printing this morning. It was well over 90F and I had some fresh fruit salad Mexican style – mango, melon and pineapple sprinkled with salt and chili. Delicious.

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This residency has been supported by Wales Arts International and Arts Council Wales.

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Just a quickie

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We came back to Idaho from Oregon today and made a couple of sketching stops. It was boiling hot, around 29degrees C or 90F and we were on a tight schedule so only had enough time for a quickie or two. This was drawn from a rest stop in the mountains on The Oregon Trail, at Burnt River – at one point we were over 4,000 feet up.

I scribbled this in oil bars onto a canvas sheet prepared with oil-based litho/relief ink squeegeed on at random and left to dry.

This artist residency has been supported by Wales Arts International and Arts Council Wales.

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Puddle Of Lard!

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Insomnia hit me hard so I got up and do an early morning sketch in my teeny weeny leather bound steampunky sketchbook. We’re staying in one of those hotels like in the films where the room all open out onto a verandah on the outside. It’s nice sitting here with the door open to the outside, it’s already very warm and the temperature is going to go up to 32C later, that’s about 90F! I will probably turn into a puddle of lard with a hat on top!

This artist residency is supported by Wales Arts International and Arts Council Wales.

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Starting the monotype process

A very clear explanation of the 3 colour monotype process and a lovely set of prints…….

paperstew's avatarSticks, Stones, and Paper Stew Blog

Day 2 of the Wingtip Press Workshop:

After working for a full day on reductive drawings, we were ready to start the 3 color reduction monotype (also referred to as  “stacked monotypes”). Since I didn’t bring along specific images, I chose to work from the previous days pepper drawing.

I should also mention Rose learned from Vinita Voogd who pioneered this process. Vinita taught at Wingtip Press  last year.

Fearless leader Rose Davies lead us through the inking process. She combined 60% weight Graphic Chemical Litho Process Yellow to 40% plate oil. After mixing thoroughly, she used a soft brayer to apply a thin coat to the plate.

To check ink application, Rose held the plate up to a light. If splotchy, she could continue rolling the brayer over the plate to achieve an even coverage. Just keep your fingertips off the corners! This was the process used for…

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ROAD TRIP!

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Along the Oregon Trail from Boise, Idaho to Pendleton where we visited Crow’s Shadow Press and I experienced pulled pork in a Wild West Saloon bar. Here’s a little sketch of it. On the way here I saw amazing changes of vast landscapes and went into a casino. I came back out again pretty quickly, one of the most depressing places I’ve ever seen.

It’s incredible that people managed to get here in wagons and on horseback, the landscape is so dramatic and harsh. It was so overpowering that I couldn’t really focus enough to stop and sketch but now I’ve had a chance to take it in, I’ll be scribbling on our way back to Boise tomorrow with my traveling companion, Amy Nack of Wingtip Press.

This artist residency has been supported by Wales Arts International and Arts Council Wales.

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Showing In Boise

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I spent 4 marvelous days working with some talented Boise artists to produce drawings and monotypes and the finished work is now being shown at Wingtip Press. It’s been a great experience collaborating with a group and one I hope to repeat when I’m back home.

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It was a joy to work with Lisa, Karl, Mary, Gale, Tyler and Cassandra. If you’re in Boise please pop in and see the work.

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It’s also been a delight to work with the tireless Amy, who runs Wingtip and I hope this is the beginning of many future collaborations between South Wales and the Wild West.

This residency has been supported by Wales Arts International and Arts Council Wales.

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Daytripper – Part 3

Daytripper – Part 3.

From ‘Notes to the milkman’, here’s an excellent write up of the Becoming Picasso exhibition at The Courtauld in London which showcases his earliest works, and possibly his finest IMHO.

Post-Muckiness….

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Just spent a happy couple of hours at the fabulous Wingtip Press in Boise, Idaho, proof printing some little Lino blocks I cut from drawings of Snake River petroglyphs.

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Here are the blocks inked and raring to go onto the press. It is their destiny.

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And here is my little set of four petroglyphs…….

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I used a water-based ink for the first time, Akua intaglio carbon black and I’m very impressed with the result and the ease of inking and cleaning, so I’m going to track some down when I get back to Blighty.

This artist residency has been supported by Wales Arts International and Arts Council Wales.

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Mucky Time!

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Another very hot day in Boise, Idaho and I spent the morning with Amy and Arun at Wingtip Press, setting up a simple exhibition of the work done by our collaborative group of seven artists. I’m really pleased with it and we’re going to continue our collaboration when I come home and expand the group to include some other artists based at Swansea Print Workshop.

I wanted to do a trio of monotypes based on anatomical drawings I had done from skulls. The monotype process I use produces one full-colour and 1 ‘ghost’ print per plate. Here are my three skulls, two full colour and one ghost. I don’t normally work so small, it’s about A4 size and I normally work to A2 or A1 so it’s been good to have a bit of a challenge.

Now – some block printing for the rest of the afternoon. Time to get mucky!

This residency was partly funded by Wales Arts International and Arts Council Wales.

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Making Cuts

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Today in Boise, Idaho, I spent a very pleasant morning with Gale who blogs most excellently as Paperstew, then I gave an artist talk to some lovely printmaking students at Boise State University then spent some time at Wingtip Press, cutting some Lino blocks based on my recent drawings of petroglyphs carved into boulders at Snake River. I will proof print them tomorrow. Now I’m going to chill out and read and watch the very good public service television channel. Good night 🙂

This artist residency was partly sponsored by Wales Arts International and the Arts Council Wales.

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