Experiments with Block Printing

I’ve been slowly working out how to tackle the idea of creating custom printed paper to use in my cut paper work going forward. I don’t have the facilities available in my home studio to do screen printing because it’s messy, needs space to print and dry, and plenty of water to wash screens. I’ve considered having paper printed for me based on my designs, but I’m such a hands-on person I really want to do this myself. Looking into other printing methods has led me to explore block printing, and this week I carved and printed my first block.

I bought a starter kit from Opus just before the holidays to get me started. It contains the basics tools of a lino cutting tool with three blades, a tube of ink, one soft rubber block, and a small brayer.

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I drew a relatively simple design directly on the block using pencil rather transferring from a sketch, and started carving. As I worked I realized my design could have been even simpler for my first try because there were some small details that were challenging to work around, and way too many curves. The process is similar enough to carving paper with a knife that it didn’t take long to get the hang of it. I made use of all three sizes of blades as I worked.

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I used the finished block to print white ink (from an ink pad) onto a piece of black card stock. I did an initial printing to check the design and then re-carved a few spots that needed fixing. I think next time I need to carve more deeply.

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I finished my little experiment by doing a quick paper cut from the printed material to see how the different colours would interact with the design. It was only then I thought about my choice to work in black and white when the main purpose of printing is to bring more colour into my work. Ha!

Sashiko Stitching On A Thrifted Shirt

I began this new year by getting started with another clothing embellishment project using sashiko stitching. I thrifted a button-up indigo denim shirt in the spring of last year with the idea I would decorate it somehow. I only recently came up with an idea for a design I felt suited the style of shirt, and once again it is inspired by layers of lines similar to the Seigaiha pattern, but without regular repeats. I’m freeform stitching the design and want the shapes to be organic and unique from one another.

Sashiko on a thrifted shirt

Sashiko on a thrifted shirt

I started on the front of the shirt and want to make the two sides balanced but not matching (because that would require more perfection than I am capable of…), and then add more of the design to the back. It’s been awhile since I’ve done much stitching, so starting off felt very clumsy and slow. I managed to finish most of the first side, and may tweak it a bit after I work on the second side.

Sashiko on a thrifted shirt

I love these projects to customize thrifted clothing, and wish I could come up with ideas more often along with the time to work on them.

2017: Year End Review in Twelve Photos

It’s a year end review of some of the things I made over the course of this year, mostly stitching projects and paper cutting pieces. I felt like I did not do much stitching this year, but I worked on at least three different projects including a skirt not pictured here.

This year has been a struggle for me on many levels, and I feel like I lost momentum in my art career. I hope to turn things around in 2018 and figure out how to thrive again.

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January

Heart drawing
February

Rainbow wings
March

Cumulus
April

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May

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June

Workshop prototype
July

Hand cut tyvek scroll
August

Kiriki Press embroidery kit
September

Pattern play
October

image
November

Layered finished paper cut work
December

I made some beautiful things this past year, and now I need to get them out into the world.

The Cut Paper Screen Print Series Gets a Name

I am terrible at coming up with titles for my paper cutting pieces, and it usually doesn’t seem to happen until right before a show. But I’ve been trying to re-organize my image files, and it’s triggered the need to come up with descriptive words to name the files to make it easier to find things. It was helpful in this case because I can’t keep calling these the “cut paper screen print series” or whatever.

The series is inspired by a favourite Japanese textile pattern of mine called Seigaiha, which means blue sea and waves. The designs don’t look anything like a regularly repeating wave pattern but it was a jumping off point for me, so for now it will be the working title.

Seigaiha

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This design was the fourth created for the series, and it is the one with the most irregular shape. I was trying to play around with a different overall form and flow for each one, and this one turned out the weirdest.

The Satisfaction of Finishing a Series of Work

I cut the sixth and final design from screen printed paper last week, and am pretty pleased to see the group of them together. I had them temporarily piled this way as I prepared to put them into storage as I sort out framing. It looked too good not to take a few photos. They are interesting with all of the lines layered together, but I have no desire to make six separate pieces into one work of art.

Layered finished paper cut work

The plain white backside shows off the line work even more strongly than the colourful front.

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A long held goal has been to reproduce more work as laser cut pieces in wood or some other materials more study than paper. I will definitely draw on these recent designs as source material. They could look amazing!

Screen Printing and Paper Cutting Part 3

I completed cutting the sixth and final piece in this series earlier this morning, and here I am sharing number three of the six.

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I realized recently this is the first time in awhile I have explored an idea as thoroughly as this and made a coherent series. I too often jump around from idea to idea. I need to keep this in mind going forward.

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My work needed this infusion of colour provided by the screen printed paper, and I want more of it to use in future work. I’m just starting to explore different methods of producing small batches of custom printed paper which was inspired by this series.

Visiting Frida and Diego in Mexico City

I’ve been slow to share photos and write more about my trip to Mexico last month, mostly because enough time has now passed that it almost feels like it didn’t happen. It was such a brief trip that I mostly tried not to have expectations or make specific plans in advance about what to see.

I visited two art museums in Mexico City and that was pretty much it, but they were moving and inspiring experiences. The first was Museo Mural Diego Rivera which houses the work of its famous namesake. Unfortunately for us there was only a single piece of work on display during our visit, because the building was under repair (possibly because of earthquake damage), but it was a spectacular piece of work. Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Almeda Park is a fifty foot fresco rich in symbolism and figures from Mexican history, including Rivera as a boy and Frida Kahlo.

Museo Mural Diego Rivera

Museo Mural Diego Rivera

Museo Mural Diego Rivera

Museo Mural Diego Rivera

View the entire mural and read more about it here.

The one place I felt I had to visit while in Mexico City was the house turned museum that once belonged to Frida Kahlo. It was a bit of an ordeal to get there across the city from where we were staying, but I was deeply moved to be in a place where this powerful artist once lived her life and made art. My favourite part of the visit was viewing the small collection of recently discovered items of clothing, support garments, and prosthetics. It was a strong reminder of her striking personal style, and struggles with debilitating health issues.

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It felt like paying tribute when I took the above self-portrait of Boris and I in a mirror located in Frida Kahlo’s bedroom.

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An unfinished self-portrait by Frida Kahlo.

Below are a few photos I took in her light-filled studio, which was my other favourite part of the visit. What a beautiful place it must have been for her to do her work.

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The large and spectacular Día de Muertos alter was set up in the court yard, with a beautiful black & white photo dedicating it to the memory of Frida.

The Umbrella Roof

This is “The Umbrella Roof”, a temporary installation made up of 850 umbrellas in the Passage of Revolution in Mérida, Mexico. My first sight of this is one of my favourite memories of my recent visit there, which now feels like it was months ago rather than a few weeks.

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It’s the perfect antidote to the run of blah rainy grey weather we’ve been having for weeks on end in Vancouver. I look at these photos and feel an infusion of colour and energy.

Beautiful Embroidery in Mexico

At the beginning of November I had the privilege of tagging along on Boris’ business trip to Mexico, with stops in Mérida and Mexico City. It was a very short five day trip but I managed to fit a lot in while visiting each city.

My friend Carlyn is staying in Mérida for a few months over the winter, and we spent a day walking all over the place, through museums and various markets, with a few stops for ice cream and food. We walked 15 kilometres over the course of the day and evening, because that’s just how we roll.

Embroidery in Mexico

Embroidery in Mexico

Embroidery in Mexico

The photos in this post are pieces of embroidered clothing on display in the Museo de Arte Popular, and Museo Regional Antropologia. It’s a mix of cross-stitch and other embroidery techniques, with bright colours, and intricate details. I’m am inspired by these pieces, and it was a terrific introduction to Mexican textile work.

Embroidery in Mexico

Embroidery in Mexico

Embroidery in Mexico

Look at all of those amazing stitches!

Embroidery in Mexico

Embroidery in Mexico

Embroidery in Mexico

The pieces are rich in symbolism and meaning, not just decorative. In Mérida many women wear embroidered huipil as every day wear, and it was wonderful to see them as we walked around the city. It was an important connection to make between the museum artifacts and modern clothing.

Embroidery in Mexico

Embroidery in Mexico

Embroidery in Mexico

Embroidery in Mexico

Embroidery in Mexico

This brief infusion of colour and energy from another culture is what is seeing me through the current round of rainy blah days in Vancouver. I also intend to incorporate ideas inspired by my experience in upcoming stitching projects.