1000 Woodcuts Updates

A new print finally!

2008-05-13T18:06:00.000-07:00

First, a new image! Amazing, I know, it's been a while. I actually have two blocks carved and ready to go but life keeps getting in the way.

On the other hand, my home projects are coming right along this year and I'm getting buffed and tanned driving the wheelbarrow around.

But back to art...

There it is, an exchange print in full color. I kept the image simple. The key (black) block is standard cherry, the color block is a puzzle cork block. Cork is tough to work with, hard to print and generally a big pain in the booty. But I really like the irregular surface to fill with color but leave the paper showing.

Is this a sign of more color to come? Hmmm...mixed feelings here. I actually have two more blocks of the Grand Canyon series ready to print, and they are black on my favorite Beech Grove Paperworks hand-crafted paper.

The color was fun too, but there is something about the traditional honest one-color woodcut. We'll see!

Woodcut puzzles

2008-02-11T16:33:00.000-08:00

There's an activity I engage in every couple of years or so, and that is to bring printmakers together to make a print. These collaborations baffle those who know me as a loner, but nevertheless, they continue to fascinate me.

The procedure is simple, take a block of wood, draw something, chop it up into pieces and send the pieces to the various participants. Each woodcutter cuts their piece of wood and sends it back to me, I put it together, print it and send the completed prints to everyone.

IN progress is the Cairn, information is here:
http://www.1000woodcuts.com/projects/cairn/index.html

Completed is the first puzzle, a Web:
http://www.1000woodcuts.com/projects/puzzle/finalimage.html

Undoubtedly, there will be more...

Woodcuts in the desert

2008-02-08T20:22:00.000-08:00

My temporary gallery at the Valley of Fire Visitor's Center. This is a small Nevada state park that is just beautiful to visit, especially (and almost exclusively) in the winter.

Compared to an art festival, this is an easy setup. I used my festival panels for the back wall and also the browse bins for information on woodcuts, business cards and, of course those portable matted works that hopefully will find their way into the suitcases of tourists.

The park benefits from the artist's sales and for the artist, it is a chance to show works to countless tourists and other desert loving critters.
Woodcuts are again at an advantage because they are so rarely seen in these parts. Of course I have free for the taking my standard "How to Make Woodcuts" handout. Knowing that the State Park gets a percentage is huge for me. As I grow older, I yearn for the days when the desert was a largely uninhabited place. More and more developers are building and building and it feels good to be a part of a preservation movement.

The weather forecast for the rest of February in these parts calls for spring-like 60's and 70's, and, of course... sunny and clear!

Exhibit at Valley of Fire February 2008

2008-02-08T17:42:00.000-08:00

Valley of Fire Exhibit - February 2008
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Two Las Vegas artists are currently showing at the Valley of Fire Visitor's Center through February 2008.
Enjoy the beautiful watercolors of Mary Shaw, a long time Las Vegas resident and member of the Watercolor Society, and the woodcuts of Maria Arango (http://1000woodcuts.com/) , printed by hand on beautiful natural fiber hand-made papers.
Works depict our beautiful surroundings and remind us of the beauty of the desert. Enjoy the mild sunny spring-like weather and peruse and picnic around the Valley of Fire State Park, a true gem of our desert lands. All purchases benefit the Valley of Fire State Park.
The Valley of Fire Visitor's Center features monthly shows of regional landscapes and nature works by local artists. The Valley of Fire State Park is a gorgeous place in the winter, a truly meditative desert sanctuary. More information and directions to the park: http://parks.nv.gov/vf.htm

Launch of the Simple Year and the New Updates

2007-12-06T11:52:00.000-08:00

To celebrate 2008, the Simple Year, I combined the Diary and Updates into a compact and hopefully more frequent format.
What's the Simple Year all about? Well, for starters I'm taking 2008 off the festival circuit to get back on track on some art creation projects and home stuff. I'm no Thoreau, but hope to rekindle my love affair with wood, art, family, and all the important simple things in life.
For now, I'm on full rest and planning mode.

More later...