Amanda's Art Blog

New Website Design and NEW BLOG!

2012-01-25T14:23:00.003-05:00

I recently updated my website to a new design that more reflects my current work (woodblock prints and handmade paper) AND it will be easy to keep up-to-date with new pieces. Please check it out and let me know what you think! Same spot, new design: amandagordonmiller.com

I've decided to move my blog to be based on my website as well. The new link is http://www.amandagordonmiller.com/blog.html. I hope you will follow me there! I have several new pieces I will be sharing soon.

After five years here, I'm sorry to leave this blog behind, but I couldn't resist the neatness of having everything based in one website. This blog will remain as an archive.

Woodblock Print: Winterberry Holly

2011-12-20T15:12:00.004-05:00

Title: Winterberry Holly
Paper: Magnani Pescia
Paper Size: 6 x 8"
Image Size: 4 x 6"
Block: Shina--2 blocks
Ink: Akua Intaglio
Edition size: Open Edition (unnumbered)

Woodblock Print: Books in the Sky

2011-12-20T15:00:00.006-05:00

Title: Books in the Sky
Paper: Magnani Pescia
Paper Size: 6 x 8"
Image Size: 4 x 6"
Block: Shina--2 blocks
Ink: Akua Intaglio
Edition size: Open Edition (unnumbered)

Greenbelt Festival of Lights This Weekend!

2011-12-04T08:17:00.002-05:00

I'm very excited to have a booth at the Greenbelt Festival of Lights. Yesterday was the first day of the festival, and it was great! Below is what is going on today:

greenbelt festival of lights • free admissionart + craft fair • 40th anniversary!ceramics • textiles • jewelry • toys • prints • authors • greenbelt museum • gifts • greenbelt arts center café

sun dec 4, 11am-4pm
1-3pm: free workshop: make an evergreen wreath
2-4pm: live music with the Alexandria Kleztet

greenbelt community center • 301-397-220815 crescent road greenbelt md 20770

New Coupon Codes in My Etsy Shop

2011-11-24T14:27:00.004-05:00

I'm offering two new coupon codes in my etsy shop:

November 24-28: Use code GIVETHANX and receive 10% off

November 24-28: Use code FREESHIPPING for free shipping (domestic only).

Happy Thanksgiving!

Woodblock Print: Christmas 1932

2011-11-22T08:38:00.003-05:00

This winter scene is based on the photograph my great-grandparents used as their Christmas card in 1932. They were young, in love, and enjoying the snow!

Title: Christmas 1932
Paper: Magnani Pescia
Paper Size: 11" x 14"
Image Size: 9" x 11"
Block: Shina--2 blocks
Ink: Akua Intaglio
Edition size: 50

Woodblock Print: Monarch Butterfly

2011-11-22T08:26:00.004-05:00

Title: Monarch Butterfly
Paper: Magnani Pescia
Paper Size: 6" x 8"
Image Size: approximately 3" x 4"
Block: Shina--2 blocks
Ink: Akua Intaglio
Edition size: 65

Woodblock Print: Painted Lady Butterfly (Exchange 50)

2011-11-18T15:00:00.004-05:00

Title: Painted Lady Butterfly
Paper: Magnani Pescia
Size: 2.5 x 3.5"
Block: Shina--2 blocks
Ink: Akua Intaglio
Edition size: 150
Both my smallest print and largest edition to date!

I made the woodblock print for the Baren Forum's 50th exchange. It's a BIG one, with 100 participants!

One great advantage to working so small is that I was able to make my setup incredibly efficient. Since I really didn't need much of the press bed to do the printing, I set up my inking station on one end. This saved me from walking about six steps to my usual inking table, times two for walking back and forth, times 150. Ink on the press bed is probably not advisable, but wow--many steps saved!

Good Things, Small Packages: Holiday Art Opening and Demo Day

2011-11-12T10:14:00.004-05:00

Holiday Art Opening & Demo Day
Saturday, November 12 • 5:00pm - 8:00pm
TraillWorks Gallery, located in Newton, NJ, will be hosting a holiday exhibit, “Good Things, Small Packages”, running from November 12th through January 8th. The exhibit celebrates giving the gift of handmade, featuring TraillWorks’ guest artists, old and new. New artists include Linda Finkelstein, Janet Howard-Fatta, Joann Wells Greenbaum, Heidi Lanino, Amanda Gordon Miller, Kristen Muller, Ted Petrockho and Andrea Rosenfeld alongside TraillWorks’ regulars, Phylis Barfoot, Brenda Decker, Martha C. Hall, David Ohlerking, Karin Lowney- Seed, and owner, Jennie Traill Schaeffer. Works range in media from paintings to prints, fibers to ceramics, with every piece priced under $200.
During the opening reception tonight (November 12, 5-8 p.m.), I will be carving and printing with a baren. Jennie will demonstrate oil painting.
Stop by and see us!

Woodblock Print: On the Outside (Sheep)

2011-09-28T15:04:00.008-04:00

Title: On the Outside (sheep)
Paper: Magnani Pescia, 14" x 18"
Image Size: 12" x 16"
Block: Shina--4 blocks
Ink: Akua Intaglio
Edition size: 50

This my second woodblock print for the Women's Invitational Exhibition (September 17th - October 30th) at Traillworks in Newton, NJ, also inspired by Hope Throws Her Heart Away by Susan Goodell.

First, I carved the key block first (burnt umber), inked it, and transferred the print to three other blocks to use as a guide for carving.

These are the carved blocks before I applied the color inks.

Blue:

Green, with orange/beige rainbow roll in the background:

A peak at the rainbow roll. I used a separate roller for each color and blended the colors directly on the block.

Transparent beige/yellow:

Woodblock Print: Lotus, Three Stages

2011-09-23T14:30:00.006-04:00

Title: Lotus, Three Stages
Paper: Magnani Pescia, 14" x 18"
Image Size: 12" x 16"
Block: Shina--4 blocks
Ink: Akua Intaglio
Edition size: 50

This woodblock print is now on display in the Women's Invitational Exhibition (September 17th - October 30th) at Traillworks in Newton, NJ. I chose to show the lotus in three stages (buds, seeds, blossoms), echoing the three life stages represented in the play Hope Throws Her Heart Away.

In my last post, I said I wanted to bring more light into the print. I carved a second green block to create more variety in the green areas. I also carved away some areas of the flower to keep pure white. I then inked the magenta block and wiped away areas where I wanted a softer light. Below is a detail of the print before the final layer of black was printed.

Work in Progress: Lotus Block and Proofs

2011-09-07T11:16:00.007-04:00

I'm thrilled to be included in the upcoming Women's Invitational Exhibition (September 17th - October 30th) at Traillworks in Newton, NJ. Jennie Traill Schaeffer invited several women artists to create works of art inspired by the play Susan Goodell's play Hope Throws Her Heart Away, which will be performed Tri-State Actors Theater at Traillworks on Saturday, September 24th.

Here is one of the pieces I'm working on for the show:
First Block (12" x 16")
First Proof of the key block, which I then transferred to 3 other blocks
Quinacridone Magenta
Oxide Green
Green and Magenta Printed
The same proof as above, with the black key block printed on top. The background black looks really rich because it is layered over green and magenta.

My next step is to bring some light into the print. I carved another green block, so I will be able to break up some of the green areas into light and dark. I will be proofing that combination next. I'd also like to bring more light into the magenta areas, and I'm considering whether to carve away or attempt a rainbow roll.

Woodblock Print: Barn and Dahlia

2011-09-05T19:28:00.005-04:00

My great-aunt and great-uncle live on a farm in rural Pennsylvania with this wonderful, old barn. This woodblock print is based on a view from their beautiful garden, which has dahlias in late summer/early fall.

Title: Barn and Dahlia
Paper: Magnani Pescia, 10" x 12"
Image Size: 8" x 10"
Block: Shina--5 blocks
Ink: Akua Intaglio, a professional-quality, soy-based ink.
Edition size: 22

I first posted about this block way back here. I originally planned to print it as a reduction print, but decided to do it with 5 separate blocks instead (one "key block" and four color blocks).

Inspired by Japan: Prints Are on the Move

2011-09-01T13:43:00.004-04:00

The Inspired by Japan prints are on the move, which exhibits in Oregon and Michigan in the United States, as well as at the Center for Japanese Studies in South Africa. The prints are also available for view and purchase here. Proceeds go to help those in need in Japan after last spring's earthquake and tsunami.

It will be exciting to see where all these prints find homes!

Howard Community College: Faculty Show 2011

2011-09-01T12:53:00.004-04:00

The HCC Faculty Show opened last week and runs through October 1. I had a sneak peek when I dropped off my work and saw some very impressive pieces. I'm looking forward to seeing the whole show (this time without the very curious wee ones) now that it is open. Three of my woodblock prints are in the show.

*The painting on the postcard above is by Linda Press.

Milkweed: First Block and Proof

2011-08-30T18:46:00.005-04:00

Here is the first block of what [I think] will be a 3-block print. It will actually be the second block in the order of printing, but I carved it first because it has the most information. I pulled a proof and then printed to Yupo to transfer to the other blocks. This is one of my largest blocks to date, at 12" x 16". Other than more time spent carving and inking, I think the biggest adjustment will be in handling the larger paper when placing it on the block to print.

New Toys

2011-08-21T09:59:00.005-04:00

We arrived home yesterday after a long, lovely trip. I'm not exactly ready to be back, but here we are :) A package that I had ordered was waiting for me when we got here: new toys!

This little guy came with my Flexcut tool set, which I've had for a few years now, and has been one of my most used tools. I have some projects in the works (big blocks!) that call for more detail and linework, so I decided to add to my set with some gouges in a range of small sizes.

Carving results to follow...

Booth Pics from Artscape

2011-07-20T10:11:00.003-04:00

Artscape was amazing! So much fun to sit and carve, talk to people about woodblock, and send prints and jewelry to good homes. Lots of great help from my hubby (with the booth) and parents (with the kids) this weekend. AND after a rocky Thursday, my back held up beautifully for three very intense days!

Here are a few pics from my booth this weekend.

This is my work table, with a block and proof to show as an example. I also got a lot of carving done, so those blocks are now waiting in the wings to be printed. The block on the easel is based on a photo of my great-grandparents from the 1930s. There will be two color blocks for that print, as well.

Next on the horizon, photographing new work and updating my etsy and website, preparing for upcoming exhibitions in the fall, seeking out new festivals, and working on ideas to improve my display.

Artscape--This Weekend in Baltimore!

2011-07-14T08:13:00.004-04:00

Just popping in to mention Artscape, which is the BIG arts festival in Baltimore. I will have a space in the DIY section--Booth C31--on Mount Royal Avenue, near Charles Street. I've been working hard to get ready and will have some new prints and pendants. Please stop and see me!

Dates: July 15, 16 & 17, 2011

Hours: Friday: 12-10pm
Saturday: 12-10pm
Sunday: 12-8pm

Sweet William

2011-07-07T07:59:00.005-04:00

This is a woodblock print I finished prior to starting the Japan print. It's based on a placed that is near and dear to my heart in central Illinois.

Title: Sweet William

Paper: Magnani Pescia, 11 x 14"

Image Size: 9 x 12"

Block: Shina

Ink: Akua Intaglio

Edition size: 17

Process: 6-color reduction print (all colors printed from the same block; the wood was cut away to print each new color).

Inspired by Japan: My Print

2011-07-05T07:31:00.001-04:00

This is my print for the Baren Forum's Inspired by Japan Project, along with a couple of process shots. The prints will be sold to support recovery efforts in Japan. I'm grateful for the opportunity to participate in this project and excited to see these prints travel.

Title: Strength and Hope

Paper Size: 10 x 15"

Image Size: 8 x 13"

Block: Shina

Ink: Akua Intaglio

Edition size: 33

Process:

Printed on an etching press. 5 colors printed from one block. The first two colors (pale, transparent green and pale, transparent yellow ochre) were printed using a stencil, which I placed over the block, rolled with ink, then removed to print. The next three colors (light blue-gray, dark blue-gray, and black) were printed as a reduction print, with the unwanted areas of the block being carved away with each color.

Inspired by Japan - Sketch on Block

2011-05-23T10:46:00.004-04:00

Here is my rough sketch for the Baren Forum's Inspired by Japan project. Next steps: cut paper, which arrived on Saturday. I'm also hoping to finish a reduction print (1-2 colors left) so I don't have to fiddle with the settings on the press in the middle of the edition. However, "hurry up" and "print" don't belong in the same sentence, so we'll see about that!

Have Art, Will Travel

2011-05-04T09:53:00.003-04:00

I've been drawing more lately, mostly just with pencil and sketchbook, but as time allows, I'd like to have more materials to choose from. Since my drawing often happens when I'm on the porch, in the car, or on vacation, I decided that I need a travel art kit.

I know there are a lot of kits commercially available, but I figured I could come up with something on my own that would be more suited to my needs. My rules:

1. Non-toxic materials. I know the kids will get into it at some point [already have], so this saves me from freaking out about it.
2. Self-contained. I don't want to carry a bunch of extra stuff.
3. Nothing liquid or dusty. I don't want everything ruined if one thing spills or breaks.
4. Use mostly materials I already have.

So, here's what I came up with:

It's a vintage case I bought on ebay awhile back, with plans to use it for another project. I like that it's thick enough to hold some supplies and wide enough to store flat paper inside.

Drawing board velcroed to the back. Supply containers rubber banded shut and held in with velcro. The supplies are watercolor pans, Derwent drawing pencils (I splurged on these!), watercolor crayons, and a bag for miscellaneous pencils, sharpeners, erasers, brushes, etc.

Cardboard portfolio (cut from a paper box) secured to the back of the case with carpet tape. Velcro closure. And of course, a seat cushion, though I'm already thinking I might get one of those chairs that folds up like an umbrella.

I also have a peanut butter jar (with tight lid) for water, and that is the one item that has to be carried separately (per rule #3).

And now I'm ready to hit the road! I've used the kit a bit already. It's great for working on the porch or from the back of my car, but I think I will add a small bag for when I just want to pull out a few supplies (walking in the woods or down to the beach).

Coming soon, my review of the Derwent drawing pencils...

The Porch Block

2011-04-11T21:05:00.009-04:00

I have this recurring dream, where I discover an extra room (or rooms!) in my house. The rooms are usually full of undiscovered stuff, and there's this feeling, like "Oh, this was here all along!" I dreamed this mainly when I was pregnant, but it has crept up a few other times as well. I have various interpretations of this dream, depending on what's going on in my life at the time...

Lately, as the weather is warming up and my kids are getting a little more independent and adventurous, our backyard has started to feel like a newly discovered or rediscovered space, like having an extra room. The kids have a blast, and between pushing on swings, kicking a ball, and doing a chore or two, I like to sit down on the porch and do a little carving. The kids are so involved in playing that they are not concerned with my tools, as they would be in the house.

So, here is what has become my "porch block." I did the drawing a couple months back. It took a long time, and the thought of carving it seemed sort of daunting, but it turns out that it takes just the right amount of focus for hanging out on the porch. And best of all, I can just brush the wood chips into the yard--no clean up!

Pine Cone (and my first foray into metallic ink)

2011-04-04T20:01:00.004-04:00

This woodblock was printed using Akua Intaglio. The color is vandyke brown with a bit of metallic gold mixed it. It is difficult to capture in a photograph, but there is a really subtle sheen due to the metallic ink.

Three Eggs in a Nest (Cerulean Warbler)

2011-03-30T09:47:00.007-04:00

This woodblock is based on the nest of a Cerulean Warbler, on display at our local nature center. I printed in on circular paper that I made a Pyramid Atlantic during Papermaking Society.

I was interested to see how printing on the handmade paper would go, and I was really pleased with the results. The ink is Akua Intaglio, which is soy-based and dries by absorption. This paper sucked up the ink beautifully and the prints were dry to the touch within a couple of hours of printing. I also had a little helper who worked on rolling out my ink on the inking slab. He took his task quite seriously and spread the ink out so thinly that it covered the entire slab. It turns out this was exactly what I needed to experience really thin ink and apply it to the block that way, so I'm sure that contributed to my quick drying time as well. Just one of many things I've learned from my kids...

This is an edition of 30, with some variation in the paper.

New Block: Barn & Dahlia

2011-02-23T17:52:00.003-05:00

Here is a new woodblock I started while visiting my parents last weekend. It's based on my great uncle and great aunt's barn and beautiful garden. I drew directly on the block,

then made some copies to try out color experiments. I want to do this mainly as a reduction print (where some of the block is carved away for each color). The green here is brighter than I really want, but I will work that out in the printing.

Of course, my kids wanted to take a stab at the coloring, too, so they eat took a copy.

Owen has me thinking that mine needs some purple, too.

Most of the time...

2011-02-18T12:54:00.007-05:00

my sketchbook is one of many things that weighs down my purse, but when I reach for it, I'm really glad it's there. Below are two drawings I did recently. Both were drawn from the front seat of my car while Afton slept in her car seat.

I've been taking photos of the area around our [somewhat] local nature center for over a year, as reference material for a [potential] project, but to sit and try to draw a little section of the forest is a whole different type of observation.

Papermaking at Home

2010-08-23T14:05:00.006-04:00

The pulp goes in the blender with water. The photo above shows blue denim pulp. We also used construction paper (for color) and recycled paper (junk mail).

A small deckle box, rather than mould and deckle, make it easier for little hands. The box sits in water. The pulp is poured in and shaken a bit until the water settles.

Sponging excess water. Next, the sheet goes onto a piece of felt layered with interfacing. Once we had enough sheets, we sandwiched everything between two boards and "pressed" with c-clamps. After even more water drained out, we set the paper in the sun to dry.

Here's our little pile of paper. We used some flower petal inclusions from the garden. My little guy is so curious about how everything is made, so making paper was a great project for us.

Nest, etc. Block and Printing on Handmade Paper

2010-03-10T12:27:00.004-05:00

For this block, I typed my text on the computer and then printed it on drafting vellum. On one side of the vellum, the ink just sits on top of the paper, so I was able to transfer it to the block with just a little hand pressure. This made the job of reversing the text for the block very easy.

I only carved around the letters and didn't clear the whole block. I cut a stencil from Yupo (synthetic paper) to keep ink off the unwanted areas. I made other stencils to isolate individual words for printing.

I tried proofing on some paper that I made recently, but the paper had too much texture to print consistently, so I decided to calendar it. The proper way to calendar paper is with a metal plate and lots of pressure on the press, but I used plexi-glass and it worked fine, though I couldn't have the pressure so high it would crack the plate. Here is a piece of handmade paper going through the press to flatten out some of the texture and ready for printing.

Calendaring another piece of paper with pulp paint.

Then, the paper was ready for printing. Below are some of the prints. The ink seems to sit a little differently on the pulp paint areas and the plain paper areas.

Tree line

2010-03-06T11:07:00.002-05:00

Tree line
Originally uploaded by edamamepress

Here is my tree line pulp painting--all finished! I calendared it (ran through the press to flatten out) and added some blue-gray washes to push back the background. Normally, I photograph my work with a point-and-shoot digital camera, but this time, I scanned it in quarters with my new, hand-me-down legal-size scanner and patched it together in Photoshop Elements. It was my first time doing it this way and much easier than I expected. I followed this tutorial: How to Seamlessly Stitch Arwork Scans in Photoshop Elements. I like how the scanner really picks up all the texture from the handmade paper and such.

I don't want to make any promises I can't keep, but I'd like to blog more often. Soon I'll be posted new handmade paper and woodblock prints, partially carved blocks, as well as a few things I've been sitting on for awhile. I will also be changing things up in my etsy shop in the next week--taking out several gelatin monotypes for a show at Taylor Books in Charleston, West Virginia, and adding new things.

Cheers!

Snow and Paper

2010-02-15T19:27:00.001-05:00

As you may have heard or experienced, we have had a ton of snow recently. Baltimore is not used to dealing with this sort of thing, so it's a big deal. Although there have been some inconveniences, really it has been a nice surprise vacation.

I finally got around to photographing some paper pieces I've been meaning to post. I made them at Pyramid Atlantic at Papermaking Society.

These are the biggest sheets I've made so far. They are abaca, around 11" x 17". I may try drawing on these.

This is a stencil sandwiched between two sheets of paper. It sort of looks embossed.

Pulp paintint with cut paper on top.

Another pulp painting. Gold pulp is squeezed around a tree stencil.

Tree line in progress. I'm planning to ink on top of this.

Mind, Body, Spirit Reception and HCC Faculty Show

2010-02-01T18:56:00.001-05:00

I attended the Mind, Body, Spirit reception at UMUC yesterday afternoon. It was amazing to see the works in person and be in the company of such wonderful women artists. I neglected to take photos, but you can see some pictures taken by another artist here. You may recognize some folks in her pics!

Also, the Howard Community College Faculty Show is currently open and I have some gelatin monotypes included. Faculty Exhibit in the Rouse Company Foundation Gallery, Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Building. Featured Faculty: RON ROBERSON in Art Department Gallery. The reception is Thursday, February 4 from 5 to 7 p.m. Click here for a review of the show.

In other news, the spring semester is upon us. I'm always striving for a better balance and I'm pleased with how my schedule shook out this semester. Here's to hoping for a good balance between work and life, and, dare I say, some time to make art!

Secret Belgian Bookbinding

2010-01-25T09:36:00.000-05:00

I made this little book last fall at a book circle workshop at Pyramid Atlantic. I'm not sure why it's secret (I came late to the first meeting and missed the introduction), but it was fun to make. I used gelatin monotypes as my decorative paper to cover the book board.

If you're interested in learning the technique, Patty Lee is offering another workshop at Pyramid on February 27. Click here for info: Secret Belgian Bookbinding Workshop.

Mind, Body, Spirit: Celebrating Regional Women Artists

2010-01-23T12:19:00.004-05:00

My pregnancy portrait is included in this exhibition at the University of Maryland University College: Mind, Body, Spirit: Celebrating Regional Women Artists

A culturally diverse exhibition of works on paper to celebrate, examine, and exemplify the role and impact that regional women artists have had on the arts
Exhibit Co-Curators: Harriet McNamee and Robert Donovan
Opening/Meet-the-Artists Reception
Sunday, January 31, 20103 p.m.–5 p.m.
Exhibit Dates
January 18–March 14, 2010
Gallery Hours
9 a.m.–9 p.m. daily
Location
Arts Program GalleryUMUC Inn and Conference Center, Lower Level 3501 University Blvd EastAdelphi, MD 20783

Click to see the invitation and a slideshow of works from the exhibition.

Pregnancy Portrait

2009-11-16T09:00:00.000-05:00

The drawing on the block.

Here, on the sleeve, I accidentally carved out part of my line. I patched it with some scraps from carving and wood glue, then carved the patch. I'm really surprised it worked.

The carved block with ink.

My stencil to cut the shirt from decorative paper. This was my first time doing chine collé with woodblock. My idea is to do a varied edition and try different papers within the edition.

Puppets!

2009-11-10T10:50:00.003-05:00

The weekend was pretty rough (don't ever get vertigo), so it wasreally nice to relax and spend some quality time with the kiddies yesterday. Here's what we made:

Trip to Boston

2009-10-28T07:35:00.001-04:00

We spent last weekend in Boston (kids in tow) for our friend Michael's wedding. It was really nice to see old friends and meet some new people. That area is so beautiful this time of year. I had hoped to take some pictures of the fall foliage, but really had my hands full watching this guy, mainly from this point of view, running at full speed. Our free day was rainy, so we stayed in our hotel to get some much needed rest. I did manage to get a few photos from our hotel parking lot before we left Sunday morning. Owen though the yellow, fluttering leaves were butterflies.

THE BIKE PROJECT

2009-10-19T16:48:00.003-04:00

This is the woodblock print I made for The Bike Project at Howard Community College. Below is information on the show and film festival. Click here for a preview of artwork, including a bicycle made entirely of paper!

THE BIKE PROJECT: A Visual, Literary, and Cinematic Celebration of Biking in Our World
On view through November 15, Reception - October 24, 5 – 7 p.m.
Rouse Company Foundation Gallery and the Art Department Gallery
Films screened in Monteabaro Hall
Horowitz Center, Howard Community College
Gallery hours: M – F 10 – 8, Weekends 10 – 5.

The project includes multimedia exhibits and a film festival. The exhibits include writing, artwork, and photographs that explore the experience of biking. Six biking-related films will be featured during the film festival, October 19 - 23. The exhibits, reception, and film festival are free to the public.

Storybook Moon

2009-09-29T23:32:00.005-04:00

It really feels like fall tonight, crisp and cool, and though my neighborhood smells like the interstate, where I work, the air is fresher and kind of smelled like burning leaves. As I was walking to my car, I looked up and saw something like this, except the moon's not full. I thought, I should do a print of that...oh wait, I already have! It's funny how this simple combination--moon, sky, trees, continues to inspire me.

I've had a flurry of ideas lately. Times like this used to freak me out, like I'd never have the time to make everything before the ideas became stale, but now I'm thinking of it as a period of incubation, part of my creative ebb and flow. I don't have a lot of time to make things right now, but I can keep my eyes open, collect images, notes and ideas, and still grow artistically.

Last week, I heard this ted.com talk* by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, and it has been rattling around my brain ever since. I highly recommend it. The topic is nurturing creativity and she references Tom Waits. What's not to love?

*found via Heather Smith Jones' blog

Papermaking Workshop

2009-09-25T14:00:00.000-04:00

Last weekend, I went out and did something on my own for the first time since Afton was born (work doesn't count), and it has probably been a lot longer than that if I think about it. I took a papermaking workshop at Pyramid Atlantic, the papermaking, printmaking, and book arts center in Silver Spring. I learned to use the hollander beater, form sheets with a mould and deckle, build a post (pile o paper) and squeeze the water out with a press (I think it was a hydraulic press, but I'm not sure). I thought this would just be something fun to do for a day, but I loved it and could see myself really getting into papermaking and pulp painting. Here's what we made:

Paper made from cut up blue jeans, a light yellow t-shirt, and some tan cotton fabric. Apparently, anything that's nearly all cotton can become paper! We also added cotton linter. We didn't add any pigment, so with all the fabric colors, it ended up a pale blue-gray. I put inclusions in some of the sheets. You can see the top sheet here has a piece of cheesecloth in it.

Abaca. It's a warm beige.

Abaca. Made with a circular mould and deckle. I think the ripples are from shrinking as it dries. Not sure.

Pulp painting! This was so much fun, I cannot wait to do some more. It's a lot like monoprinting. I used stencils here, just like I do in my monotypes. First, you form the sheet, then put the stencil down, and squirt pigmented pulp around the stencil for the shapes. It feels like something between painting and printmaking. I also pulp-painted some pieces as backgrounds for printing on later.

I do have one more step to do, which is calendaring the paper. I will run it through the etching press with a plate on top to make the surface a bit smoother. I can't wait to see what it will be like to print on paper I made myself. I hope it will work well--it could open up lots of options, like pigmenting my paper the specific color I want, forming sheets to the right size, rather than having to tear down, registering shapes with pulp paint and printing woodcuts on top later. So many possibilities...

Have a lovely weekend!

Happy Three-Day Weekend!

2009-09-05T09:30:00.001-04:00

Art Quizzes

2009-09-04T15:31:00.003-04:00

Christian is hooked on Sporcle, and I guess I'm guilty by association. I could see myself getting really into it if time were different. It's great for learning geography. Christian always beats me at those, but every now and then and art quiz comes a long for me :)

Here are a few:

Can you name these artworks from the portions shown below?

Can you name these art movements?

Can you name the art museums where these famous works of art are exhibited?

Can you name the artists below?

Enjoy!

Little Houses...

2009-09-03T19:44:00.005-04:00

Owen and I made this little house last week. It's from a kit I received as a gift when I was a kid, and can you believe I never made it? This is before the roof went on. As you can see, it became a dog house for Pluto. So much fun!

Frazzled Crepes

2009-09-01T10:39:00.004-04:00

Well, the crepes aren't frazzled, I am, though I'm not sure why! Poor Owen is covered in band aids, I made coffee but forgot to actually put the coffee in (the water actually turned out fairly brown, which is gross), we're out of dishwasher soap,...so let's just focus on something good and yummy--last night's dinner (and this morning's snack). I'm always amazed at how such simple ingredients (eggs, flour, milk, salt) can be so delicious. Owen and I had ours with egg, tomato, and mozzarella cheese. Christian had the same, but with ham, too. After dinner, Owen walked into the kitchen and said, "Oh my goodness, what a mess!" Yeah, that's about right. Good thing I cropped this picture close.

Back to School & Books

2009-08-26T11:07:00.004-04:00

Well, we are back to school this week. As always, the semester is off to a busy start, but I think once we get settled into the routine, our new schedule will be really good.

I learned something really great from one of my students this summer: Did you know that you can rent your textbooks from chegg.com? It is much, much cheaper than buying the book and they plant a tree for every book you rent. Very cool!

In Case You Need Some More Hydrangeas...

2009-08-22T08:09:00.000-04:00

Playing with Hydrangea Blocks

2009-08-21T11:52:00.001-04:00

I got out my hydrangea blocks again this past spring when I had a custom order to do a new color combination. What fun! I did some variations in a red/creamy yellow color scheme to get the right colors for my customer, so I ended up with a small varied edition with those colors.

I played with those blocks some more and experimented with layering two colors of ink on the block before printing, and embossing.

With all our beautiful hydrangea blossoms this summer, I've been thinking of carving some more blocks so I can have more variation. Hopefully, more to come soon...

Midwest Vacation

2009-08-21T10:01:00.006-04:00

As promised, here are some pictures from our vacation to the midwest. When we set out, I thought it was a bit crazy to attempt an 800 mile drive with a two year old and a two month old, but it was much easier than expected. We all had a great time, got to show off the kiddies to the family, and I took lots of pictures to use as inspiration for future art projects.

Giant Stromboli

2009-08-19T07:54:00.005-04:00

I don't usually photograph the meals I make (they're usually not pretty), but I'm please with how this stromboli turned out. It's stuffed with onions, peppers, mushrooms, garlic, cheese, and tomato sauce, and I'm proud to say it didn't explode in the oven! All ingredients are from Wegmans, the best grocery store ever. A year or so ago, I heard that Wegmans was coming to Columbia, but so far, no such luck.

We returned on Saturday from a really fun vacation (pictures to come). I arrived home feeling relaxed and completely in denial of the start of classes next week.

First Printmaking

2009-07-31T07:56:00.003-04:00

Well, stamping, but it's the same basic idea. While we were stamping, Owen looked up at me and said, "Mommy, I'm good at this!"

Slow Progress

2009-07-27T21:43:00.005-04:00

The fish at the zoo woodblocks are coming along slooowly, and I'm beginning to think I bit off more than I can chew, at least at this time in my life. I only work on them a bit at a time and there are several blocks with lots of little shapes. I think I will be able to visualize the whole thing a lot better once I pull some proofs, but I'm not at that stage yet. I've been wondering if the reduction method (carving all the colors from one block and printing in stages) might be better suited to my way of thinking and working. I've used it before and liked it, but the risk is high as there are no do-overs if you mess up.

Meanwhile, my ideas for things I'd like to work on next are piling up, so I may set this aside temporarily to do some quicker projects, like monotypes or woodblocks with fewer colors. I've been thinking about papers I'd like to try and bought this neat little paper sampler from Graphic Chemical. I thought it would help me make a decision, but I really am tempted to try all the paper!

Hydrangeas at My House

2009-06-28T10:38:00.003-04:00

Transferring Fish Design to Other Color Blocks

2009-06-26T10:12:00.005-04:00

I finished carving the first fish block and transferred the design to the other blocks earlier this week. Here is the first block:

I inked it with black Speedball ink to transfer to the other blocks. I normally print with Akua Intaglio, but Speedball dries much faster so it will be easier to work with on the blocks themselves. This block will eventually print orange, but it's black for now.

Then, I put a piece of Yupo (synthetic paper, basically plastic) on top of the block and ran it through the press. Once I'm done transferring, I'll be able to rinse the Yupo and use it again.

Next, I put the Yupo ink-side down on a clean block and ran it through the press. Now I have a good guide for carving the next colors. I completely forgot that I normally stain the block with watercolor so my carving shows up more clearly and it's too late now. Also, I didn't have as many blocks as I thought I did, so I ordered more from McClains.

Back Home

2009-06-22T10:21:00.005-04:00

We've been home from the hospital just over a week and it's hard to believe that Afton Grace, our new little bundle of joy, is almost two weeks old already. Afton was born on June 9 and measured 8 lbs 13 ounces.
We have been keeping busy with a toddler and a newborn. Of course, I am up several times with the baby each night, so we joined Netflix and have been watching movies in bits and pieces. I definitely did not expect to have time to work on artwork during our first days home from the hospital, but I've actually gotten a bit of carving done. It's the perfect project because I can pick it up for 5 minutes and put it down quickly without too much mess to clean up. I'd probably be smarter to sleep during whatever spare time I have, but it does make me feel good to finally make progress on this block. Plus, I know that once the doctor says I can resume normal activity (like lifting and stairs--I had a c-section), my free moments will go toward laundry and other fun chores.

So, I'm almost done clearing the background from this block. Next steps will be to proof it and transfer the design to the other color blocks.

DIY Art Storage

2009-05-27T13:52:00.002-04:00

A big part of moving my art space has been trying to downsize what I don't need and organize what I do need. I've been looking for some kind of vertical art storage to keep framed art safely out of the way, but the art storage racks I found online start around $200 and go to over $300, which I'm not willing spend, especially when I consider how easy vertical shelving would be to make if I wasn't so huge and clumsy right now.

This desk, which my mom got at a garage sale when I was a kid, was slated for trash or donation, and when I was pulling the drawers out of it, I noticed that it's pretty sturdy and actually made of real wood, which so many things are not these days. So I had the idea to cut off the right hand side (the desk part) and turn the drawer section on it's side--and voilà, vertical dividers for storing art--for free! My dad did the cutting (as much as I love power tools, now is not the time), and it was just one simple straight cut with the circular saw across the desktop.

Very simple and a great use for an old desk! There are two built-in dividers from the drawers, and I put pieces of cardboard between all the frames for extra protection.

New Woodblock--Watching Fish at the Zoo

2009-05-04T15:45:00.002-04:00

I've been very interested in images of water and underwater creatures lately. In fact, I'm planning a big series of woodblock prints (and possibly an artist's book) based on Haroun and the Sea of Stories, one of my all time favorite books. I've done many sketches for this project, but still have a long way to go before I'm ready to start into the blocks, so I decided to work on another set of blocks in the meantime.

This based on some photos I took of Owen at the zoo last year. I still have some work to do on the drawing, but I'm itching to start carving, so I may just jump in. I will do it with a different block for each color, and I think if I start with orange that will give me the most information to transfer to the other blocks.

In case anyone wonders, the Speedball Press is no longer available and will be going to a good home this week.

Spring Break

2009-04-25T18:51:00.004-04:00

Well, I'm behind on blogging, along with everything else! This year, Christian and I had the same spring break for the first time since college. We took advantage of it with a lovely trip to Florida, where we went swimming almost everyday, even in the ocean, and I had no Internet access whatsoever, making it a true vacation. Here are a few pictures.

We returned two weeks ago feeling rested and refreshed. Since then, my energy level has plummeted and I really miss the water, which is just about the best place to be in the last trimester. The pictures make me feel better though. I can't wait to go back!

The Wonderful Beast

2009-03-09T09:53:00.000-04:00

I printed this weekend for the first time since the fall (my break was due to morning sickness first, then the need to move all my art stuff from upstairs to the basement laundry room). So, that means that I finally got to try out my new Conrad etching press. It has been almost ten years since I worked on a press this nice, and it was amazing.

I decided to pull out some blocks I had abandoned in the fall:

1. Ready to go!

2. Proofing on newsprint. Loving it.

3. Now on good paper...so far, so good.

4. Lifting up the print (the magical moment).

So, the printing session wasn't perfect. I was printing on top of a color I had printed previously and had trouble getting the registration right in a new location. I'm sure others have to set up and move their registration all the time, but I find it pretty tricky. I also think the registration wasn't very tight on the first color anyway...I will just blame pregnancy brain. I normally find registration problems very frustrating, but this weekend, I was so glad to be printing again that I didn't care. I just chalked it up to getting-to-know-you time with the new press and figured if I get any salvageable prints, that's a bonus. Truthfully, I'm considering starting the whole edition over anyway because the prints are coming out so much better now.

The new space is working out much better than I expected. In a way, I prefer it because I'm somewhat separated from the rest of the house and can really focus. There are still some things to work out, like I need better lighting and more tabletop surfaces. Kneeling on the floor to get my paper is no easy task these days, and getting back up is even harder!

Cave Wall

2009-02-22T23:17:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I received my issue of Cave Wall, a literary journal of poetry and art. I'm pleased to be the featured artist of this issue, and they have included 4 of my woodcuts and 1 linocut. I'm happy with how the images came out and look forward to reading the poetry.

You can see previous issues of Cave Wall here.

Blizzard Book and Crown Book

2009-02-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

I haven't been printing for the past few months because exhaustion+morning sickness+the smell of ink were a miserable combination, to put it mildly. Now that I'm feeling better and have some energy back, I feel like making things again, but I'm still a little wary of my inks and not willing to invest in a whole new set. Meanwhile, I've gotten really interested in book arts again, so I've started learning some new book structures and even have a couple of projects in the works (more to come on those).

I made the Blizzard Book and Crown Book models from a kit I ordered from GreenChairPress. They are teeny tiny but perfect for learning the structure and then applying to your own project. They are made up entirely of folded paper, except for the optional ribbon and/or bit of glue for the covers. I left mine unglued because I'm sure I'll want to take them apart for reference when I try to make my own. My ideas tend to evolve as I work, so I love that these forms are flexible--since they are just held together with folds, you can slip the pages in and out, change the order, etc.

Relief Printmaking Workshop at the Greenbelt Community Center

2009-02-11T09:20:00.003-05:00

I have a workshop coming up at the Greenbelt Community Center. If you're interested, please sign up soon, or let me know you'd like to attend, because the workshop is dependent on enrollment.

Relief Printmaking Workshop
Sunday, February 22, 1-5 p.m.
In relief printing, the artist starts with a block and then cuts away the background to leave a raised image that is inked and printed. Try your hand at this try your hand at this time-honored tradition with your choice of wood or a soft-rubber-like material that is easy to cut. Each student will design and hand-carve a block, print a small edition, and experiment with color variations. Residents: $45, Non-residents: $55

Sign-up information is available in the Greenbelt Recreation brochure.

Website Update

2009-01-22T11:08:00.003-05:00

I finally updated my website amandagordonmiller.com. The gallery section has most of my artwork from 2008, mainly woodcuts and gelatin monotypes.

The Snow Show

2009-01-17T11:16:00.002-05:00

I have a monotype in The Snow Show at the Irvine Nature Center in Owings Mills, Maryland. The show is on view through January 27, 2008.

Happy 2009!

2009-01-09T10:15:00.000-05:00

We returned home last weekend from a lovely and much needed vacation in Florida. I had never been there before and would really love to spend more time there. The weather was perfect, and we went swimming outdoors almost everyday.

I've been taking a break from art lately, and the next big project on the horizon is to officially move my art space to the basement (for real this time) and make room for the new member of the family, baby #2, who is due in June! We are all excited and looking forward to finding out the sex later this month.

I made one resolution, in addition to the usual ones, and it is that I'd really like to take better advantage of living in Baltimore, which really has a lot to offer in the arts. So, for 2009, I'd like to make it to more exhibitions, workshops, open figure sessions, etc. Hold me to it!

Happy New Year!

Press and Show

2008-11-12T10:01:00.005-05:00

I haven't been feeling well lately, so blogging has fallen way down to the bottom of my list. I do want to pop in with two bits of news though.

#1--My press arrived a couple of weeks ago! The company makes them to order, so it was about 5 months from when I ordered it until it arrived. To my surprise, the delivery men put the stand together for me and attached the press to it, so it's all ready to use. Naturally, I don't feel that I'll be up to using it for awhile, but at least it will be there when I'm ready.

#2--Special Projects at the Cade Fine Arts Gallery, Anne Arundel Community College opens this week. In this exhibition, 6 faculty members, including me, each present a new body of work. There's a reception tomorrow night, Thursday, November 13, from 6 to 8 p.m., and all are welcome. I'll be there, and don't worry, my feelings of awfulness are not contagious.

Giraffes in the Savannah

2008-10-29T09:31:00.004-04:00

On Friday, Christian, Owen, and I spent a lovely evening with Gopal Dorai and his wife Kamala to celebrate the publication of Giraffes in the Savannah, a children's book that Gopal wrote and I illustrated. It was exciting to see it in print, and it is available online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Deciding on Colors for Woodblock Print

2008-10-13T11:06:00.000-04:00

We've all been sick this week, so we've been laying low and watching too much tv, which makes my head feel really dull.

Here are some proofs with possible colors for my Lake Michigan print. The first two color blocks are luan from McClains. They are printing sort of speckly. I like the softness of it, but so far the texture has not come out really consistently each time, so maybe it's because of the way I'm inking (with Akua Intaglio, LOTS of transparency base, and a brayer).

Proof 1: tiny amount of hansa yellow w/ lots of transparency, pthalo blue with lots of transparency, carbon black

Proof 2: hansa yellow w/ some transparency, pthalo blue w/ some transparency, ultramarine blue
Proof 3: hansa yellow w/ some transparency, pthalo blue w/ some transparency, mixture of ultramarine blue and carbozole violet (which looks pretty close to black)

Proof 4: hansa yellow w/ some transparency, pthalo blue w/ some transparency, mixture of ultramarine blue and carbozole violet (which looks pretty close to black). This is almost identical to proof 3, but the yellow and pthalo blue are a little lighter/more transparent.

Proof 5 (cobbled together in photoshop): This is the top from proof 1 and the bottom from proof 4.

I think I prefer #3 and #5. Once I decide on colors, I'll start printing my largest edition to date!

*I'm fiddling with this post a bit to try to get the Baren list to pick it up. Sorry for any confusion/repetition.

Running Through the Woods at Night

2008-10-03T13:14:00.001-04:00

running through the woods at night
Originally uploaded by edamamepress

This piece is woodblock printed on top of a gelatin monotype. The original gelatin monotype felt unfinished to me, so I planned to use it with this block. I've done a few prints that combine woodblock with gelatin printing, usually on whim when I'm printing and looking for new, interesting combinations, and I like the softness of the gelatin printing next to the crisp edges of the woodblock. I'll definitely do more prints that combine the techniques.

Oct 4 & 5 Printmaking Workshop Cancelled

2008-10-03T12:45:00.001-04:00

display case
Originally uploaded by edamamepress

Unfortunately, we had to cancel the relief printmaking workshop scheduled for this weekend at HCC due to low enrollment. I'm disappointed but not entirely surprised since this is the first time we've offered a workshop like this.

I'll also be teaching an Intro to Relief Printmaking course at Howard Community College in spring 2009. It's a full semester course. We'll due linocut and woodblock, and I'll introduce monotypes and collographs as well. I'm really trying publicize it since the course hasn't been offered in quite a while and students might not be aware of it. This photo is of a display case I put together to get the word out.

Lake Michigan Key Block

2008-09-25T22:59:00.001-04:00

lakemichigankeyblock
Originally uploaded by edamamepress

This is a new block I carved last week. The next step will be to proof and then transfer the image to a new block so I can start carving for the next color.

Catching Up

2008-09-22T13:39:00.001-04:00

njdusk3
Originally uploaded by edamamepress

I've been printing, but I'm way behind on photographing the work. This is a monotype I did a few weeks ago. It's printed from a piece of plexiglass, rather than gelatin like I usually use. It took many, many impressions to get the rich black. The print is based on a photo I took when I was at home in NJ on winter break from school, probably about 10 years ago. I was driving home from doing a custom paint job and there was something really incredible about the light. I just had to stop and take some pictures. I saved them, and now I'm finally doing something with them. This goes along with other pieces I'm working on that are about capturing the feeling of a place, a time, or a moment.

Meanwhile, I've also been working on gelatin monotypes, which are currently sitting under a pile of books to dry. I''ve been trying to work larger, and it's easy to go through a lot of gelatin really quickly, especially because a gelatin plate only lasts a few days (2 days when it's really hot and humid; up to a week when it's cool and dry). We were at the grocery store yesterday, and Christian joked that I should buy some little jello-cups and make art with them. Well, I'm not going to do that, but it did get me thinking that those pre-made jello products seem to last forever (or at least longer than my gelatin plates), so maybe there's a preservative I can use to extend the life of my plates. I know nothing whatsoever about preservatives, but hopefully I can figure something out.

Relief Printmaking Workshop

2008-09-18T08:19:00.003-04:00

Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5, 3-5:30 p.m.
HVPA-185, Horowitz Center, Howard Community College
Supplies are included in the $37 registration fee.
Ages 15 to Adult

I'm teaching a relief printmaking workshop at HCC the first weekend in October. The workshop will provide a thorough introduction to the relief printmaking process. We'll work with soft-cut material, and each student will design and hand-carve a block, print a small edition, and experiment with color variations. We'll print with a press, but I'll also demonstrate printing with a wooden spoon or baren because surely everyone will become addicted and want to continue printing at home! We will also take a look at some really powerful lithographs, linocuts, and woodcuts in the Artful Revolucion exhibition.

Advance registration is required, and you can sign up in the Horowitz Center Box Office. If you'd like more information or a registration form, feel free to send me an email (AmandaGordonMiller[at]gmail.com) or call the Box Office at 410-772-4900.

Hope to see you there!

Blogful

2008-09-16T18:32:00.000-04:00

I haven't been feeling very blogful lately. I'm immersed in what I'm working on--carving woodblocks, cutting stencils, drawing on yupo, and soon to be printing. The amount of time I have to work on art projects is actually relatively small, but I'm constantly thinking about it, working out problems in my head, planning what to do next. I actually have enough work going that if I have ten minutes or an hour, I can jump right in, instead of staring in space trying to figure out what to do.

I basically just wanted to say hello and that I'm still here. I'm also trying to get into shape. I'm pretty much failing, but I've managed to get out there and jog (shuffle around) behind the jog stroller about once or twice a week for two months without quitting, so that's something. Running feels really, really great when you're in shape, so hopefully I'll get there again.

Peace.

Press Update

2008-08-29T18:18:00.004-04:00

I ordered my press a few months ago, and I wasn't sure exactly when to expect it, especially because some aspects were special order. It turns out that based on the date I ordered it, the press should be ready to ship in mid-September. I'm really looking forward to it. I definitely did not expect that I would be ready and waiting, with the space cleared and everything, but I am!

Meanwhile, I'm floundering a bit as to what to work on next. I'm getting ready for a show in November, so I'm definitely keeping close to my recent themes for now, but I really want to take it to the next level, whatever that means. Bigger and better, I guess. Lately, my prints have been very different from what I would draw or paint, which sometimes feels really liberating and sometimes feels like a disconnect. I've ordered some blocks of shina and luan (knowing the press-date helped me finally figure out what sizes I'll realistically be able to use in soon), and while I wait for them to arrive, I'm hoping I can find some time to draw and possibly paint with ink.

Back to School

2008-08-22T22:17:00.006-04:00

Christian was back at school this week, but I had the whole week off, so Owen and I had lots of time together. We went to the zoo on Tuesday. This was his second trip to the zoo, but the first time he could name some of the animals, and we've been talking about the (polar) bears, ducks, fish, and monkeys all week.

I got some nice photos of Owen and the animals, as well as some pictures of light and shadow patterns on the ground that really interest me. I'm sure I looked very silly stopping the stroller so I could get a good picture of the ground!

Printsy Interview

2008-08-18T13:32:00.004-04:00

Thanks to Ele Willoughby, aka minouette, for interviewing me for the Printsy blog. You can read the interview here. Each week, there is a new interview of an etsy printmaker.

I was also excited to learn that one of my prints from etsy is being featured today on baltimoresun.com (http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/crafts/). It's located on the right side under Local Designers and Boutiques.

A Little Work

2008-08-15T07:47:00.004-04:00

For some reason, Christian can sit at the computer, and Owen will be happy to sit and play with blocks and such, but if I try to carve or draw at the dining room table, I've got a little boy climbing on my back, trying to steal my tools.
One solution is to set him up with his own "work" so Mommy can get some work done. This bought me about 10 minutes after breakfast earlier this week. This is a monoprint using the block above. The blue-green background is a water pattern printed as a gelatin monotype.

Printsy Exchange Spoiler

2008-08-07T23:09:00.003-04:00

This is the print I did for the Printsy Exchange. It is both the first exchange and the largest edition I've done since college. The theme was seasons, so I decided to do "seasons through the eyes of a child." The little boy is Owen, of course. The change in seasons always makes me feel nostalgic and full of memories of playing outside as a kid. Now as a mom, I get to experience all those fun childhood things again and see them from Owen's point of view--new and exciting! The print is a woodcut on hosho.

A Place for Everything, Everything in It's Place

2008-08-05T16:15:00.001-04:00

I didn't mean to take such a long break from blogging, but here we are--it's August already! Summer is usually a time for getting lots of household projects done. I've been working a lot this summer, so Christian has taken a leadership role in this area (yay!). When he puts his mind to it, he has a real knack for finding where things should go. He is also "Millerizing" me, meaning that he is training me to get rid of lots of unnecessary stuff I've hoarded over the years. And you know what--it's cathartic! I used to feel bad getting rid of things when who knows, I might just need it some day, but now I just feel really good about the space it makes. Plus, it's so much easier to find the things I actually use. This is real progress.

One major accomplishment is that there is now space for the press, when it arrives sometime in the next two months. It will be in the laundry/utility room. As you can see, it's actually a fairly large space. The challenge is that there are a lot of areas that need to stay clear--three doorways, a path in between, the area around the furnace and water heater, and the area in front of the washer and dryer. Hmm. I'm going to wait until the press is set up to figure out what other art things I can put in here. I think the trick will be putting any furniture on casters to keep the space flexible. I'd also like to get some kind of room divider screen to hide the furnace and water heater. Most of the clothes in this photo are gone already. Oh, that's the door on the floor, to go back on soon, and the holiday storage containers and the dresser (full of pre-pregnancy clothes that still don't fit!) have to stay.

It probably doesn't seem too exciting, especially if you notice the horrible drop ceiling and excessive wires running everywhere, courtesy of the former owners (worst DIYers ever), but it is truly amazing progress. I should have taken a picture of the space before, but I'd be too embarrassed to show it anyway.

Big Ideas and Patience

2008-07-14T20:56:00.003-04:00

The past two weeks or so have been very busy, and so this weekend, I made a point to relax a little. We spent some time with both sides of the family, which was really nice, and turned our attention to some household projects, since summer is the time for getting these things done. A nice little side effect of diverting my attention away from all the drawing, cutting, carving, printing, and hand-coloring that I'd like to do is that my mind is left to wonder and if I'm lucky, new ideas come flooding in. Well, that's just what happened this weekend. Recently, I've had two separate bodies of work going--a series with trees and other organic stuff, which is mainly fueled by process, and a figurative series that is about the feeling of a memory and hints of narrative. There is still a lot I want to do with both these series, but I think I also figured out how to weave together ideas and processes from both series, possibly in a third body of work. To me, this feels big and exciting, and I'm sort of afraid the ideas will fly out of my head before get them down. Well, I guess that's editing! The reality is that it will take me some time to follow through on these plans. It's not easy to be patient, but the beauty of printmaking is that there are many steps in the process. You can work on a project gradually, a little sketching here, a little carving there, and then eventually a big chunk of time for printing. It probably sounds strange, but this long process actually helps me to be more patient because I keep my hands and my head in the project, I'm immersed in it, and I'm not worried the ideas will disappear.

Hydrangea Color Experiments

2008-07-12T04:12:00.004-04:00

I finally had the chance to play with some colors on my hydrangea blocks about a week or so ago. My plan all along has been to do lots of different color variations with these blocks, since hydrangeas come in so many colors. When I got to mixing the colors, I found myself wanting ultramarine blue and a different red of some kind, colors that are not in my set. I decided to go ahead and print with blues and greens for that session. I was perplexed about those other colors, which seem missing from my palette, and kept thinking about them because I know when I bought the Akua Intaglio, I bought every color available except lamp black. So, this week, I started searching, and, lo and behold, Akua Intaglio has come out with 7 or 8 new colors, including ultramarine blue, carbazole violet, and scarlet red. Perfect!

New Collographs

2008-07-08T09:45:00.005-04:00

I've been working on some new collographs recently, based on childhood photos (aka, not trees!). I'm thinking about the visual quality of a memory, with different levels of focus, and also about the way a photo can unlock a memory. The prints above are based on a photograph of my sister and me by the Illinois River when we were little. They are printed from the same plate. One is fully inked and then hand-colored with colored India inks and a bit of gauche. The other was printed with a very, very small amount of residual ink from another printing (ghost print), so the embossing is what helps the nearly-invisible image come across. It was very hard to get a photo that captures this effect, and this was the best I could do.

The current press I'm using (Speedball Printmasters) is really not made for collographs/intaglio printing. I can make it work, but it's a physical struggle (it just doesn't want to turn with all that pressure!), and hard to print consistently. So, I'm really looking forward to the arrival of my Conrad press sometime in the next two months!

Artscape

2008-07-06T07:50:00.006-04:00

Artscape, "America's largest, free, public arts festival" is just around the corner (July 18-20), and if you love art, it's a great time to be in Baltimore. I have work in Subjective Sensibilities, an off-site exhibition at Stevenson University (Villa Julie College), along with artists Linda Day Clark, Suzanne Herbert-Forton, Chevelle Moore Jones, and Rachel Wolfson. The show opens this week, and there's a reception on Thursday, July 10 from 6 to 8 p.m. If any readers are local, I'd love to see you there!

Below is a long list of other visual arts openings as well. Like I said, a great time to be in Baltimore!

OPENINGS THURSDAY, JULY 10
6-8pm - *Subjective Sensibilities* at Villa Julie College Gallery
6-8pm - A Grendel’s Mother Exhibition at CCBC Dundalk Gallery
6-8pm – Full Circle at Goucher College
6-8pm - Jeanine Turner at Sub-Basement Artists Studios

OPENINGS FRIDAY, JULY 11
3-8pm - No Surface Left Untouched at CCBC Catonsville Gallery
6-8pm - Sanguine Dreams at the Creative Alliance
7-10pm – Outdoor Lounge Satellite; fragments, extensions, and designs at Current Gallery

OPENINGS SATURDAY, JULY 12
1-3pm - Philadelphia Meets Baltimore: Conceptions and Perceptions at Center for the Arts Gallery, Towson University
1-3pm - Printed Matter at Holtzman MFA Gallery, Towson University
2-4pm - TBA at Eubie Blake Cultural Center
2-5pm - TO OVERTHROW OR OVERTURN: The Art of Accident, Disaster and Catastrophe at School 33 Art Center
3-6pm - Rites of Passage at The Library
6-9pm - Janet & Walter Sondheim Prize at The BMA - Finalists Exhibition
(The 2008 winner will announced at 7pm
) RSVP Margo Wright, mwright@promotionandarts.com, 410-752-8632

OPENINGS SUNDAY, JULY 13
4-6pm - Thrift Store Mystery Paintings; An exhibition of paintings by writer and artist Blaster Al Ackerman at College of Notre Dame
3-5pm - Architecture Fantastique! Sketches & Design Studies by Charlie Brickbauer at Ziger/Snead Architects
3:30-5:30pm - Recent Acquisitions of the Baltimore Architecture Foundation at SMG architects
4-6pm - Joie de Vivre: Capturing the Spirit of People & Place - Architect Kevin Campbell White and sketchbooks from the Architectural Quick Hand at AIABaltimore

OPENINGS THURSDAY, JULY 17 (Artscape On-Site Openings)
6-8pm - Janet & Walter Sondheim Prize Semi-Finalists in the Decker & Meyerhoff galleries
6-8pm - Penned in the Bunting Center
6-8pm - Pleasure Cruise at Theatre Project
6-8pm – Outdoor Lounge on Mt. Royal Ave
6-8pm – Baltimore Sculpture Project on North Ave
6-9pm - Midway on the Charles Street bridge (Lot’s of performances at this one)
6-8pm – test run of Photo Booth on Charles Street Bridge/Penn Station
6-8pm – Station North Works: A Full Service Garage in the Parking Garage Across from the Charles Theater
6-8pm – Gernika Revisted at the Metro Gallery
6-8pm - The Baltimore Erotic Arts Festival: On the Edge at Load of Fun Galerie
8-9:30pm - Beyond the Wall / politics and urban stories at WESTNORTH at The Market
8-11pm – Grimaldis @ Area 405 at Area 405

EVENTS ON THE WEEKEND, July 18-20
15th Annual Art Car and Other Wheeled Vehicle Show at Cathedral & Preston streets
Exotic-Hypnotic at Langsdale Auditorium (a marathon music experiment)
Check out Whartscape at http://www.whamcity.com/ (more music marathons)

Gallery Fair

2008-06-24T07:54:00.005-04:00

I love the way Owen wakes up each morning and is completely excited about every little bit of our routine. When we are still dragging ourselves out of bed (very early in the morning!), Owen cheerfully brings us everything we need to face the day--my phone and water bottle, Christian's glasses, and if we've left them upstairs, shoes and hats.

On Sunday, I went to the Creative Alliance's Gallery Fair, where artists could bring resume, artist statement, and portfolio and meet with people from several different local galleries to get feedback. I brought a portfolio of my tree series, mostly gelatin monotypes, but also a few woodcuts. I mainly talked about how I make the prints, the idea of having process, materials, and subject matter unified, and going nontoxic. I learned that though I talk about student work all the time, I'm quite rusty at talking about my own work (shouldn't blogging help with that?). I also got some insight on how people see my work and walked away with several questions to ponder.

Here is a summary of the comments/suggestions/advice I received:

Know where I'm coming from conceptually. If my concerns are purely formal or decorative, fine, but if the environmentally conscious/nontoxic/experimental "philosophy of working" is important, I could "push it" more.

Look at various galleries (not just locally) to see who consistently has good shows I admire. Find out what artists did to get there. Set goals based on this.

My work is decorative. Reminds people of pattern design, textiles, etc., especially because the shapes are cropped on the page, and it looks like a pattern that could keep going.

Try printing on fabric, larger paper, or paper of different proportions to have more space to continue repeating shapes to make a pattern. It could be a wall hanging or made into something else.

Take a digital printmaking/textile/pattern design class at Mica, where you can design a pattern on the computer and print digitally on fabric.

Maybe my focus is too narrow.

Work much bigger. Now the work is small and "cute." If it were bigger, it could "make a statement."

No one cares how the art is made. That's boring. They just want to buy the art.

I seem more interested in the process than the final product. Why not use my process to design fabric that could be used (by others?) to make functional final products, like clothing and curtains.

It's good to work in a variety of sizes to appeal to a variety of budgets.

My work might be a good fit for something like the Urban Forest Project and other "going green," "back to the earth" type stuff.

I'm so glad I went to this event because it has given me a lot to think about. Up until I started this tree series, all my *real* work was deliberately narrative, and I did *side* work, basically for the process and my own enrichment, that was more experimental, based on landscape/nature, and formal (decorative?) concerns, so thinking about how to *frame* the new work is new. With my trees, there is no narrative. For me they are about a "philosophy of working"--considering the health of my family and the environment in my material choices, being open to experiment, to sort of "live in the moment" as I print, responding to what happens. The subject matter is about a connection with nature, seeing the "forest through the trees," and sometimes even represents my personality, as someone who needs to "put down roots." I think the viewer's experience of my work is different from mine, so the question is whether I want to have a meaning that is more clear...

The connection with decoration, pattern design, and fabric comes as no surprise because I have been hooked on design ever since the Women's Museum had the Nordic Cool: Hot Women Designers exhibit a few years ago. Also, I always drool over block-printed fabrics on Etsy. It's hard to imagine literally working with fabric though. I love paper too much.

PS. Some of my trees become flowers as I print!

Printing Frenzy

2008-06-22T21:21:00.005-04:00

I've been out of town the past two weekends, and I have two deadlines (one self-imposed and one real), so I've been in super-productive mode over the past few days. I made four collagraph plates for a new series based on childhood photographs. I'll be proofing them this week, so hopefully they'll work and I'll have something to show.

I also did a big batch of gelatin monotypes that I'm really excited about. In this printing session, I changed two things about my process, and what a difference! Change #1: I started rolling up the ink directly on the gelatin plate rather than rolling onto plexi first. I had known that you could do that with Akua Kolor, but until recently, I had trouble with the brayer sliding around the ink. I don't know what made the difference (maybe temperature and humidity?), but now I can roll up directly on the plate. This results in a lot less mess and allows space for me to keep and clean my stencils between prints since I'm not spreading ink everywhere. Change #2: I'm using two pieces of gelatin simultaneously--one for warm colors, one for cool colors. This makes it super easy to change colors without have to thoroughly clean the gelatin or risk muddying colors.

I've had trouble with Akua Kolor's drying time in the past, but incredibly, this set of prints dried completely overnight! Normally, I use Tack Thickener to roll out the ink, and I didn't this time, so I think that's probably the reason for the difference in drying time. Also, it has been hot and humid, which affects both the ink and the gelatin.

We try to do some type of adventure each day, and on Friday, we took Owen to Port Discovery. He had so much fun that he really, really cried when it was time to go. That means he was thoroughly prepared for a solid afternoon nap, but when he was asleep at home, someone from GE came and knocked on the door, which woke him up. Grumble, grumble, grumble. Since when does GE come door-to-door to get "visibility?" The door-knocking has coincided with naptime a lot lately, so now I have a design for a "go away" sign rattling around in my head. Actually, it says "Please don't knock, baby is sleeping."

Running Out of Room!

2008-06-18T08:55:00.000-04:00

I have plans to print both the hydrangea block and the landscape block in color, but I proofed them both with black ink and was drawn to the high-contrast, graphic quality, so I went ahead and printed several in black. I've used up all my drying space--a clothesline, this old college dorm shelf that my parents had in their attic, and various other flat surfaces. Akua Intaglio takes a long time to dry completely, but once the prints are somewhat drier, I can stack them up with newsprint in between.

For now, I'm trying to come up with some more makeshift drying racks. These two hand-me-downs from my parents seem to have potential.

The one in the back is a tape holder and I think the other came with wine bottles. My idea is to glue bamboo skewers or paint stirring sticks to the shelves to make long racks to hold paper, but maybe some lattice-type material would work better.

Printmaking Fantasy

2008-06-07T08:42:00.002-04:00

We had some severe weather this week, and one of my classes was cancelled due to power outages. One of my students was kind enough to call me and tell me when she found out, so I didn't even have to drive all the way out to the school. This means I had a little time to carve this block, which is now essentially finished, though I may tweak it after proofing.

This is the photo I'm working from. It's my grandparents' property in central Illinois in springtime, aka "springtime in fairy woods." I love the colors, and I'm hoping to print them all from one block. I know I could have planned to register multiple blocks or do a reduction print to get the colors, but I think I'll get the feel I'm looking for by printing different colors from the block in one state. Maybe. I hope. I have several ideas for color experiments, one of which involves coating the block with acrylic medium first, so hopefully I won't ruin the block.

Yesterday morning, I was looking at the various techniques described on waterbasedinks.com, the website for Akua Kolor and Akua Intaglio, and there are so many printmaking techniques you can do at home, it makes my head swim. One day, I'd love to have a little studio and host workshops on various nontoxic printmaking techniques and show people how to set up a home studio. That would give me the perfect excuse to try everything!

I went to Christian's school's end-of-the-year picnic on Thursday, and the art teacher, who started out as a printmaker, was telling me how he used to clean his etching plates with benzene--with bare hands! Actually, when I first did etching, I remember standing over the mineral spirits bath scrubbing all the ink out of the grooves in my etching plate, also soaking it all up with bare hands. I fell in love with printmaking from the beginning and really threw myself into it for about a year and a half of college, but in that short time, I had already developed a sensitivity to the various chemicals and such. By the end of that period, I was wearing gloves and a goofy gas mask just to enter the studio, and I thought I was done with printmaking. Then I spent a month in Brittany, France at the Pont Aven School of Art, and got really into doing monotypes with oil paint using these zinc roofing squares that my teacher had brought in her suitcase from the U.S. Printmaking and I were friends again :) Over the past few years, I've become aware of more and more nontraditional printmaking techniques, or nontoxic variations on the traditional methods, and it's really pretty amazing. The possibilities are endless. So there you go--the premise for my fantasy studio!

Yesterday, Owen and I went to the baseball field to run around. We discovered mud, dandelions, and dragonflies.

The Show is Up!

2008-06-04T08:25:00.001-04:00

Come one, come all!

It is nice to see my work framed and on the wall. It probably sounds funny, but I sometimes forget how much better art looks in person rather than on the computer screen. (Once I scan my work, I usually put it away for safe-keeping). Please let me know if you'd like a postcard via snail mail, and I will gladly send you one. If you don't know my email, just go to my website and click on contact. It's free to go and see the artwork, but if you'd like to swim or work out while you're there, check out the Greenbelt Aquatic and Fitness Center website for prices. The work is not in a traditional gallery setting, but rather on the walls of the lobby/atrium area of the center, definitely a good example of art integrated with life! I love how you can see trees and plants all around the work.

In case you haven't been to Greenbelt, it's a wonderful, magical place and a national historic landmark. Historic Greenbelt is a planned, cooperative community, full of various paths and walkways so that you can walk to just about any place you need to go in Greenbelt. You can read more about the history here. I started teaching art classes at the Greenbelt Community Center part time back in 2005 and have especially enjoyed the sense of community there. After commuting to DC daily when I did museum work full time, Greenbelt was exactly the escape from the hustle-and-bustle that I needed.

I hope everyone enjoys the show! Another bit of news--I found out this week that I'll be included in a show called Subjective Sensibilities at Villa Julie College, an off-site location for Artscape. I'm really excited about it, and I'll post more info on that show as the date gets closer.

Summer Days

2008-06-02T19:30:00.001-04:00

My work schedule this semester is great because I get to spend the whole day with Owen. Each day is full of new skills, words, and phrases, and I'm glad I can appreciate every one of them. His newest phrase is, "There you go!" I didn't realize it until now, but that's something I say all the time, and now Owen does, too.

We've been spending time outdoors whenever we can, and I've even been getting some photos that will likely end up in my prints.

My in-laws came over for lunch on Sunday, and Christian grilled. We tidied up the house for company, and now we just need to keep it this way. I say this as I look over our living room, which is already sprinkled with toys and books, but the day is not over, and we'll put them away before bed (right?).

I've also been gearing up for a show of my gelatin monotypes at the Greenbelt Aquatic and Fitness Center. More information to come, but here's a peek at the matting/framing process. Also, check out my supercool, mix-matched teacup collection in the background.

Yupo, etc.

2008-05-28T11:15:00.001-04:00

There has been a lot going on here. Someone I really care about is going through a horrible time, and that is really difficult. It's hard not being able to help.

I'm a fan of keeping busy when there's something on your mind, and we've definitely been doing that. I had a week off between the spring semester and the beginning of my summer semester, and we really hit the ground running with our summer chores. Christian actually made a list at the beginning of the week with tasks for each day (adorable), and we did everything on it! One big step was finding homes for a ton of stretcher bars for art canvases that I had already disassembled. This is a big step in me realizing that sometimes the space is more valuable than the stuff in the space. Also a big step in getting ready for the press.

I had a Blick gift card from my birthday, so I ordered some of my favorite (and pricey!) papers--Rives BFK and Hosho. I also ordered something new--Yupo, a synthetic paper. When I first heard about this stuff, it sounded like a bad idea--the world does not need more plastic. I was still really curious though, so I went to the company's website and learned that the material is completely recyclable and of course it has the advantage of not killing any trees to make it. Fascinating! This paper has a mat finish and it's completely non-absorbent. It's actually sold as watercolor paper, though I imagine painting on it would feel very different from painting on traditional watercolor paper. Until now, I've used cardstock or cut up plastic folders (like mylar) to make stencils for my gelatin monotypes. Now I'm going to try Yupo stencils. The material is lovely to draw on as well. I've only used pencil so far, but I also want to try water soluble crayons, maybe even to color the stencils before I print. I have a feeling that I will go through this pad of Yupo really quickly!

Printsy Interview with BirdNerd

2008-05-20T11:05:00.004-04:00

I had the pleasure of interviewing Chelsea Groves, aka BirdNerd, for the Printsy interview series. As you might have guessed, her subjects are birds. I love the way she depicts them with choice details and graceful, flowing lines. Check out the interview here!

To the Dungeon!

2008-05-19T06:53:00.003-04:00

Plans for the press on back on! We ended up deciding to make the basement laundry/untility/storage room also an art space so we can put the press down there. Though it won't be easy, it will definitely be easier. The transition to working in the basement will be its own challenge, but that basement room was actually one of the things that drew me to this house when we were house-hunting--I figured I'd end up in the basement eventually once our family started to grow, and the room is actually fairly big when you imagine it without all the junk (actually removing all the junk will be a summer project). There's also the laundry sink right there, which will be great for clean-up. Unfortunately, there are no windows in that room and it is dark, dark, dark. I will also have to always be caught up on laundry to keep the space clear. Can toddlers do laundry?

Meanwhile, I spent time tidying up my current workspace this weekend. I'm not going to move all at once, and I need it to be functional for now. This was the first weekend in at least three months when I didn't have to work or travel, so we did lots of normal weekend things, including a trip to Wegmans (best grocery store ever). I know that doesn't sound romantic, but it totally is. Wegmans is THE grocery store in Syracuse, and the first time Christian and I "went out" together, we went grocery shopping! I remember laughing so hard on that trip that my stomach kind of hurt. A good sign!

The Press...

2008-05-15T19:07:00.005-04:00

*At Sunday BrunchWell, I'm finally back online! We had so much rain earlier this week that our internet got knocked out, and we just got it back today. I really missed it, and I'm glad it's back!

I ordered my press on Sunday and have been excited about it all week, even though I wasn't expecting it until August at the latest. Then today, I called to confirm a couple of details, and inadvertently (and luckily) found out that getting it into the house will be much more complicated than I anticipated, and it might actually be impossible. Here are the problems:

1) The weight is about 300 lbs. I already knew this but had paid a special fee to have it brought into the house. What I found out today is that it was contingent upon there being NO STEPS going into the house. Um, we have steps. 2) Even though the press alone will fit through the doorway, it will come packaged in such a way (with a palette or crate?) so that it will not fit. This means that someone would have to get this thing off the truck, bring it to the door, take it out of the package, lift it again to get it in, etc. And every move this baby makes costs money. One of the people I spoke to today is going to do an estimate for getting it in, but she assured me that it would be very expensive, so I'm not very hopeful about that option. Christian and I talked about the possibility of moving my art space from the second floor third bedroom to the basement laundry room/storage dumping ground. This would cut down on the number of steps, the distance from the door, and puts gravity on our side, but it still doesn't solve the problem of getting it through the door. Sigh. There's also a press by the same company that is 3" shorter in width but 200 lbs lighter (how does that work?), so I guess I should consider that option. I've been thinking of this as possibly a once-in-a-lifetime purchase, so I wanted to get the biggest press I could afford, but that logic is quickly falling apart! I've been planning this purchase for a long time and have put a lot of thought and energy into it, so it's unsettling to have it up in the air like this (particularly since I've already placed the order, though I did ask to put it on hold). To look on the bright side, I probably won't be able to sleep well tonight, and I have a lot of end-of-semester grading to do, so maybe I will get it all done and have tomorrow free!

PRINTSY

2008-05-05T09:15:00.002-04:00

I'm really excited to tell you about the new team Printsy: Printmakers of Etsy and proud to say that I'm a part of it! This group promises to be a great way to connect with other printmakers, work together to get our work seen, and share lots of information on printmaking. If you're an Etsy printmaker, do consider joining us, or if you just love prints (don't we all?), then keep an eye on the blog, which is soon to be populated with interviews with fellow printmakers as well as articles on printmaking techniques.

This weekend was fun and busy. My parents visited to celebrate my birthday (I turn 29 this week!) and an early Mother's Day. My mom made this delicious lemon cake (my favorite). We are also gearing up for summer, complete with sandbox and basketball hoop.

I just have one week left of classes, followed by finals and a slew of grading. I'm really looking forward to summer. I'll be teaching, but it will be a lighter schedule, so it will still feel like a break. I'm really pleased with my art productivity over the past semester, and I expect to do even more printing this summer. It's just around the corner!

Hydrangea Proof

2008-04-26T19:04:00.004-04:00

This is a proof of the first hydrangea block. I like how the leaves and stem turned out. I'm currently working on carving out more of the negative spaces inside the flower so the petals are more clear. I also have plans for other hydrangea blocks to layer with this one, so they will print as several hydrangeas clustered together. Hydrangeas come in so many different colors (my favorite is deep, deep blue), so it will be fun to play with the different color variations.

We are stuck inside today due to pouring rain, and Owen is kindly trying to help me publish this post! Meanwhile, our above-ground pool, which I drained this weekend with the plan of tearing it down next weekend, is filling up with water. The pool was great the year we moved in. It really made being pregnant and living with no central air much easier. Last summer, we were too busy to even open the pool (plus I refuse to touch the chemicals). Now with a climbing toddler who loves water, the pool is just a bad idea all around. Bye-bye, pool!

Even More Trees

2008-04-21T18:18:00.000-04:00

I expected this weekend to be very busy, but it seemed long and relaxing, even though I worked on Saturday. Friday, Owen and I spent the afternoon at our favorite park. Saturday I came home from work to find an empty house--Christian had taken Owen out to a friend's house. I had 5 hours to myself, time to tear paper, make gelatin, do a little proofing. I have to say, it felt strange and I realized that until then, I hadn't been alone in the house for more than 30 minutes since Owen was born! Saturday night I went to a girls' night out with some women from Christian's work, which was really fun. Sunday we were supposed to do a lot of yard work, but we had barely started when it started pouring, so we went back inside and enjoy a lazy Sunday. We watched Juno, which was adorable. I also did a little printing, and here are some more gelatin monotypes of trees.Dealing with color in this way is sort of new for me, and I'm figuring it out as I go. The color "mixing" happens through transparent layers. It reminds me of dying Easter eggs.

The one below is in progress. It's a ghost print (printed from the ink that's left over after the first fully inked print), and I'm excited about all the detail and ink variation that came out.
I feel like I could continue working with the same tree stencils with endless variation, but I decided to make some more in different sizes for future prints, that way my prints don't have to stay the same scale.

More Trees

2008-04-16T23:10:00.005-04:00

I did some more gelatin monotypes on Sunday. I'm still using the same few tree stencils over and over, and I'm really enjoying the different possibilities.

New Website Design

2008-04-14T08:28:00.000-04:00

The Miller household has been sick. I mentioned that I've been taking Owen to various play areas so he can climb on something besides the furniture and have something softer than hardwood floors to land on. Well, he must have picked up some germs somewhere because on Monday he came down with a cold and fever. Naturally, by Tuesday, Christian was sick, and by Wednesday, I had a sore throat and cold. We are all feeling a lot better now, there are just a few lingering symptoms. I can complain to much though--it's only the second time Owen has been sick, not counting feeling lousy after a vaccine.

Because of my cold, I've been sleeping strangely--going to bed with no problem, but then waking up (wide awake!) in the middle of the night for a couple of hours every night. At this time, I don't have the physical energy to haul laundry around and if I start printing, I can forget about sleep all together, so I've been doing work on the computer. I've actually been pretty productive, and I finished the redesign of my website and launched it. I'm sure I will realize that it still needs tweaking (let me know if you find anything!), but overall I'm happy with the design. I used one of the Dreamweaver templates and adjusted it to fit what I wanted. I think it will be easy to update regularly by just adding new works and new galleries as I need to without doing a huge overhaul each time. Check it out--amandagordonmiller.com. Cheers!

Roots and All

2008-04-07T14:23:00.005-04:00

Things have been really busy lately, more than the normal business. For one thing, Owen has taken to climbing all the furniture, so I've been taking him out on little adventures more to avoid having to say "no" all day long as he tries out his new climbing skills. For another thing, there is a colony of ants making its way from my basement to the kitchen. Getting rid of them is requiring much trial and error and constant vigilence. I've managed to reduce the population a lot, but they are not completely gone and they're really trying my patience!

I did manage to squeeze in some printing time this weekend and I'm excited about the results. These are gelatin monotypes--using gelatin as the printing surface, Akua Kolor inks rolled on top, handcut stencils placed, and building up layer by layer. Maybe they are technically monoprints because I'm using stencils? I'm not sure---the trees are all separate stencils, so there is a lot of variation each time. I love using the Akua Kolor with gelatin and playing with different color and composition variations with each print. Since the layers of ink are pretty thin, the paper (Rives BFK) is not overly saturated, so I don't anticipate that drying time will be a problem.

For the second time in a row, I made more gelatin than I was able to use. I actually have a big baking sheet of gelatin for some larger prints, but there is about a 50/50 chance I will be able to use it before it spoils. With the weather this time of year, it's hard to predict (temperature and humidity affect the gelatin).

When I was turning into our neighborhood today, I saw a huge tree with the word "who" spray painted on it. It struck me as very strange, but now I'm thinking of incorporating text with my trees in future prints.