Self Portrait with Tree: Tree Hugger

When given the theme of doing a self-portrait with or as a tree, I decided on "with". Previous self portraits that I have done just show my face. This time I wanted to explore an inner self.

Because my prints are based on the land and waterscapes of Michigan and I care deeply about the quality of the Great Lakes and the rivers and streams that feed them, I've had some ask me if I am an environmentalist.

In my mind, an environmentalist is more science based. They know the "whys", the "hows" and the "what needs to be done" of the environment. I would not pretend to know those things and am thankful there are people who do and bring needed attention to the environment's stresses and needs.

Having been a participant in the very first Earth Day I do feel a repsonsibility to my immediate environment. Oh do I hate litter! I cannot understand why people still do it. I am beyond annoyed by people who trash our water systems with everything from empty soda cans to tires and furniture.

"Our ability to percieve quality in nature begins, as in art,

with the pretty.

It expands through successive stages of the beautiful

to values as yet uncaptured by language."

Aldo Leopold

I am an artist. I love what the subject matter that God laid out before me and find my inspiration is never ending. I love the changing of the seasons and the many different landscapes of my state. I love the lakes and rivers and waterfalls. Of couse I want my work to be attractive to the viewer but I am also trying to bring attention to them by showing people what we have and what we stand to lose without respecting it. I love my corner of this world.

So, not an environmentalist - I am a Tree Hugger!

Tree Hugger
6 woodblocks
Edition of 35

Ferguson Bayou

We came to Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge in late October hoping to see the migration of the estimated 50,000 waterfowl that are here in fall and spring. We were too late, apparently, this year.
What we did find was an amazing variety of landscape in the refuge. On this trail there were dried up cornfields on our left. We looked to our right and you'd think we were in Louisiana in the sweltering summer! The Ferguson Bayou seems so out of place here. It is every shade of green imaginable. The soil is black and bursting with organic matter. (I would have loved some of this at home in my garden.) If you didn't know where you were, you'd swear the murky, algae covered water was hiding a few alligators just waiting for some unsuspecting animal to wander too close. I'm pretty sure the Michigan equivilant, the snapping turtle, is in there though!

Moku Hanga
6 blocks
9" x 13"
edition of 8

Autumn Reflection

This print shows the Shiawassee River after several days of cold autumn rain. It was a beautiful sunny day and I went walking along the trails at Harmon Patridge Park. The river was a muddy, khaki color except close to me where it was reflecting the bright blue sky and all the colors of the trees on the opposite shore. The tress on the shore next to me were changing to yellows and oranges and with the reflected purples, greens, oranges and golds across the river and the sunshine.......it was breathtaking!!

Moku Hanga, 8 shina blocks

Queen Bee

Mid Michigan Art Guild Show

My Moku Hanga print, Tranquility, was accepted into the MMAG show, Why art? Why Not?. in the Hope Borbas Okemos Library, Okemos, Michgan, Dec. 7 - 31. The judge was Arthur J. Martin, Collections Manager & Assistant Curator at Muskegon Museum of Art.

Owosso High School Print

The 12 students in the advanced art class printed their self portrait blocks yesterday. Each block was approx. 4" square. They were glued down with nori paste to mat board to make a 24" long block. It was a big block!

Using sumi, each student printed their own print of the whole block. They did a great job. Several commented on what hard work it was! It does take some strength to do Moku Hanga prints. (Which is why I lift weights and go to the gym!)

Thanks to this great group of young adults for doing this project with me and to teacher, Marti Liddle-Lameti for asking me to do this.

Printmaking: Always Learning

I have been very fortunate in my life to have some excellant art teachers. Printmaking instructors, I have found, are the most open and free with their knowledge and are EXCITED to have someone eager to learn printmaking techniques.

Last weekend I had the opportunity to spend in an advanced Moku Hanga workshop with Mary Brodbeck in Kalamazoo. (I also spent a week with her this past summer at Kendall School of Art and Design and couldn't learn enough!) I could have spent this past weekend just studying her work! She is an extraordinary Japanese woodblock printmaker & teacher and I would sit at her feet for a year if I could. She also shares my love of our great state of Michigan and we talked about places of beauty and adventure that we have and would like to visit.

Yesterday I spent the day with the art students of Owosso High School. Printmaking is not something usually taught in school art programs, beyond basic linoprints, because of the expense. So I gave them an overview of printmaking techniques - etching, collograph, drypoint, monoprints, reduction and Japanese woodblock. For the advanced class I demonstrated the basics of Japanese woodblock printmaking.

If you are in class there has to be an assignment, right? I gave them all a small block of shina, generously donated by McClain's Printmaking Supply. We are going to do a "puzzle" print: self portrait, eyes only, in their own style, printed with black sumi.

They are very excited about this project and I will post their print here when it is done the week after Thanksgiving.