Coming Home

 

Please join me at the opening reception Friday, September 23, 6-8pm, as I "come home" to the Shiawassee Arts Center.  SAC Sept-Nov. 2011  The building that houses the SAC is right next door to where my childhood home was on the Shiawassee River.  It's fitting that 12 Views of the Shiawassee River is showing where my first memories of the river were created. 
Other river inspired work by Jane Cloutier (paper sculpture) and Janet Baugher (jewelry & encaustic), along with Cindy Evans paintings of Yellowstone, make this a fascinating mixed media exhibit with nature as the star! 

Blue Moon

Not "once in a blue moon" but 3 times! 

Jan, Jane and I created Blue Moon pieces, 

each in our own medium.

The exhibit opens September 20 and runs until November 5.  

Shiawassee Art Center is open Tuesday - Sunday, 1 - 5pm.

Inspired by Japan Benefit

The Michigan "Inspired by Japan" exhibit opened on Thursday, Sept. 15 at Absolute Gallery in the Old Town district of Lansing.

Ruth Egnater and Linda Beeman hanging the exhibit

The prints show up great on the beautiful brick walls.

More of the 58 prints from around the world in the exhibit.

First guests on opening night.

Lilian Kumata with her purchase of Mark Mason's print, Cherry Blossoms.  Mark is from the U.K.

The fundraiser for Japan relief is at Absolute Gallery thru Sept. 24.  All prints are $75 with 100% going to MercyCorps . 

Many prints sold already but are still available on the website at Inspired by Japan.

Byobu

While at the Moku Hanga Conference in Japan I was able to take a byobu (screen) and chotsugai (paper hinge) workshop given by Yabuta Kashu. 

Byobu's (bee-o-boo) were used in Japanese homes as room dividers where there were not walls and means 'protect [from] wind'.  They are used as pieces of furniture as well as art and their use can temporarily change the size and atmosphere of a room.
They are held together only by paper hinges and glue and can fold in both directions.  There are no nails, metal hinges or screws.  Just paper.  It's pretty magical!

Once home I decided to make my own using a print made especially for the byobu.  I had only made a small 2 piece byobu in the workshop but made this one 3 pieces.  It took several weeks but it came our exactly like I wanted.  The size is 12 x 25" so it won't work as a room divider but fits nicely in front of the fire place.

Blue Moon 

 

 

 

I used 2 blocks of cherry ply.  The challenge was getting all 3 pieces to print evenly and with the same tone and color.

Moku Hanga Exhibit - Edinburgh, Scotland

Tangled Water

Elspeth Lamb RSA and Paul Furneaux RSA show new works alongside over 30 invited Mokuhanga (wood block printing) artists from Japan, USA, Australia, Europe, and Scotland.

My print, Tangled Water, was selected to be part of this exhibit which also includes works by Helen Frankenthaler! 

In Japan: Moku Hanga Print Exhibit

30 July - 18 September, 2011
RSA Finlay & Projects Room
The Royal Scottish Academy
The Mound
Edinburgh