Washi (Paper) Testing

I think one of the hardest things for a mokuhanga artist is finding the right paper.  Especially Japanese paper.  There are so many different weights, sizes, paper makers.  And we all like different characteristics in a paper.  I personally don't like a white white paper and prefer more natural color.  I also like a thicker paper.

The opportunity to test different papers while at MI-Lab was something we all wanted to do.  We didn't realize how difficult it would be to get at Kawaguchi-ko.  If there were suppliers there, or even any art suppliers there, we never found them.  Everything came from either Tokyo or somewhere else.  And that all takes time.  Given that knowledge before hand I know we would have purchased paper in Tokyo to take with us to Kawaguchi-ko.

As someone used to the western "fast-food-get-it-now" culture it was hard to wait. Frustrating!  But we finally got paper from different sources and were able to test them.

Below are 4 prints all on different papers - 3 handmade Japanese and one machine made Korean.

  You can see how they each reacted differently to the same process.  The bottom right is "my" usual paper, Kihada.  It took the brown very deeply but not the blue or red.  The one above it is a Korean machine made paper that is absolutely dead.  There is no texture and the colors all are very flat.  The other two are from Kochi. The top one is a natural, almost brown paper and the bottom one is white.  Quite a difference!

These were just 4 of the papers.  We tested many more and most of us brought several of our favorites home to play with some more. 

Artist in Residence - Mt. Fuji

Earlier this summer I found out I had been chosen to be one of 6 international artists in residence at
Mokuhanga Innovation Laboratory at Mt. Fuji, Japan for 5 weeks - October 7 - November 10, 2012.  The others were Tomasz Kawalczyk, Poland; Eva Pietzcker, Germany; Mara Cozzolino, Italy; Paul Furneaux, Scotland and Yoonmi Nam, Korea/USA.

We stayed in Tokyo for 5 days and had an exhibition in Tokyo at CfSHE Gallery for 10 days. 
This is the poster of the exhibition.

Setting up the exhibition under the watchful eye of Program Director, Keiko Kadota.

I was fortunate to have friends in Japan that were able to attend the opening reception.  Pictured with me and my prints are Ann Larabee from Lansing, MI, who is teaching in Tokyo; Tomoko Hirao and Takayuki Fukuyama from Shiga; and not pictured, the photographer of this picture, Phil Ono.

After being in Tokyo for 5 days we moved to the residence location at Fujikawaguchi-ko.  More about this in the next post.

Inspired by Japan Presentation

I had the privilege today to present the complete portfolio of prints that Baren Forum members made last year as a fundraiser after the devastating earthquake and tsunami to the Consul General of Japan in Detroit, Kuninori Matsuda.

What Are You Doing??

I've been getting that question a lot lately.  Trust me, I AM working!  I set aside this year and part of next to create a new body of work.  No shows, no competitions - just work.  I am happy with my progress.  For the most part I have been in the studio every day this summer and it has been wonderful.  There is no pressure or deadlines.  There is nothing that has to go in to a gallery right away.
These days we can instantly upload our images for the world to see it is "normal" to do that.  Not posting seems abnormal.  I have had to restrain myself.
Our fast food world expects everything right now.  But, I want there to be some mystery.  Some anticipation.
I am still doing my traditional style of prints but I am experimenting a bit as well.
I hope you will be pleased when it is all done. 

10,000 Leaves

Nothing is more beautiful than Michigan in the autumn.  Last October I had the privilege to be Artist in Residence at Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park.  For 2 weeks we were provided a cabin in a remote part of the Park that was built by the Friends of the Porkies.  We spent each day hiking  some of the more than 20 trails.  One of only a few protected Wilderness areas in the Midwest, with 60,000 acres, rivers, secluded lakes, old growth forests and countless waterfalls, it was hard to chose the one image that would define my time there.

10,000 Leaves

In the end I chose this view from Summit Peak - the highest point in the Park.  This view gives you an idea of why they are called the Porcupine Mts.  With a little imagination maybe you can see the outline of the porcupines back in the ridge-lines of pine and hardwoods.
Tucked into those deep shadows is Mirror Lake which you can get to from the Peak by following the Mirror Lake Trail.  There is a very nice, secluded rustic campground at the Lake itself.  Only a few sites are there and they require a backcountry pass to camp at.

Mirror Lake

That trail in turn connects with others - well, here's a pdf of them all: Porkies Trails.  You won't be bored, that's for sure.
I highly recommend visiting the Porkies and for all you artists (not just visual) if you are looking for solitude, wilderness, beauty and inspiration, you should apply for this AiR!

8" x 30"
8 birch blocks
27 impressions
edition of 15 on various papers
Papers - Kihada, Kihada light, Echizen and Shikoku.

Tangled Water at Muskegon Museum of Art

Tangled Water, part of the 12 Views of the Shiawassee River series, was accepted at the 84th Regional Exhibition at the Muskegon Museum of Art. In honor of the Museum's 100th Anniversary, it is the first time the exhibition was open to the whole state. The Exhibition opened May 31 and runs to August 8. There were over 600 entries and about 190 pieces accepted.
Award winners and accepted work can be seen here: Muskegon Museum of Art 84th Regional Exhibition

New Studio!

New studio space

 I think one of the hardest things about being a parent is that your child grows up.  And they move out.  And they leave an empty space behind that no amount of things can fill.  Your heart is broken, you feel at a loss as to what to do.

before

before

On the other hand - they move out and leave an empty space.  What can one do with empty space?  Why take it over and have a bigger studio of course!
This is the 4th re-do that I am aware of.  The upstairs is part of the original 100+ year old farmhouse.  When I came on the scene it was 2 bedrooms.  You had to walk thru one bedroom to get to the other.  The stairway was back where that orange bi-fold door (a bathroom now) is.  There was no heat upstairs at all.
When we inherited the farm about 8 years ago, we set about gutting the entire house right down to the [real] 2 x 4's.  This upstairs room became one room, we moved the stairway to the other side and direction and put in a 1/2 bath.  5 windows facing east, west and south.  Lots of light!  Our son's room.
Fast forward to now.  Move stuff out, fill holes, repaint.  Move studio upstairs.  Enjoy!

carving station at left center

I print standing up at this 8ft. long work bench.  Drawing board is in the back corner.

New to me flatfiles (Craig's List purchase) along stairway