shades of still life

It can sometimes be tricky to get the right colour and ink intensity in a print. I've played around with this print quite a bit over the last few days. A few posts ago I said I wanted it to have soft, gentle colours but now I'm not sure. The pale ones were ok but now I think I prefer the more intense blue colour in the later print run. I still like the composition and use of shadow in the print, but I think I might keep playing with the background colour a bit more before I let it just rest for a while. It's amazing how your attitude towards a print can change if you just walk away from it for a few weeks.

tagged

I've just been told I've been 'tagged'. This is something kind of nice going around in the art blogging world where when tagged you have to:

1. List 7 random facts/habits about yourself.

2. Choose another 7 bloggers to tag and list their names in your blog.

3. Leave your 7 tagged bloggers comments to notify them of their tagging and to direct them to your blog for tag instructions.

So here goes with my 7 random facts/habits:

1. I live in a little old house in the city with a large garden that will one day engulf me with its weeds.

2. I've just finished reading "Dead Air" by Ian Banks, a wonderfully cynical, but incredibly funny British writer.

3. I really want to visit New York City. I'm reading NYC City Secrets edited by Robert Kahn, full of the favourite places of writers, artists, filmmakers, foodies etc... It's fantastic!

4. I go to bed early - about 9.30am most nights or I can't be human the next day.

5. My favourite television program of all time is "Six Feet Under". Rachel Griffiths is amazing.

6. I love the smell of eucalyptus trees and the Australian bush. I almost cried when I first smelt it again after living away for many years.

7. I could easily be a hermit but fight the temptation daily by being reasonably social (I hope).

And the 7 art blogs I'm going to tag in this game are (apologies to those who have already been tagged or who don't like these games):

1. Moontea artwork - Kristin Logabill

2. Inaluxe - Kristina Sostarko

3. Janeys Journey

4. Woodblock Dreams - Annie Bissett

5. Pepperina Press - Helen

6.Poppy Talk

7. Jodi's Weblog - Jodi Green



my lovely sweet cat, Sumi, sitting in the olive tree pot.

still life

Work in progress.........

These are the blocks (and quick sketch) for a small print I carved today. I'm intrigued by the smooth shapes often found in pottery. This still life is going to have some very soft, almost old fashioned colours in it. As I carved it I felt like it had a very gentle energy. I might even print it tomorrow if I have time.

all about washi

People often ask me questions about the kind of paper I use for my larger sized woodblock prints. In response I find myself going down a detailed conversational path about the wonders of washi, or Japanese handmade paper. There's an informative piece about washi on the website for an amazing looking shop called the Japanese Paper Place in Toronto. I really hope to be able go there some day and look at their collection of paper. So have a read of the washi article and discover how it's made, who uses it and why it's so strong. Even Japanese money (the notes) are made from washi! If you're ever in Kyoto there are washi shops around the centre of the city that you can visit. There's one on old Teramachi Dori and another near the corner of Shijo and Karasuma Dori. The paper in these places is so beautiful it will make you weep!

bookbinding for etsy

If you're into quite nerdy short videos about crafty things like book binding have a look at this cool etsy mini youtube video. Rebecca from moontreepress (her link is on the etsy blog) designed and put together an etsy kit of goodies and the video shows her doing the bookbinding for a notebook design.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQV1L7DJYtw

not my usual style

I'm going to tell you a little here about an interview I just did and no, this is not my usual style but I had so much fun answering the questions that I thought I'd share it with a few more people! The lovely Helen of pepperina press writes for a cool blog called 'indie pretty perfect' . Anyway here is the link with the interview if you feel like reading more about my printmaking and creative ponderings.

fragments

The way light moves at certain times of day really interests me. I was on the banks of the muddy Yarra River in the afternoon when I took this photos a few days ago.The light seems to just bounce off these leaves. It was very quiet and the river seemed quite still. It's amazing when you think about big rivers in large cities and how it's still possible to find this kind of tranquility somewhere along their winding paths.