collaborative printmaking

Sometimes it's just pure genius when somebody has energy to burn and decides to take on a big project involving artists from all over the world. Recently the lovely, generous Jenn Schmitt organised the fabulous collaborative periodic table of elements project where each artist signed up to make a print (6x6 inches) of an element from the table using any print method. The overall effect of all those prints together is just magical. Check out the table link above to see what I mean. The print here is for the element chlorine (element 17) by woodblock print artist Annie Bissett. I just love this one!

miho museum

I'm having a few dramas with blogspot and so for 4 days these photos of Miho Museum have been up on my blog with no text. Hopefully the text will upload today.

Last week when I was shuffling through bits and pieces in a gorgeous old box of things from Japan, I re-found these postcard images of one of the most incredible museums I have ever been to. The Miho is a museum with a futuristic structure plonked in the middle of the mountains of Japan, about 90 minutes by train and bus from Kyoto. It was designed by the American-Chinese architect, I M Pei, who amongst other things, also designed the Pyramids of the Lourvre in Paris. Miho Museum is one of those places, if you like architecture, galleries, museums and art, you should make an effort to go to if you're ever visiting Japan. Why? It's urban structures poke vividly out of the mountains of Shiga and present to you, right from the entrance, a very modern view of how art and history can be viewed. In the hills of Shiga surrounded by rice farms, you just don't expect to see this. I've been there twice and would easily go again. The last visit was especially good. My Australian friend C was visiting and we packed homemade bento lunches, along with our chopsticks and a flask of green tea and set off for a perfect early summer's day.

more succulents in the garden

Look at these little beauties! This gorgeous pot of colourful succulents was given to us last weekend our lovely visitors from NSW. I've added them to my table collection outside the backdoor and this little grouping sits right in the middle because of all that colour! I can't wait to see what kind of flowers they'll produce.

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!