Japan fundraiser

Do look at the prints created by an international group of artist printmakers, hoping to raise some funds to assist the Japanese cope with the post earthquake traumas. http://www.barenforum.org/japan/index.html

City of the World

My small contribution to the giant City of the World project in which various printmakers around the world carve a small piece and Maria Arango-Diener nobly co-ordinates, prints and sends out the final product, all married up. A labour of love indeed. Yes it has been carved in reverse, I flipped it in the computer. Called Graffiti, I felt that every city should have at least some tho' I wanted mine to share a positive note.

Spring 2012

This blog has not been updated for nearly half a year, so what has been happening? I am working through an Open College of the Arts Printmaking course and here are some of the prints made during this time. Printmaking by post? Yes it not only is possible thanks to a really switched on tutor and great materials as guides and instructions, but it is really working. I needed feedback and a good kick to get out of an artistic rut, and I believe it to be time and money well spent. Mind you it does take quite a bit of time.

The Cherry tree print was made for an online group Barenforum to help raise funds for the Japanese after the earthquakes and Tsunami in March; called 'Alone' . Next to it is 'Pompeii Memory', followed by Maiden Castle and lastly Avebury Mystery.

London exhibitions

Intensive trip to London, saw the Glasgow Boys at the Royal Academy, http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibitions/glasgow-boys , Paul Cezanne's the card players at the Courtauld and Drawings at the British Museum.

The Cezanne little exhibition had collected together many drawing, tryouts, studies etc connected to Cezanne attempting to create a 'proper academy' picture for posterity. It is humbling to see just how hard he worked at it all, particularly as he was considered second rate at the time! http://www.courtauld.ac.uk/gallery/exhibitions/2010/cezanne/

While at the BM as usual I popped into the Japan Gallery and thought you would enjoy the two Hokusai on show. The pictures were chosen as Winter pictures and Hokusai was 88 years old when he did them. Which reminds me does everyone know the little book 'The Old Man Mad About Drawing' A Tale of Hokusai written by Francois Place originally in French (Le vieux fou de dessin)? US ed pub in 2004 by David R. Godine, Boston . French ed pub by Editions Gallimard Jeuness, Paris in 1997. It is wholly enchanting and contains a beautifully simply explanation of woodblock printing.

Have done some monoprints and am trying to get myself to do at least one drawing a day. Have a wonderful year everyone.