for you... from me...

i took a one week intensive letterpress workshop at the San Francisco Center for the book from Nov. 8 - 12, 2010. I have always been interested in how typesetting was done before the days of InDesign and Illustrator, and i have always wondered how you could make those beautiful deep imprints on paper. on the first day we got a tour of the shop and our teacher gave us a demo on how to use the Vandercook presses. our first project was to create our own personal letterhead & envelopes. considering my frequency of moving... i decided to keep mine simple and to use old wood type and "0" patterns for decoration... basically "for YOU" on the envelope... "from ME" on the letterhead. I didn't realize how much work was involved in setting type (basically everything is written backwards, letter by letter", and then everything must be set in the press and held together tightly with spacers and quoins... you then mix your ink and are ready to print. tis basically took a full day to make! enjoy!

unique printed objects & installations

well there was definitely lots to see at printopolis 2010, which ran from october 21-24, 2010. i tried to make it to all of the galleries, venues, talks and events... but couldn't do it all. i did take a few pictures of some printed objects that i saw, and unique installations that i found quite creative... here are a few of the pictures. enjoy!

pics from top left. installation @ HAUS, installation @ HAUS, giveaway (rolled up paper/lines from a poem) @ XPACE Cultural Center, book by Jennifer L. Anderson.

printopolis!

Printopolis started today!

its the first canadian symposium on printmaking.

i checked into the gladstone hotel, and made my way to Open Studio (401 Richmond St.) for the registration to Printopolis... lots of printmaking activities on the menu for the next few days! i made my way to OCAD to view some fine art printed by steam roller. no kidding - just take a look at the pics!

i then made my way to the AGO to view some amazing prints in the Marvin Gelber Print and Drawing Study Center Open House... i was able to view some selected works from their collection, some of which included Mattisses, Weilands, a few prints from the Cape Dorset Collection, and many others... i then made my way to the Glenn Gould Studio for the Keynote address by Jose Roca. It was quite impressive. He talked about print making and contemporary art, and his recent work directing Philagraphika 2010. quite impressive!

i then made my way back to the hotel and decided to walk down queen street west and explore the art scene and any art openings along the way... i tried to find 936 queen street west - as i knew there was an opening featuring a few printmakers that i am fond of - and it was so tricky to find that i walked by it twice! i then decided to go into a restaurant to ask where this "other gallery" is located... turns out - the exhibition was in a winebago in the back of the restaurant. the exhibition was organized by Martha Street Studio and the Other Gallery and featured works by Micah Lexier, Jeff Ladouceur, Sylvia Matas, and several others... it was nice finding a unique little spot like that! who needs big museum or at galleries when you can display work in winnebagos... (especially with a nice fireplace inside!)

i love lavender

i have this dream of someday standing in a purple lavender field and smelling the lovely fragrance of soothing, calming lavender - my favourite herb! i tried a few times, but it always seemed to be too early or too late in the season - but someday, my dream will come true.

here are a few of my latest prints which are actually made with lavender oil. the hard ground was painted on a plate, and then i painted the swirls and brush strokes with lavender oil. the oil was then wiped it off with a cloth. the plate is then placed in the acid and where the lavender was... the plate is now etched.

i just love the painted effect it makes when printed... this is the first of many... and it just smells so good when you are painting with lavender oil!

block printed, hand-bound books

here are some of my latest little books...
they bound using japaneese stitching,
& the covers are block-printed on recycled card-board.
i used colourful japaneese paper as end papers to tie the books together.
you like?

new use for old pantone swatch books...

what to do with those old pantone swatch books???

they are far too valuable to recycle!

i thought of a creative way to use these colourful sheets... as covers for handbound little note books.

these are perfect for joting down notes, lists and reminders & fit in small handbands, purses or back pockets. i hand-stiched them to bind them together.

who doesn't want a little notebook with Pantone 619, or Pantone 184, or Pantone 606...

i could go on for a while here... :)

block printed wrapping paper

i purchased a few speedball rubber blocks and carved out a few patterns. i really did not realize how easy it was to carve them - very, very easy!!!

i then used various block printing inks and rolled the ink onto the blocks and then stamped them on plain sheets of white and kraft paper... its just that easy to make your very own unique wrapping paper!

my acrylic paintings...

its always good to start with where you are coming from....

here are samples of the paintings that i have been creating for the past 10 years or so. (my how time flies). ok... these didn't take 10 years to make, but they are a few of the most recent works.

just thought i would start with this and then get started with the print-making fun...

and so it begins...

lately i've been inspired by the world of print making.

i am an artist - but mostly have been painting with acrylic paint for the past several years...

so, print-making is a new thing. and ... i love it.

silk-screening,

wood block,

lino cuts,

stamping,

stencils,

etching,

you name it...

i love the feeling when you pull the blankets off the press to look at your print... and voila! it worked out - and its wonderful! (well, most of the time...)

although i love painting, i am hoping this little blog will keep me motivated to keep trying new print making techniques, and keep you updated on what i am up to.

so this is the first post. feel free to comment.

enjoy!