Thanks to an artist development grant from the Nevada Arts Council this fall I was able to attend the Nature Printing Society's 2008 workshop in Santa Barbara, California.The place for the workshop is a 26 acre retreat and conference center appropriately named La Casa de Maria. Wonderful trees and hiking trails, quaint little dorm rooms and plenty of space and inspiration for a nature printing workshop.
Among the workshops I took was a fish printing class in the tradition of Japanese fish printing and a Foilography class with Charles Morgan of Moss Street Studios.These are some of the great fish I got to play with. The process is both like and unlike relief printing. There is really no pressure involved to print, more like hugging the object with the fingers until the ink is released onto the paper.
Of course the "inking" is alike, only with a brush instead of brayers. The layer of ink (water based inks) is much like the layer of ink that successfully prints a woodcut.
Quite fun and something I will integrate with my works planned for the upcoming residency at the Goldwell Open Air Museum.
Nice fish prints!!! I love to print with my hands -- so satisfying. La Casa de Maria sounds like a wonderful place (as does La Studio de Maria in Las Vegas!).
ReplyDeleteLove the fish prints! The last one I did was a Rock Fish with a friend, in my kitchen, late at night, after way too much wine. The prints were lovely, regardless of the circumstances. I envy you and Charles and the good times you must have had, and Santa Barbara! My daughter graduated UCSB, so I used to make frequent trips there. It is Eden, to be sure!
ReplyDeleteThanks ladies, yes the fish prints were fun. So different from woodcuts, almost relaxing to "get to know my fish" as the instructor pointed out.
ReplyDeleteLa Studio de Maria is definitely a fun place, unless I'm screaming at one of the cats to get off the ink slab!