Puzzle Progress: The Nature of Humans

The Nature of Humans

Links

SIGN UP: 

https://1000woodcuts.blogspot.com/p/humannature-sign-up.html

SECURE WEB LINKS FOR PARTICIPATION COSTS 

(or wait after signup for invoice/link):

https://1000woodcuts.com/collections/human-nature-woodcut-puzzle-print?sort_by=created-ascending

INFO:

https://1000woodcuts.blogspot.com/p/humannature.html

and

https://www.facebook.com/groups/puzzlewoodcutprints

As sketching progresses I am mindful of all the "requirements" for the background image in one of these puzzle projects. 

1. The background image is merely a matrix for holding the images/ideas/concepts/interpretations of each individual participants and must remain just that: a humble and semi-transparent yet unifying background.

2. Size-wise, it will be rather large and sized according to paper (panel) size.

3. Although hinting at the theme, it must not superimpose itself to the detailed "puzzle pieces" but point to them; lure the viewer to the details as well as "hold up" on its own from a distance.

4. Large forms must be divisible into logical (or somewhat) puzzle pieces to accommodate individual contributions.

So far here is the image. I toyed with adding elements of nature like branches and leaves perhaps but thought that, in my interpretation, the design should be empty so that the artist contributors will define human nature in 60 different ways.

I left the background as bare earth in topographic rendering, bare human figures empty of everything and awaiting YOUR input.

Once transferred to big pieces of wood and carved, the design, like human nature, will change again. The individual contributions bring it to life!

Human.Nature. latest background image
Size approximately 40" x 52" (102 x 132 cm)
Small divisions within the figures represent roughly
the size, location and relationship of participant puzzle pieces

Stay in touch!

1000woodcuts Website: https://1000woodcuts.com 
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Maria's Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/maria.arango.diener 
Maria's Twitter Profile: https://twitter.com/1000woodcuts 
1000woodcuts YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/1000woodcuts/videos

Puzzle#7: And so it begins...

Human.Nature.

Three days after I opened sign up and already a baker's dozen participants (that's 13). Confidently, I proceed to sketching. First, here is the info on the project:

Links

SIGN UP: 

https://1000woodcuts.blogspot.com/p/humannature-sign-up.html

SECURE WEB LINKS FOR PARTICIPATION COSTS 

(or wait after signup for invoice/link):

https://1000woodcuts.com/collections/human-nature-woodcut-puzzle-print?sort_by=created-ascending

INFO:

https://1000woodcuts.blogspot.com/p/humannature.html

and

https://www.facebook.com/groups/puzzlewoodcutprints

Sketching

I announced that the image would be based on one of my prints, eons ago produced in large format as Oculus and later a smaller version named Fragile.

Well as you may know from previous puzzles there are some requirements for the larger images that will host participants "puzzle pieces." 

First the image has to be simple, much simpler. Second, it has to span the breadth of the panels. Third, it has to be divisible into tiny blocks (tiny as in 4-6 inches in diameter).

So the process of simplifying and all that proceeds and I now have a few versions to think about. I first eliminated extra "bodies" and kept the spirit of the print. Later I thicken the lines and then I darkened the background for a different look. Lastly I added some energy earth lines.

The overall size will be 40 inches x 52 inches so I have some resizing to do. But if I divide the resulting image into 4 panels (each 19x26, size of a sheet of paper) I can easily get 15 "puzzle pieces" in each. Total 60, mission accomplished!

Stay in touch!

1000woodcuts Website: https://1000woodcuts.com 
1000woodcuts Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/1000woodcuts 
Maria's Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/maria.arango.diener 
Maria's Twitter Profile: https://twitter.com/1000woodcuts 
1000woodcuts YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/1000woodcuts/videos

Puzzle Print alert!

Human.Nature. https://1000woodcuts.blogspot.com/p/humannature.html

Launching another of these massive crazy projects, information page above or click on the Human.Nature. page tab on the menu (look above this post).  Read all about it!

Yeah, it's about time!

Here are images of previous puzzles

100 Acts of Kindness

The Great Cairn, one panel in my studio

City of the World print and book cover

The Fantastic Garden print

Stay in touch!

1000woodcuts Website: https://1000woodcuts.com 
1000woodcuts Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/1000woodcuts 
Maria's Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/maria.arango.diener 
Maria's Twitter Profile: https://twitter.com/1000woodcuts 
1000woodcuts YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/1000woodcuts/videos

Another big block gets cut!

Deliveries across the pond

First, I am hearing that our friends in far away places are now receiving their blocks. With the current state of the world, that is really awesome news so I am very happy. More printmakers around the wide world getting busy and thinking about kindness. Truly amazing!

One more block gets cut

Two down, one to go. Keep up with all the daily progress here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/puzzlewoodcutprints/

I finished the first block last week and now done with the second, or should I say: "Fly and Now are ready to print!"

A little repair job

Today I started on the third block and it was one of those days when I just couldn't be careful enough. So! I take this opportunity to show my method for repairing this particular cherry plywood when the knife takes a slide.
Look for wood fillers that can be "sanded and drilled" after they cure.

One of the areas that needed fixin'
Fortunately, God invented wood filler

This plastic "Wood Dough" is great for
repairs, dries hard and quick

Also needed, a flat or bullnose chisel and
sandpaper

First I carefully "shave" the excess filler
from the offended area

After sanding, I use my magic
marker to re-draw the design. This step
also will show if the cut needs re-filling

Ready to re-cut...CAREFUL! Maria...

Ah, there it is, good as new, never even
know an accident happened

Three types of wood filler that will hold up
to the printing job.
Plastic Wood, Wood Dough and my all
time favorite KwikWood.
The first two can be used right out of the
container. The third needs to be mixed and
kneaded before use but dries and bonds the
hardest of all.

Stay in touch!

1000woodcuts Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/1000woodcuts 
Maria's Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/maria.arango.diener 
Maria's Twitter Profile: https://twitter.com/1000woodcuts 
1000woodcuts YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/1000woodcuts/videos

Artists begin work on Kindness Puzzle

Up to artists now

Carve away!
This is the time when I get to enjoy a bit of a respite while everyone receives their blocks. I did find the time to "un-roughen" and clean up the big blocks. Propped them up and now I will carve the outlines over the next few weeks.

Artists working

These are some of the photos artists have been sending of their sketches and blocks. I am very excited this will be another awesome collection!

See them all and more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/puzzlewoodcutprints/

Connie Brewer's block in quarantine

Nancy Good's sketches, so far she has 8 sketches!

Martha Knox, OBVIOUSLY happy to get her block :-)

Marlene Vidibor got right too it!

Stay in touch!

1000woodcuts Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/1000woodcuts 
Maria's Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/maria.arango.diener 
Maria's Twitter Profile: https://twitter.com/1000woodcuts 
1000woodcuts YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/1000woodcuts/videos

Oh so close! Update #5

Latest news about 100 Acts of Kindness - 4 days left to JOIN US! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1000woodcuts/100-acts-of-human-kindness?ref=7gs7uo

Sketches

First, check out the sketches top of the project main page! Our grand design will be butterflies being released to freedom and flight by a kind hand (or two, yet to decide). Your tiny block may be a butterfly wing, part of the hands, a flower, maybe a swirl in the wind... 3 versions of a possible grand drawing, picture it 6-foot wide by 30 inches tall

I hate marketing...

...but I've been promoting like a mad woman. Direct mail and messaging have been the best producers. So far I've only been kicked out of one Facebook group for excessive posting, LOL! We still have 3 live ads on Facebook and one on Instagram that are getting a ton of clicks into the project and a few are converting. I see a lot of new names and that's a great thing! Lately I have been contacting my best collectors, local galleries and art groups. If just one or two come through, we will be funded very soon!  Still 5 days left and there is usually a spike in procrastinators at the end, so let's keep our fingers crossed at all times. With your other hand, if you have some artist friends on the verge of signing up, give them a gentle reminder to join us quickly. That's it! Hopefully in about a week you will receive a "We're Funded!" email and we will proceed from there. The wood panels are here, by the way! So beautiful, I will begin cutting the panels to size this weekend. Always fearless, Maria

Stay in touch!

1000woodcuts Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/1000woodcuts 
Maria's Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/maria.arango.diener 
Maria's Twitter Profile: https://twitter.com/1000woodcuts 
1000woodcuts YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/1000woodcuts/videos

Project Update #4: 100 Acts of Human Kindness

100 Acts of Human Kindness Thank you everyone for believing, onward and upward! Posted by Maria Arango Diener Feb 19, 2020 Project Page Sign Up: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1000woodcuts/100-acts-of-human-kindness?ref=7gs7uo Thank you, it's working! Thanks to everyone's efforts we are having a very hopeful mini-surge! Getting very close with roughly 12 days to go. Best way to share with your printmaking friends is directly, I'm getting some good results from direct email and messages and I really appreciate all of you enticing your friends into joining us.  I have gone a bit crazy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and my blog but so far I haven't lost any followers due to puzzle-project-indigestion. Also, we have people helping without participating, which is very generous; that's why they call it crowdfunding!  We now have 65 backers and some artist-teams totalling 80 artists. And THAT, my fellow puzzle lovers, is enough for the project to go on whether we make funding or not in Kickstarter. More on that later as if we don't fund through Kickstarter things can get a bit messy. But don't panic! That's MY job, ha! Bottom line...here is the Artist Official Headquarters, bookmark the page and I will direct you there when the time comes. https://1000woodcuts.blogspot.com/p/100-acts-of-kindness.html Onward and Upward Always the optimist, I already bought wood! I had some left over from a past project but I ordered some brand new delicious planks of cherry plywood. For the project, this means we go on! Delicious cherry ply sitting on my brave and hopeful press-bed

Peace Puzzle on the web finally! Kindness awaits...

Peace Puzzle

I finally got around to dusting off my website skills (such as they are) and published a page with the Peace Puzzle 2015 images. This was our largest undertaking, 160 artists, 8 22x30 inch panels, massive!

Mounted on my studio table...
not me! the puzzle!!!

 Here is the final image and a link to the website where you can browse all the panels:
http://1000woodcuts.com/projects/peacepuzzle/images.html

Peace Puzzle 2015

100 Acts of Kindness Awaits all of you!

Newest art-venture! In the spirit of peace and kindness, here is our next collaboration awaiting artists from all over the world to join us. Details:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1000woodcuts/100-acts-of-human-kindness?ref=7gs7uo

Stay in touch!

1000woodcuts Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/1000woodcuts 
Maria's Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/maria.arango.diener 
Maria's Twitter Profile: https://twitter.com/1000woodcuts 
1000woodcuts YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/1000woodcuts/videos

Upcoming event and a puzzle print

Festival alert!

I will be back in Scottsdale for the great Scottsdale Arts Festival (https://scottsdaleartsfestival.org/) in March. Here is all the info and keep an eye on my Facebook Page where I will publish my booth number and location once I get it. Get your tickets now!

Celebrating 50 years in our community

A three-day celebration of art, music, food, and family fun located at Scottsdale Civic Center Park.

March 13–15, 2020

Open Rain or Shine!

Tickets

$10 single day tickets

$16 two day pass tickets available online only until Saturday, February 1, 2020.

$6 for students (student pricing not available online)

FREE for children 12 and under

FREE for members of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMOCA)

Location

Scottsdale Civic Center Park

3939 N Drinkwater Blvd,

Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Puzzle Print Alert!

Yeah! Another great art-venture directed by the fearless yours truly. Here is the main/sign-up page, which will be live 1/24/2020 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1000woodcuts/100-acts-of-human-kindness?ref=7gs7uo

Stay in touch!

1000woodcuts Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/1000woodcuts 
Maria's Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/maria.arango.diener 
Maria's Twitter Profile: https://twitter.com/1000woodcuts 
1000woodcuts YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/1000woodcuts/videos

Peace Puzzle and 1000 Woodcuts to Exhibit at Creative Framing & Gallery in California

Exhibits

Just finished exhibiting the previous four puzzle prints at the West Las Vegas Library Gallery courtesy of Clark County & City of Las Vegas Library District Arts Programs. Wonderful venues and always attract young and old art and book lovers and visitors from all over. Thank you all who came by and filled out the guest book.

And always joyous occasions when upcoming shows are taking form! Planning ahead to March 4th, save the date! 

CreativeFramingOakland.com

Here is the announcement Peace Puzzle Print (plus!) 

Event On Facebook: Opening Reception for Exhibit 

Post Cards for all!

The amazing Heather Piazza went on a work binge on Monday and sent me about 6287 messages ding ding ding ding ding dinnnnnggggg! about this show. By nightfall, she had the post card invitation all done. We are working on all the details but meanwhile, follow the link above and sign up to attend the exhibit opening or just say you are interested if you might make it or like it.

And pass these around! 

Stay in touch!

1000woodcuts Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/1000woodcuts 
Maria's Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/maria.arango.diener 
Maria's Twitter Profile: https://twitter.com/1000woodcuts 
1000woodcuts YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/1000woodcuts/videos

Sneak a peek!

Update

I am now merely 80 prints from finishing, sore and tired but extremely delighted to be nearly done. As the printing continues, I have now a good print and a good photo of all the panels and so you may, yes you may, sneak a peek at our Peace Puzzle. I am uploading a large image in 72dpi so make sure you click on the image and view at your heart's content (about 2000 pixels wide). Say it very quietly "yaaahoooooo" shhhhhh...

Peace Puzzle 2015 - 160 international artists

Remaining Tasks

As I finish printing I am also putting together the book, going faster now but there are only 24 good hours in any given day or I would be going faster yet. Oh, and I sleep too! Seriously, very close now to being completely finished. Here are the tasks remaining, each of them taking a wee bit longer to complete than to list:

-Finish printing (roughly 3 days)

-Finish image composite in high resolution and send to printshop to make posters (by weekend)

-Finish colophon/book and send to Create Space (Amazon) to proof and print (another week or soish)

-Stamp all prints with our official Peace Puzzle 2015 stamp (half day)

-Collate 160 sets (the other half)

-Wait wait wait for book and posters to arrive back to me (...)

-Mail out 160 neat packages plus the backers (non-artists) packages (roughly 4 days)

-Go hiking in the Sierras like John Muir and come back six months later enlightened, skinny and with a long beard (six months)

Stay in touch!

1000woodcuts Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/1000woodcuts 
Maria's Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/maria.arango.diener 
Maria's Twitter Profile: https://twitter.com/1000woodcuts 
1000woodcuts YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/1000woodcuts/videos

Quick update and an upcoming gig

Workshop

I have been up at Ft Worden in Port Townsend, Washington for the annual meeting of the Nature Printing Society http://natureprintingsociety.org/ 

Wonderful time! I both taught and learned, hiked and saw sunrises and sunsets. More on a later blog post with pictures.

Update on the Peace Puzzle

I left about 25 prints to be printed on the Flow block and have only two more to go. That means roughly 300 prints and I will be counting down in the days to come. Printing resumes promptly tomorrow and will continue at full throttle until finished. 

I still have to finish building the book-colophon to send to all participants, photograph, collate the prints and mail the whole shebang. Give or take three weeks worth of intensive work but I can now see the distant finish line through the haze.

Gig alert!

Only one gig left this year, in nearby Scottsdale Arizona, really Phoenix area. All the details upcoming here and on my Facebook page so stay tuned. I should have my location very soon and I may give away some tiny prints and other fun things. I love this setting and the whole downtown Scottsdale area, very cultural, very nice to walk around. Here are the details:

Scottsdale ArtFest 2015
Nov 21-22
Downtown Scottsdale Arizona
http://888artfest.com

Stay in touch!

1000woodcuts Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/1000woodcuts 
Maria's Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/maria.arango.diener 
Maria's Twitter Profile: https://twitter.com/1000woodcuts 
1000woodcuts YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/1000woodcuts/videos

Exhibition Alert! Puzzle Prints in West Las Vegas Library Gallery

Exhibit alert! 

The previous Puzzle Projects are about to be shown again. The exhibition entitled "In Perfect Harmony" at the West Las Vegas LIbrary Art Gallery from 9.15.2015 to 11.29.2015 (ooooh, my birthday!). Baren Puzzle (the Web), The Great Cairn, City of the World 2012 and the Fantastic Garden 2013 will be exhibited.
The West Las Vegas Library is located at 951 W Lake Mead Blvd 702-507-3980. Hours 10am to 8pm weekdays and to 6pm Fri/Sat/Sun.

Collaborative Puzzle Prints

Puzzle Prints are woodcut prints made in collaboration with hundreds of artists from all over the world. The Great Instigator gathers a bunch of artists, makes a giant design on a block of wood, cuts it up into tiny puzzle pieces and sends each puzzle piece to an artist. Each artist designs and carves a tiny woodcut under the theme of the project and sends back to me, er, I mean the Great Instigator. Once the puzzle is complete and put back together it is printed as a great big woodcut and each artist receives a copy of the entire print.
So far we have completed a 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8-panel print, panels are each 22x30 inches or 56x76 cm.

The last two projects also had a book published with reproductions of the entire print, photos of each participating artist's piece along with a blurb by each artist, project notes/photos and some very sophisticated artistic blah blah as an intro with some puzzle print history thrown in for good measure.
City of the World 2012 and the Fantastic Garden 2013 (in color) are available in Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Maria-Arango-Diener/e/B00J90Q808

To date 480 unique artists have participated in five puzzle projects, the latest one, the Peace Puzzle, in progress. Artists please update your resumes with this latest exhibit and thank you all for playing!

Stay in touch!

1000woodcuts Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/1000woodcuts 
Maria's Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/maria.arango.diener 
Maria's Twitter Profile: https://twitter.com/1000woodcuts 
1000woodcuts YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/1000woodcuts/videos

A Peaceful Mystery and More Progress

Progress Report!

Three blocks are now printed with the Water block having been completed, ooooh, about 30 minutes ago. I worked my helper Suzanne Salsbury until she cried...well, no, maybe that was ME that was crying! But we managed to print 75 prints today to finish off the block. We now have 156+136+135 prints done or 427 done and about 850 to go.

The LOVE BOAAAAT, I mean the Love Block is next, all prepped and ready for ink. Why do I keep singing the Love Boat song? Well when I first came to 'Merrica, I was assigned a good dose of daily television by my English as a Second Language teacher. So I learned all about the Brady Bunch, Opie's show, the Love Boat, Bewitched, and others like that. My cousins helped a lot, mostly screaming at Donny and Marie Osmond (mostly at Donny) and, oh yes, the Jackson Five with little Michael. I learned English fast :-)

Anyhow, back at the studio...

The Peaceful Mystery

So now to my mystery. If you recall I had some drop outs and had to cut some substitute blocks. I had just cut a block to fill in the Sun block. That's my block "You've got a friend" with the one dude helping the other dude get up the mountain. That's also my block above it with the happy Maria enjoying the vastness and beauty of nature. So when I received the block that belongs where the Friends go, I was happy to get something made by a participant other than Maria. Then I nearly freaked out...

The block I received was from an art festival friend and excellent artist and she designed the word "Peace" in Hebrew. Beautiful lettering and nothing strange about that...

...except that the block that is right next to it has the word "Peace" in Arabic. These participant artists do not know each other, neither knew the location of their block, and I randomly assign blocks to artists after they are packed so I don't know where they go or who will carve them. Make of that what you will! I love a good destiny mystery.

I will have to flip the letters in order for them to read correctly but all I could say is WOW! Then I looked up very carefully...

Stay in touch!

1000woodcuts Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/1000woodcuts 
Maria's Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/maria.arango.diener 
Maria's Twitter Profile: https://twitter.com/1000woodcuts 
1000woodcuts YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/1000woodcuts/videos