Virtual Open Studios Fall 2020: ART 169-01 - Special Topics in Printmaking - Alternative Woodcut Printmaking
Instructor: Enrique Leal
Abby McPhillips
Abby McPhillips
Ripples
Woodcut Print on Kozo
This is a layered, contrasting image of rippling water after a raindrop breaks the surface tension.
Abby McPhillips
Mobile Home
Multi-Block Woodcut Print on BFK
This two block print is my take on a mobile home. I moved around a lot when I was younger yet found myself making a home wherever I went. This anthropomorphic home is meant to show that home will follow if you allow it to, it’s not the location but the heart.
Abby McPhillips
Mobile Home
Multi-Block Woodcut Print on BFK
This two block print is my take on a mobile home. I moved around a lot when I was younger yet found myself making a home wherever I went. This anthropomorphic home is meant to show that home will follow if you allow it to, it’s not the location but the heart.
Abby McPhillips
Sane
Reduction Print on Kozo
This reduction print is meant to shed light on the importance of mental health and it’s lack of acknowledgement. Now more than ever we are left alone with our thoughts and at times it can become overwhelming. I wanted the imagery to depict chaos and confusion of the mind.
Anya Lehman
Anya Lehman
“Untitled”
Woodblock relief and Chine-colle print on Kozo paper.
Anya Lehman
“Skull & Flies”
Two color woodblock block relief print on Kozo paper.
Anya Lehman
“Skull & Flies”
Woodblock relief and Chine-colle print on Kozo paper.
Anya Lehman
“Morning Stretch”
Three color reduction woodblock print.
Artist Statement on “Morning Stretch” : A social critique of female struggle through print. This reduction print aims to express the constraints that are placed on female identifying individuals, female presenting individuals, and individuals with female reproductive organs. These chains that are forced onto these multifaceted groups of people cause us to wake up each morning, trying to break these chains. We get up, we stretch, and we try to become closer to equality and freedom.
Cassidy Skillman
Cassidy Skillman
Neglected Places: Below The Offshore Rig
Reduction Woodcut on Kozo
Through combinations of melding imagery, this print is created to subtly bring attention to a neglected frame of mind. The topic of neglect in our environment is important because the intentionally neglected aspects within systems can have larger systematic repercussions. I want to show beauty in imminent disaster while referencing the calm before the storm.
Cassidy Skillman
The Pressure to Grow
Multiblock Woodcut on Kozo
I am interested in how life's pressures can create strong personal structures. Crystals are formed from heat and pressure. Similarly, we humans grow through pressures and unsettlement.
Cassidy Skillman
The Pressure to Grow
Multiblock Woodcut printed on Chine Colle adhered to Rives BFK
I am interested in how life's pressures can create strong personal structures. Crystals are formed from heat and pressure. Similarly, we humans grow through pressures and unsettlement.
Cassidy Skillman
Abstract Petoskey Pattern
Shina Woodcut on Kozo
Printed with love for my family in Michigan.
Charlotte Grenier
Charlotte Grenier
“Kelp Study 1: Red, Blue, Violet”
Woodblock Print
This print features the pattern found on the leaves of giant kelp. These ridges help slow the movement of water around the leaves so that they can harvest more nutrients. Fun fact: kelps are not plants, but algaes of the order Laminariales, all of which are edible. Try pickled bullwhip kelp!
Charlotte Grenier
“Kelp Study 1 + 2: Blue, Yellow, Green”
Woodblock Print
This print features two patterns found on the leaves of giant kelp. These ridges help slow the movement of water around the leaves so that they can harvest more nutrients. Fun fact: kelps are not plants, but algaes of the order Laminariales, all of which are edible. Try pickled bullwhip kelp!
Charlotte Grenier
“Inside a Moonlit Wave”
Woodblock Print
Waves and kelp have been on my mind lately. This print features bullwhip kelp on the left and giant kelp on the right. Fun fact: kelps are not plants, but algaes of the order Laminariales, all of which are edible. Try pickled bullwhip kelp! Yummy
Charlotte Grenier
“Listen to Native Voices”
Woodblock Print
This print features a resist fist clutching several native plants of the California Coastal Prairie, the most species rich grassland in North America, and the single most widely lost vegetation type in the United States. This loss is due to the combination of urbanization and government suppression of indigenous peoples’ cultural burning practices. These burning practices are depicted in the bottom left.
Indiegnous peoples perfected their land management practices to serve all living beings of the region. Their rotating seasonal burning helped avoid buildup of dead and woody plant matter, which effectively discouraged wildfires from reaching sterilizing temperatures and sizes beyond control. The burning also encouraged new plant growth, which was ideal for consumption, medicine, nourishing other herbivores, and more. Over time, this led to an extremely well-nourished and productive ecosystem, all based in mutualist behavior.
Cultural burning was outlawed during the Mission Period, and ever since then, fuel for the fires has been building at alarming rates. It is absurd that the indigenous perspective is rarely ever mentioned in discussions of the recent ravaging wildfires. The fires are all too commonly blamed on climate change, and while climate change is part of it, it is much more due to fire suppression.
Indigenous peoples already know what is best for the land and its inhabitants; western science is just playing a game of catch up. If we expect to make fast, meaningful progress towards a future of regeneration, growth, and equity, native voices need to be put to the front in all discussions of environmental sustainability, stewardship, and conservation NOW. The clock is ticking.
I learned much of this information from the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band’s “Fire Symposium 2020,” a webinar which can be found on the Amah Mutsun Land Trust website, or at the following URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3sA7bck9bE&feature=youtu.be
Elena Ibbetson
Elena Ibbetson
Rock Columns
Relief ink print on Kozo paper
Elena Ibbetson
Cracking Foundations
Relief ink print on Kozo paper
This print is a reflection on the tumultuous process of growing up. There are often moments of great upheaval- whether through education, trauma, or general experience- where fundamental “truths” about life are cracked open or flipped on their head. What is left behind after this great shift in identity and perspective can be terrifying, but hopeful in its unknown.
Elena Ibbetson
Cracking Foundations: Halo
Chine collé on Rives BFK paper
Elena Ibbetson
The Natural BinaryReduction ink print on Rives BFK paper
This print is a criticism against the social construct of the binary, and the common argument “it’s natural” that is often used to uphold these harmful social, gendered, racial, and sexual boundaries.
Eliza Convis
Eliza Convis
Pools
Relief ink print on Kozo paper
With this print I wanted to capture the feeling of floating underwater on your back, when you open your eyes and see the sun glittering through the ripples of the surface, and everything is still and peaceful, for just one moment.
Eliza Convis
Late Night Thoughts
Relief ink print on BFK paper
I believe that we are composed of our experiences, our memories guide our choices constantly and I wanted to pay homage to who I am by depicting different events, places, people, and things that I've experienced that have had an impact on me, and how I navigate the world.
Eliza Convis
Late Night Thoughts-Spooky Ooky Version
Relief ink print on Kozo paper
Similar to Late Night Thoughts, I wanted to emphasize the importance that our memories and lived experiences have on us, but this version is about the darker things we’ve seen, the things that haunt us and come out only at night. The nightmare version, if you will.
Eliza Convis
Thoughts and Prayers
Reduction ink multiprint on Kozo paper
After months of frustration about how our government and its people responded to the covid-19 pandemic, I was able to put my frustration into art with this print. If someone can't deign to wear a mask to help prevent a million deaths, I don't want their thoughts and prayers.
Ella Apuntar
Ella Apuntar
“Sea anemone”
Relief print on kozo paper
Ella Apuntar
“Fish”
Chine colle on Rives BFK paper
Ella Apuntar
“Sunflower”
Two block relief print on kozo paper
Ella Apuntar
“It’s Time for Change”
Reduction woodblock print on Rives BFK paper
Emma Barndt
Emma Barndt
“Untitled”
Woodblock on Kozo
Emma Barndt
“A Lil Kiss”
Woodblock on Kozo
Emma Barndt
“Orange”
Woodblock on Kozo
Genevieve Whittell
Genevieve Whittell
Shell
Relief print on kozo paper
Genevieve Whittell
Petri Dish
Chine Collé on Rives BRK paper
Genevieve Whittell
Palpitations
Chine Collé on Rives BFK paper
Genevieve Whittell
Dead Men Wear No Masks
Reduction print on Rives BRK paper
Hannah Bourke
Hannah Bourke
“The Infinity of Cabbage”
Woodblock Print
This woodblock relief print contains a double printed image of the intricate waves and forms contained within a single head of cabbage. The image is printed twice, once upright and once reversed, further increasing the infinite web of patterning that this precious vegetable holds.
Hannah Bourke
“Inner Light”
Woodblock Print
This two block relief print is intended to bring awareness to the divine light of the human soul. This project was inspired by the idea of showing something inside and out simultaneously. The sources of direct light in our outer reality are represented as the Sun and the reflective light of the Moon, while the source of inner light is not typically seen by the human eye during our incarnation into the world of form. The skeleton is symbolic for the body which is the vessel of our life force and soul’s light, and the human body also speaks to the notion of the body of earth, the natural material of which our form is made. Together the Sun, the Moon and the Earth create a holy trinity of balance for life to unfold.
Hannah Bourke
“The Only Thing Real Is Divine Love”
Reduction Woodblock Print
In my piece “The Only Thing Real Is Divine Love,” I want to bring people’s attention back to the fact that life is a miracle and a mystery. There is so much hatred and misguided intentions on thinking we need to point blame and rage against the systems that have been created here on Earth. Rather, I want to invite every single one of us to face the darkness in our own hearts with as much love and compassion as possible to bring about the transformation we desire. When we align with the frequency of love, only then can we dismantle the systems of hatred and divisiveness that have held humanity prisoner for millenia. In the image is our beautiful planet floating amidst golden rays of light. The text surrounding the core image reads “The Only Thing Real Is Divine Love.” I do not mean to say hatred, and violence, and trauma are not real, as they very much are real, but rather I want to illuminate that beyond our pain the spiritual aspect of life is a gift meant to serve our souls evolution and growth. We have all lived countless lifetimes, we all emanate from the same source of consciousness, but we have been fractured and fragmented from this connection to our spirit and our souls through trauma and forces that have misled humanity from the true nature of reality and the true love of the divine as well as our connection to nature and each other. So many people are aligned with their ego identity rather than their soul. When we remember our soul, and its eternal nature, we can better understand the purpose and challenges that we must face in this lifetime. This is how we move forward in the light of truth, rather than perpetuating the shadows of darkness.
Jacob Rozio
Jacob Rozio
“Spider-Web”
Chine Colle on Rives BFK
Jacob Rozio
“Fruit Fly Eyes”
Chine Colle on Rives BFK
Jacob Rozio
“Fruit Fly Eyes”
2 Block print on Kozo
Jacob Rozio
“Out of Time”
Reduction Print on Rives BFK
Jasmine Djavahery
Jasmine Djavahery
“Watermelon Skin”
Chine Colle Woodblock Print
Zoomed in pattern of the skin of watermelon
Jasmine Djavahery
“Anar”
Color Woodblock Print
Multiple patterns of the inside of a pomegranate
Jasmine Djavahery
“The Fruits of Our Labor”
Color Woodblock Print
Jasmine Djavahery
“No Sanctions”
Reduction Color Woodblock Print
The text in Farsi reads, “No to inhumane sanctions.” This piece is protesting the sanctions placed on Iran by the United States. The people of Iran are struggling to afford necessities such as medicine and food. The value of the Iranian rial has plummeted, and the main source of income for Iran, oil, is not able to be traded with major countries to be made into gasoline. The Iranian people deserve better, and it should not be determined by another country if they can survive.
Kayla Martain
Kayla Martain
Double Fly Wing
Relief ink print on Kozo paper
Kayla Martain
In My Heart Lives Moths
Relief ink print on Kozo Paper
Kayla Martain
Listen to the Land
Reduction ink multiprint on BFK paper
Kayla Martain
Moth Man
Chine collé relief ink print on BFK paper
Martha Lara
Martha Lara
“Fungi Pattern”
Relief on Kozo Paper
Martha Lara
“Protect Trans Lives”
Reduction Relief on Kozo Paper
Martha Lara
“I’m Overthinking Again”
Chine Colle Relief on Rives BFK
Martha Lara
“I’m Overthinking Again”
Chine Colle Relief on Rives BFK
Natalia Ramirez
“Peacock Feathers & Bubbles”
Two-Block Relief Print on Kozo Paper
“Peacock Feathers”
Woodblock Chine Colle Print on Kozo Paper
“Butterflies in my Stomach”
Two-Block Relief Print on Kozo Paper
I intended to show the feelings that we have inside that we do not particularly see. This particular image showcases the feeling of having “butterflies in your stomach” coming out.
“Keep the Sea, Plastic Free”
This image is drawing attention to plastic pollution going on in the world, and especially in the ocean. This is an ongoing issue that gets worse every year because people are discarding their waste improperly.
This print illustrates the ongoing issue of plastic pollution with the support of illustrations I have incorporated text, marine life, and waste illustrations. I chose to include some fish that people find beautiful when they see them in aquariums as well as some fish people have as pets like the seahorse, angelfish, jellyfish, and goldfish. I did this because I believe that people would not like to see these creatures surrounded by plastic, but unfortunately due to the increase in plastic pollution, this is the reality. That is also why I have chosen to add different types of waste like can holders, masks, and gloves, to show people how these sea creatures live in their home. I also believe my choice of text is strong in communicating my image and message altogether because the sea should be plastic-free.
I have been following up with a nonprofit organization named 4ocean. This amazing group of people strives to stop plastic pollution, and actually, go out to the sea and clean up the waste they find there. Unfortunately, this year of 2020 they have found great loads of facemasks and gloves that pollute the sealife today. I strongly believe plastic pollution in the ocean is an important issue and should be a bigger focus on what our leaders should fix today. Sixty perfect of our planet belongs to a beautiful set of sea creatures and marine life, and their home should not be polluted. There have been years of plastic waste accumulated that groups like 4ocean are trying to fix, and we are slowing this group down by not properly discarding our masks. We should also just take the time and properly discard our trash instead of littering because there is so much that people like 4ocean can do. Climate change is real and we only have one earth so we should care for it while we still can.
Palmer Conlon
Artist Statement: When an artist is called upon to critique a social or environmental dilemma, there is a plethora of options to choose from, especially in 2020. California has been one of the hardest hit states, not only by the COVID-19 pandemic, but by raging fires, power outages, and overall loss of life. School and work have been difficult, one must commute through the smoke to make a buck, or stare at the screen of their computer to get an education, and while these stress factors do not seem like a big deal in the grand scheme of things, over time, the pressure mounts to cause a very unpleasant feeling in the stomach. Worry and exhaustion run rampant through the mind, as one asks questions like: when will my life be safe? Or Do I need to evacuate? It is almost like disaster has become more amplified, or magnified, as the earth becomes older. This is what my series of prints commentates upon. The main theme addresses the incinerating and uncontrollable nature of the most recent fires in california, bringing awareness to an even bigger disaster than the pandemic, which is our changing climate. Although year after year we may not notice such a gradual change, there is no denying the fact that we are beginning to experience some of the worst effects of a more trying conundrum than that of the pandemic. The print depicts California as a piece of paper, burning from the inside out as the destructive rays of heat scorch the earth below, magnified by an evil addiction to carbon emissions. California has become the ant, and our relentless attachment to fossil fuels and greenhouse emissions has become our bully, terrifying us with a magnifying glass, showing no mercy as they burn forest, homes, and life away. The print features large bold lettering in the bottom left corner that exclaims “BURNT!”, which is exactly what will happen if we cannot get a hand on the massive disaster that is the environment we live in. The importance of this issue is ever present, because the pandemic will end; sure, plenty of human life will have been lost by the time COVID is over and done with, but human existence will continue to be threatened unless the world collectively does something, anything, RIGHT NOW.
Palmer Conlon
“Sun Tree”
Ink on Kozo Paper
This print is an abstract layering of a tree bark pattern that conveys a psychedelic burning sensation.
Palmer Conlon
“Serenity”
Ink on Kozo and Reaves BFK Paper
This detailed still life is supposed to be a piece of fine art
Palmer Conlon
“Shattered Serenity”
Ink on Kozo and Reaves BFK Paper
This detailed still life is supposed to be a piece of fine art, but now juxtaposed to a massive fist punching a massive hole, shattering the peace.
Palmer Conlon
“BURNT!”
Ink on Kozo Paper
See artist statement for description
Shelby Dinh
Shelby Dinh
Layered Tree Rings and Coral
Two block relief print on Kozo
Shelby Dinh
Inside-Out
Two block relief print on Kozo
Shelby Dinh
Tree Rings
Chine colle relief print on Rives BFK
Shelby Dinh
Take A Hike Through Scorched Mountains
Four color reduction relief print on Rives BFK