Public Service Announcement

Greetings all, When I was very young, I wanted to work for The Ad Council. My PSAs included things like "take a walk", "eat your breakfast", and "listen to The Beatles". I've included a few more since then like the one above. In case you're wondering, it's batik on fabric - 12". Maybe, I should create a series of PSAs.

While work has been quiet and before I begin another ten week painting class, I did a deep dive on reduction lino cut prints. If that sounds tricky - it is! As Tina Turner once said, "We never do anything nice and easy." I do a lot of pre-planning and create a registration board so that my image lines up and I know which color is next. The process is fraught and I'm still learning. Here's what I've learned so far...

Gaumenkitzel is a nine color reduction. The print is 6"x8". The image is a picture I took of a carousel pony at what was my favorite German restaurant. Sadly, the restaurant closed, but the pony lives on. I gave myself lots of tricky little spaces to mis-register this print and some didn't work out, but many did. Yummy (Note to self: watch those tiny bits.)

After a nine color print, I decided to cut myself some slack. (Haaa! - Really April?) Wild Iris is a four color reduction. The print is 4"x6".

If you live in the Bay Area, you probably know this plant as super hardy that grows in tough places. Some folks call it the African Iris and others the Fortnight Lily.

Once I did my batch of fifteen, I realized how I could do this better. My color choices were too subtle for a subject that is usually so bright and joyous. I had also wanted to achieve some roundness to the stem and leaves.

(Note to self: don't be subtle with the colors and test out an iffy color. Don't be so easily satisfied.)

After all this Time is a seven color reduction and is based on a poem by Hafiz. The poem is:

After all this time, the sun never says to the earth

"You Owe Me!"

Look what happens with a love like that,

it lights up the whole sky!

The print is 8"x10". I finished this one yesterday and seems that the two notes to self were heard and included forthwith. I watched my tiny bits, was able to achieve analogous colors that are not subtle, my sun and tree actually look round (!), and I have more prints to show for this one. And I taught myself!

My friend Michael is having surgery to repair a torn hip tendon - owww! I gave him this painting to help cheer him up while recovers. Initially, it was to be a birthday present, but I finished it just in time for his surgery.

I will be teaching a bookbinding class at Kala Art Institute on two different dates October 19th and November 9th. Follow the links for registration via Kala's website. It's the same class just taught twice.

see you again soon