Pearl back from Banff Centre

My friend and studio neighbour, Pearl VanGeest, spent 5 weeks in a residency at the Banff Centre earlier this Spring. She had an amazing time and would go back again. This is a work that she brought back to finish in her own studio. I love this piece and thought the photo of her painting the mountain is a bit like she is Zeus making some final adjustments. Sometimes it is refreshing to watch someone painting after sitting still with a plate for a few hours.

Autumn Residency!

I recently found out that I have been accepted for a residency this Autumn at Spark Box Studios!

Can't wait to spend some time in the beautiful Prince Eward County with the dunes, the vineyards (wine) and orchards (cider) and of course time to work in Spark Box Studios on their lovely presses.

Two New Red Works

These two works, I just completed and are both recycled print works with washi and gampi in layers on wood panel(above) and the one below on canvas. This is the type of work I have to do after completing a large edition. I think I am now ready to tackle a few new plates.

A Favourite Place

I know lots of people who have not been to the AGO since the big renovation and thought maybe if I post a photo once in awhile it would remind them that they should go check it out.  It is pretty wonderful. 

Untitled opening at Renann Isaac Contemporary Art this Weekend

Renann is preparing for a new show at her gallery in downtown Guelph.  Untitled will feature new work by artists Eileen MacArthur, Don Russell, Monte Burman and Nick Chase.  The opening is Saturday May 7t, 2-6pm.  Hope to see you there!

Diane Landry at the Art Gallery of Hamilton

Last week stumbled upon a most fantastic show at the Art Gallery of Hamilton as Pam and I were dropping off our artwork for the Gallery's Spring art sale this weekend.  We saw Rouault's Rhapsody to Suffering etchings and Matisse's Colour of Jazz stencil and lithographic prints... then we wandered into a dimly lit room with soft sounds like music but not music, melodic.  We were in Diane Landry's show the Defibrillators. 

The two of us stopped and were hushed by the gentle movements, sounds and projected light and shadow and drawn through the show in awe of the beauty we were experiencing, created out of household paraphernalia, plastic bottles, sand, bike wheels, harmonicas and salad spinners.  I am not a writer and definitely not an art critic but when I see and experience something that truly wows me, I think I should share it with anyone out there who might also be effected the way that we were.  It is truly a wonderful collection of work that inspired me hugely.  Much of my work, I feel, deals with moments of quiet and contemplation, and the environments that Landry has created conjure up some of the same with an added sense of wonder.

If you do get to Hamilton this weekend, you might want to go around to the West Hamilton Studio Tour and or just wander around James Street North whose famous art crawl is the second Friday evening of each month.  On James St. you can find lots of great places to visit like Mixed Media, The Print Studio, White Elephant and lots more.

Charbonnel Aqua Wash Etching Inks

Chris was at an art materials trade show in Phoenix a few weeks ago and came home with a new water soluble etching ink for me to try from one of my favourite ink companies, Charbonnel.

I like the idea of less solvents, though I do clean up plates and rollers with baby oil in my studio but am wondering if oil based inks will soon be a thing of the past as they slowly do away with oil based paints and varnishes for the home. 

The ink seemed very thin and not as tacky as I am used to for intaglio printing.  Possibly some dry magnesium could fix that.  Colour was very good and with all Charbonnel inks, you get alot of quality pigment for your money.

 

Cleaning up with just straight water seemed to work, though the addition of soap made it even better.  Was looking for it to be even easier...

As I was out of dry magnesium and could not try to stiffen up the ink, thought I should try it on a block as they suggest.  This worked very well and I like the idea of ink not drying on the roller  or block but still being easy to clean up.

More testing will have to be done before I make a big switch and am curious about how they will mix with the oil based etching inks that I already have.  Chris did purchase the range for wyndham art supplies, so will have to see.  I think they would work beautifully for monotyping as they are so soft and would be great to use with a brush.