SNAP Studio

The big push at the end of August was the Alberta Foundation for the Arts Individual Projects Grant application.  It took a lot of effort but the package was ready and submitted on the due date, September 1, 2011.  My proposal is to create artist's books based on the 21 Konstruktions.  The start date is July 1, 2012 giving me ample time to practice my bookbinding and printmaking skills.  The inspirations for the work include:

Melissa Jay Craig,

Catherine Nash

 Daniel Essig

Each of these artists leaves me tempted to put down my tools and simply surrender.

But not yet.

August in the studio was an extremely productive time. With the confidence built in July I was able to begin planning for the reduction prints realizing I need to work a little bit more on colour theories and layering.  To this end I have interpreted one of the roofing abstracts

 

This was a fun exercise as I experimented with reduction printing on linoleum and the results are intriguing.

 

I set up an independent area right outside my studio for hand printing rather than use the press for such small works.  This, too, was great in that it was fun and has also taught me that I'll be able to continue printmaking in my home studio once it's set up.

I was also asked to participate in SNAP's annual fundraiser.  Each year they recruit twelve artists to design, carve, and print a month in a calendar for the coming year. This is done on the letterpress and the experience using this equipment will be invaluable to my art practice.  I have selected October and my image is based on the spices used in pumpkin pie:  cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.  The image is abstracted and the palette is based on the colours of spices like cinnamon, curry, and paprika.

This plate represents the final colour of three.  The printing will take place the first week in September so better images will be available next month.  It is a great privilege to have been considered.

It was a wonderful, hot, sunny month with many, many days riding my bike to the studio and soaking it in.  When I made my September List of things to accomplish I find all that is left is printing, printing, printing news including the 3"x 4" mobile studio plates of which I now have three completed.

After the calendar is complete I will print the wooden plates while getting the reduction pieces well underway.  

With all these new experiences coming my way it feels like 'back to school' - my favourite time of year.