A New Wood Engraving

Nowadays, artists not only make art but many of us have to use a machete to thrash our way through the social media jungle, including blog type websites like this one.

It’s a mindset thing. Is my audience actually reading my posts, does anyone really care, etc.? I don’t mind functioning under the illusion that folks actually engage. If I take a Stoic stance then everything I write could be considered a journal entry, an important activity for the practicing Stoic.

I’m showing my most recent wood engraving which I displayed in my Spring 2017 solo show at the Arts Underground in Whitehorse. And happily someone acquired it for their collection.

I admire some of the log-end prints or rubbings one sees online where the artist inks up the end of a log and pulls a ready made print thanks to the annular rings of the tree stump . Something about concentric circles which I find satisfying. This is my reply to the log-end printmakers.

I took a macro of a knot in a piece from some  house siding and worked it into a wood engraving as a kind of a ‘hello’ to those printers who take images directly from log ends.

I didn’t want to slavishly follow every line, nook and cranny but try and let the burin do as much of the talking as possible.

By the way, in the photo of my work table you’ll see a label showing multiple tools on my graver holder. I hardly ever use those. Although some engravers have exploited the mechanical look to great advantage.

If you care to leave a comment, which I hope you do, please press the the little plus sign below.