Woodblock progress

A blissful art day/night, with a surprise visit by Rabbit Rengetsu by my window.

First woodblock into the New World.

Attempting woodblock 'again'. Will post photos of my progress along the way for this piece.

Hopefully this woodblock image will lead to another, and together we might inspire each other with a new message for this 'New World After 2012'.

Happy New Year!

a new mantra

a new mantra, a photo by Bette Norcross Wappner on Flickr.

My new blog

This is my new blog name and location.

Surimono Garden name will no longer be used.

Enso print begins

Today I started transferring my 4 ft. x 4 ft. enso painting (zen circle) to the woodblock at our new Tiger Lily Press studio. I painted it with a very large chinese ink brush. I will experiment by printing it onto canvas and also silk. Photo credit (of me) taken by Susan Naylor at Tiger Lily Press, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Summer Solstice Woodblock Print

haiku:

high noon sun
ripples across the pond
summer solstice

Bette Norcross Wappner (b'oki)


My first experience printing an oil-based print (and probably my last since I'm a water-based girl) unless I have another opportunity to participate in a Tiger Lily Press calendar. Printed in August 2010.

See more photos of this printing at my Flickr page:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bette_norcross_wappner/sets/72157626890122315/

My woodblock print art studio at night

Cleaning and New Print Planning

Yesterday I was in studio all day cleaning and will be again today. Feels good to be here decluttering, pitching, and simplifying. Clearing for the soul as well.

Now that my last child has graduated from high school, I look forward to putting my new haiku print ideas into action. I want to construct a new device and will be working large :)

May not have photos of my new project for awhile so I'll be posting pics of my studio after its clean!

Print donations for Haiku Society of America

I had the pleasure of donating some prints to sell at the Haiku Society of America's meeting June 3, 4, & 5th in Bend, Oregon. I wasn't able to attend so I sent 48 note cards, 48 bookmarks, and 11 original 5x7 haiku prints. Wasn't much but I hope it raised some funds. Congratulations to an'ya and Petar, the HSA Coordinators for the event! Reports are that the event was very successful with over 5,000 people attending the Art Walk, Meeting, Haiku Walk, and Workshop.

Website: http://sites.google.com/site/haikuoregon/hsa-meeting

TV News Video: http://www.ktvz.com/news/28139281/detail.html

February haiku and a Poet/Printmaker's Journey To The Interior

For the month of February 2011, I wrote a haiku each day. I was inspired to do so by a Facebook group called NaHaiWriMo - http://sites.google.com/site/nahaiwrimo/home. It was organized by Michael Dylan Welch - http://sites.google.com/site/graceguts/bio. Each day Michael gave the members of NaHaiWriMo prompts to write by.

Now at the age of 53, being a stay-at-home mom, and not working outside the home for over 15 years, I am currently not doing any printmaking or creating art, but rather, taking a personal journey to the interior to review my life passions and how I can inspire others 'more deeply and effectively' through my printmaking art, haiku, and personal beliefs. In the meantime please enjoy this compilation of my February haiku writing.

Please be respectful and do not repost, print, or use my haiku in any way without my permission. Thank you.


February ice
slicing slivers of ginger
for my soup
(Feb. 1st, 2011)


blustery dawn
only lawn chair shadows
on Ground Hog Day
(Feb. 2, 2011)


slowly carving
my jack rabbit woodblock
Chinese New Year
(Feb. 3, 2011)


a burst of red
lifts this heavy heart
spring cardinal
(Feb. 4, 2011)


haiku writing
housework and the news
winter soup
(Feb. 4, 2011)


icy branches
melt with a melody
little song bird
(Feb. 5, 2011)


sipping Maxwell House
International Coffee
in Kentucky
(Feb. 6, 2011)


February field
as a hawk touches down
the cows go wild
(Feb. 6, 2011 - for the Super Bowl :)


winter studio
my focus lost within
the bamboo plant
(Feb. 7, 2011)


only to feel
cool tingles on my face
snowy night
(Feb. 8, 2011)


frozen peanuts
by the garage door
wake up chipmunk!
(Feb. 9, 2011)


ink painting
on soft white washi
winter day dream
(Feb. 10, 2011)


winter clementine
the scent of sunset
on my hands
(Feb. 11, 2011)


not much to chat about
except the weather
winter sparrow
(Feb. 12, 2011)


winter blue sky
a cloud on its journey
with my prayer
(Feb. 13, 2011)


male cardinal
swooping across the path
my heart aflutter
(Feb. 14, 2011)


Valentine's Day
the urge to decorate
an old shoebox
(Feb. 14, 2011 Bonus haiku #2 :)


black tea bag
between my fingers
February thaw
(Feb. 15, 2011)


each passing day
the bare plum that leans
over the road
(Feb. 16, 2011)


countdown to spring
the digits of her feet
in flip flops
(Feb. 17, 2011)


windswept
the silent fullness
of the moon
(Feb. 18, 2011)


late winter party
a few more wrinkles beneath
her old strand of pearls
(Feb. 19, 2011)


between sleet
the childhood memory
of broken pearls
(Feb. 20, 2011)


early spring rain
hand-printing washi
on the woodblock
(Feb. 21, 2011)


the rose garden
handmade by grandma
cedar hope chest
(Feb. 22, 2011)


one by one
they come for supper
more cowbell
(Feb. 23, 2011)


morning mist
settles with a song
mother ironing
(Feb. 24, 2011)


long winter
a creaky gate opens
to the garden
(Feb. 25, 2011)


early-spring pond
the rhythm of a beaver
tail-slapping
(Feb. 26, 2011)


hoot after hoot
mindfully I count
to mindlessness
(Feb. 27, 2011)


grocery store
I stop to kiss the baby
tulip buds
(Feb. 28 2011)

Chinese New Year haiku

slowly carving
my jack rabbit woodblock
Chinese New Year

--Bette Norcross Wappner

I'm writing a haiku a day for the month of February. This is today's haiku. I think the rabbit on my block is moving faster than I am :)

If you want to join in on the haiku-writing fun check out the "NaHaiWriMo" link:
http://sites.google.com/site/nahaiwrimo/home. It is also on Facebook.

Some recent haiku woodblock reprints

"Rose hips" - 5" x 7" - handwritten tanka poem. photo angle to show the shiny metallic mica handpainted onto rosehips.


"Rose hips" - 5" x 7" - Japanese Masa Dosa washi paper.


"Cool Blue" - handwritten haiku poem. angle to show shiny metallic mica handpainted onto fish.


"Cool Blue" - 5"x7" - Japanese Masa Dosa washi paper.

Great gift idea! Order your Dave Bull woodblock prints now!

Great gift idea people! And make sure you see his new video about it (click to #6 on this page)



http://woodblock.com/gift/index.php5en


.

Tiger Lily Press Print Sale Photos

The Tiger Lily Press Annual Print show was great!

Tiger Lily Press Annual Print & Arts Sale - Nov. 14th, 2010

I'm looking forward to being a part of Tiger Lily Press Annual Print & Arts Sale Event tomorrow, Sun. Nov. 14th, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Cincinnati, Ohio. Other art guilds will be there including: printmaking, calligraphy, bookmaking, and pottery.

http://tigerlilypress.blogspot.com/2010/11/our-annual-print-sale-this-sunday.html

Address:

Dunham Recreation Center
Arts Building
1945 Dunham Way
Cincinnati, OH 45238-3053

Wish you all could come!

Back to printmaking!

This is my first oil-based print. With the help of my cool printmaking friend Susan, who helped me learn to use the presses and do clean up, we printed 85 prints by using both of the presses at Tiger Lily Press Studio here in Cincinnati, Ohio (website link here on my blog). Each year Tiger Lily Press members design, print, and sell calendars for fund-raising. I chose the month of June because Summer is my favorite season and what a better month to celebrate with the Summer Solstice on June 21st.

Printing with oil-based ink and using a machine press was a fun experience, but the clean-up process convinced me that I am still a devout water-based printmaker indeed!

Snow Skier print - proofing blue block

After proofing the blue block I've decided to make some adjustments to the carving before going to print. I'll be fine-tuning the details in the skier as well. This is a beautiful "Pthalo Blue Slight Red" pigment dispersion from Guerra. Carved image is approx. 2" x 6.5".

The carved image between the left ski post and skies is suppose to be a shadow. If it doesn't look like a shadow on the print, I will eliminate it.

Snow Skier blocks ready to print

Moku hanga printmaking method. The left block will serve as the background color w/mica powder and also as the block for hand embossing (kimedashi) the skier's trail and the enso sun. I left enough surface for my thumb to emboss the sun.

I only left 1/4" border between the image area and the paper trim. Makes for tricky printing but oh well. I don't like trimming after printing.

Bought this U-gouge a couple years ago at Woodcraft store when they were having a sale. It works great for clearing and keeps a sharp edge.

The area between the left ski post and skies is suppose to be a shadow. If it doesn't look like a shadow on the print, I will eliminate it.

My new table box-easel to relieve neck/back strain when carving

I'm carving a bookmark of a skier in honor of the Winter Olympics. Using this box table easel is really saving my neck and back. I really love this new goooseneck clip-lamp with LED bulb. The light it generates is bright white and always stays cool -- $20 at Target.

The table box-easel I bought at Hobby Lobby. Michaels Arts & Crafts also carries it. Occasionally each of those stores has 40-50% off coupons. When the easel is closed, the 2-drawer design raises the flat block surface up to a comfortable level for carving the clearing.

The block is a crafter's plaque bought at Hobby Lobby or Michaels for $3.00. I think its pine. I'm really amazed at how its holding up to detail. Hopefully it will do well in the printing process. If so, I'll be glad because its readily available plank wood and comes sanded. I will prefer it over shina block which is a wee bit expensive especially after shipping costs.

LAVENDER BLUE MOON

In the month of December, I enjoyed doing five simple 2"x 4" woodblock prints. After experiencing a difficult 2009 with deaths in my family, I chose to do these small carvings and prints so I could get back into the groove of printmaking. The small size was less stressful and provided quick results.

The new direction of my modern surimono will look similar to my "Birch Spirit" print and these five simple prints only larger, in more detail and in the traditional Japanese surimono print which includes mica powder, hand-embossing, and a nicer Japanese paper than I've been using in the past. And as usual, my prints will include an English language Japanese short-form tanka or haiku poem. Nothing excites me more than luscious, thick, white handmade paper, hand-embossing, and special effects such as sparkly mica powders on a print. I also believe the viewer should be allowed to touch the print in order to really appreciate it.

Print title: "Lavender Blue Moon"
Image size: 2" x 4"
Block: pine - crafters plaque.
Ink: Water-based. Guerra pigment dispersion paint, white and silver metallic Speedball.
Paper: Japanese Hosho.
Method: Japanese Moku hanga.
Printed with a baren.

My waka/tanka poem:

New Year's eve--
some sprigs trimmed for tonight's
lavender pillow;
midnight mist on my sleeves
scented with blue moon light.

Bette Norcross Wappner (b'oki)