Weekend of Woodcuts

Despite threats of major east coast storms all weekend, I was able to get myself, my tools, a pile of useful books, and a nice selection of art safely up to the Printmaking Council of New Jersey early this morning and get my woodcut workshop started. The students, all first time visitors to our headquarters near North Branch Station, started with a tour of the building. After the group assembled in our newly reorganized studio (including a new larger roller press, new counters and storage, and the Vandercook brought up from the basement) I started by showing everyone a small selection of some of my past and recent work, with an emphasis on prints that show the diversity of the possiblities of woodcut. I had also brought with me three (Culture Rot, School Days, Blatantly Kitsch) of the many group exchange folios I've participated in over the years, going through them with special attention to examples of relief printing in the sets. The intended effect was achieved- the students were now excited by the possibilities of the medium and couldn't wait to get started on blocks of their own. The other significant demonstration today was a cutting demo. The printing demonstration will wait until next time, ideally with a finished block started in today's session.