Woodcut Season is Upon Us

Me, I never stop working on my next woodcut, whether it be cutting, printing, coloring, drawing, or even just thinking about which project will be the next one. However there are certain times in the year when I try to get a lot more people involved in cutting wood, and this is definitely one of them.

Up first are my college classes. My 2D classes have been doing woodcuts going back to my grad school teaching days, and this semester I have one at each of my two schools. One is getting to start the project this week, so yesterday I made a stop on my way home from work and picked up a couple of 2' x 4' sheets of plywood. Today I cut up most of it in the Studio, into the standard 8" x 6" blocks that I provide for the 2D students. I prepared enough for both classes, even though my students at the other school won't start for a few more weeks.

While I was there today, I took some time to look at the other print supplies that I have in stock. This is because things are moving forward on two local relief print workshops that I'll have going beginning late March. First will be the Creativity by the Sea arts festival in Ocean Grove coming up the weekend of March 23rd -25th. I'll be doing a one day workshop in linocut on Saturday the 24th, right there in the Studio. (interested people should sign up soon- a few spots remain) No wood needed, but I will need ink and paper. The schedule has two other classes offered in our building- landscape painting and ceramics, so we may have a lot of first time visitors wandering around.

Then just a few days later I am beginning my next round of woodcut classes at the Belmar Arts Council. These will be running on four consecutive Tuesday nights from 7 to 9 pm, beginning on March 27, 2012. Last year's went well for those who participated, so I assume the spring edition will also go well if I can get people to sign up. I have a woodcut in the show opening at the Boatworks this weekend- maybe that will help me recruit a few people. I will need wood for the class, but I'll cut it to size as we go, based on what each student wants to do. You can get the information and/or sign up on the BAC website.