Filed under: printmaking | Tags: art, artist, collagraph, print, printmaking, visual art
More collagraphs! I’m continuing to work on collagraphs, which I find to be very fun. This time, I decided that i would make prints with a full bleed. What does that mean? It means that the print runs to the edge of the paper, instead of floating like a rectangle within a larger sheet of paper. I don’t often do full bleed prints…I’m not sure why. They can be a bit messy, so perhaps that’s it. (if you want to know more about collagraph, see an earler post this month)
Here is the first print:
I’m not sure why I’ve called it “clouds”. I mean…it’s slightly obvious, but that wasn’t my intent while making the plate. I think that there is something serene about these black and white prints. They’re sort of cartoonish, in a way. Comments?
In the next print, I incorporated some colored paper:
This feels very incomplete. I will work on this more, but I’m leaving it for now. It’s always good to leave something to ponder a bit before working on it more. Two people in studio suggested, “red”. Hmmm.
The last one is a bit odd! Also very incomplete:
I layered in a very interesting paper that I have. It’s very textured…almost like bark. The texture does get flattened quite a bit in the press, but you can see the interesting edge to this paper in the detail:
See those curls at the edge? So interesting! I think that the rust colored paper is too long on top, and needs to be trimmed back a bit. I like the overlap, but it may be a bit much. Anyone out there have an opinion?
I am going to the MFA today to see the Chihuly exibit. I’ve heard mixed reviews. Because it’s so extreme, it seems that people either like it or hate it. I’m not sure where I stand on it…as I’ve yet to see it in person! Because his work often has “practical” applications…I been wondering if it doesn’t somewhat edge close to the world of “craft”. I don’t mean gluestick and hello kitty scissors “craft”, of course…I mean Craft, with a capital “C”. For example, there is a lovely museum called the Fuller Craft Museum in Massachusetts. I’ve only been a couple of times, and I’ve really loved the exhibits. Anyway…it’s interesting that they had the work of a glass artist there, Josh Simpson. His work is much more restrained than Chihuly’s…but I suppose that isn’t saying much. Anyway, Simpson’s work is at the Craft Museum, not the MFA. Why is that? I wonder if that is purely a function of Chihuly’s international fame? When does something move from “craft” to “art”? I know…such a broad and hairy question. Chihuly got me thinking about it…has anyone seen the exhibit? Comments?
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slightly wonky 
longing to know what you thought of the chihuly exhibition.. it took me a while realise who it was and then… click… the amazing chandelier at the v and a in london.. breathtaking..30 feet high and glows.. just magnificent.
Comment by Ruth July 27, 2011 @ 3:34 amas for your broad and hairy question re art versus craft.. one tongue in cheek definition is that it is craft when a woman does it and magically turns into art when done by a man… cynical.. who me?
VERY interesting. Yes, there is some serious gender bias in art. Textiles, etc. are “craft” and “feminine”, whereas painting is “art” and “masculine”. It’s well known that the art world is still very male dominated. I believe that is a well-recognized bias, and not something only heard from disgruntled females. It’s a self-perpetuating problem. Thank goodness there are lots of talented women out there who are bucking the system.
So, you’ve seen some of Chihuly’s work? Amazing, right? I put in my “review” of the show in my latest post. Thank you for reminding me that I never followed up on discussing it!
Comment by slightlywonky July 27, 2011 @ 10:02 am