Saturday, May 17, 2008

Toronto's World Washi Summit

It looks like I will be participating in the Toronto World Washi Summit this June. KOZO Studio/Gallery will host an art show with a handful of artists working in or on washi paper. Washi paper is the paper that everyone mistakenly calls 'rice paper'! I will also be conducting a short workshop on suminagashi ( Japanese, water based, paper marbling) as part of this event.

I'll hopefully know which artists will be showing at KOZO by the end of next week. Very exciting!
Now I have to tidy up the studio!

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Teaching

A lot of artists don't like teaching. I don't really understand why. I really enjoy it. Yesterday I had a chance to teach a style of relief printmaking at St. Andrews College in Aurora. The class was very small but It was great interacting with the students. I love seeing all the different ideas and translations of whatever it is that I am teaching. Even when I teach adults it's the same. Different takes on problems, interpretations...it all helps to keep my mind open and refreshed!







Saturday, May 3, 2008

WAYZGOOSE '08

This year we celebrated the Thirtieth Anniversary of the Grimsby Wayzgoose! Bill Poole, my instuctor from O.C.A., founded this Wayzgoose in his hometown of Grimsby thirty years ago to try and make people aware of the art and craft of fine printing. Originally, in 1978, it was only supposed to be a one time event! Oh well! I'm glad it asn't!

When I was an art school student 20-ish years ago, Bill Poole encouraged his class to participate in the Wayzgoose Anthology and attend the event. I have been attending almost every year since then (I missed three years when I was apprenticing in Japan!). A lot of faces have changed in the last 20 years, but happily, many of the faces have also stayed the same. A small handfull of people even date back to that first Wayzgoose Bill Poole organized!

I think we all travel the distance to Grimsby because it is the one event of the year where we are really understood and appreciated by the public that attend. They don't ask us why we print using lead type or why we still bind books the old fashioned way with a needle, thread and fine materials or why we MAKE paper. They "get it" and they love it! It is also great to be gathered with everyone in one place. We sell, we admire, we spend, we chat and then, once the publlic is gone, we relax, have a nice dinner and celebrate!

Bill Poole has been gone several years now. I know he'd be thrilled to know that the Grimsby Wayzgoose is still going strong thanks to all the work of the staff at the Grimsby Public Art Gallery.

My Daughter and I chatting to a guest.

N. Kennedy (standing) and T. Dannenburg (seated) talking shop.

K. Wrigglesworth and a table full of stuff from Don Black Linecasting. Now the rest of it is back at KOZO Studio.

My friend, printmaker F. Tomas of Utility Grade.

Wood engraver, author, teacher G. Walker talking to Don Black of Don Black Linecasting fame.