Thank goodness... inspiration and energy has struck and returned!
I keep pondering over how to present some work in the forest and what that might look like, then how that might translate into being shown at CSM. I was looking for possible sites where I might bring something and use what's already there as part of the 'exhibition' in the forest. I came across a pile of bark chippings and somehow ended up tearing up some of the mini prints I made to represent them. I think I'd like to tear up one of my really big prints.. to 'chip' it. I can think of so many ways to present it once it's smaller:
In a pile - similar to the chippings
In bundles
Reassembled onto smaller pieces
In a grid, echoing the planted trees
As/in a handmade book
The possibilities seem endless and exciting.
I really like these little fragments. I haven't stuck them to anything yet, I keep rearranging them. I think I might want to add a stitch here and there, possibly in orange. Still pondering, but really rather excited about this!
The other thing is that I have started a small reduction linocut. I've kept it very simple but am determined not to repeat anything I've done before so I'm attempting to put grasses in the foreground and using the ochre colour in the rainbow roll to bleed out into nothing so that once the distant tree line is in there will still be a hint showing. This will hopefully give it a very wintery feel.
I was contacted by someone who was after something small for a partners birthday and it gave me the kick up the backside I needed to get to work. I'm using the last of my Zerkall paper and I've also thrown in 4 on Kitakata SH16 (the thicker Kitakata which I haven't used ) I remembered I had a few sheets I bought at a discount still waiting to be tested so decided to use them.
It's a small linocut and it feels lovely to be doing something familiar and yet new. I'm managing to get this to work on my press by having tabs on both end of the paper to really firmly hold it in place.
This is the painted lino, cut ready for the second rainbow roll:
Here's the first two layers:
I'm really enjoying using a very wintery palette - the grasses are really pale at the moment and I've never done a paint of this view. It's interesting to go back to something I feel quite comfortable with as a technique and size, but there are so many pitfalls to keep me on my toes. I'm finding it a really nice, sweet little project. It's also making me feel productive whilst allowing me the headspace for bigger explorations so rather useful!
I'm particularly adoring how beautifully the thicker Kitakata SH16 paper is taking the ink. I've used it for just 4 of the prints - the rest are the last of my Zerkall. I had to completely remix the cloud grey though as it's a completely different colour on this paper. It was REALLy blue and needed lots of toning down with burnt umber to get it to look grey enough. I've also experimented by putting a paler colour over the deeper straw colour before the next layer which will be darker.
I'm not entirely happy with the cutting in the clouds. I think I need to really practise my clouds. They look wonderful in the watercolour layer but the cutting doesn't seem to echo this. This is what I need the lithographic layer for!!