Making Chocolate, Reduction Linocut and For the Love of Dogs

Chocolate
reduction linocut 6x6

Chocolate is brain food.  It improves the blood flow to the brain and feeds us to keep us smarter for longer.  At least that's what the scientists say.  I bet if those folk have ever done a reduction lino cut they would totally agree with its ability as brain food. 
I have a very special friend in my life and she is a huge chocolate fan and has two lovely chocolate labs.  Four years ago, I made her a chocolate themed gift.  We both are Christmas time babies - just one day apart, so we share a special bond of holiday babies.  This year, it was time to share more chocolate love with her for her birthday. 
 

Step one - yellow
Step Two - cut away and print in brown

A reduction linocut is a method where a multi color print is made from one block.  Through progressive carving, inking an printing the image emerges as the block is slowly destroyed.  In the end, there is only the one edition of the printing and the image can never be reprinted. 

 

Step Two - Printed in Brown
Step Three - cut some more and print in dark brown

Thinking backwards and in terms of layers really got the cobwebs out of my brain.  I printed 10 in hopes that I would get one good one.  Its amazing how different they all are even though they are from the same block.  The amount of ink, the registration and the color mixing made them all unique.  In the end, there were four good enough to call an edition. 

Want to see how the pros handle reduction linocut?  Check out this video about the work of Dave Lefner http://vimeo.com/9858444 . 

Happy Friday everyone!

 

Words, Finding Fit and Linocut Teapots

Yellow Teapot
reduction lino cut 4 x 6

2015 in a word.

Each year, I pick a word to be my north star for the upcoming year.  I let it be a reminder of what I want to accomplish over the next 12 months.  Its a bit like a safe harbor.  If I lose my way or get a little wobbly, I have a place to return to, reset and strike out again.  I like having a word.  In a year, I find I can get a bit scattered,  and having a word, reins me back in and gives me direction.  A word is very personal, yet I feel it needs to be shared and spoken out loud.  Because once it is out there in the world, its much easier to live by. 

A word to live by can be strong and forceful, like my word from 2012.  Or it can be action oriented, like my word from 2013.  2011's word was Knowledge, and my word last year, was about direction.

So after much pondering and nixing great words like hone, balance, and swing - for 2015, I decided upon the word:

FIT

Its a year for getting fit, keeping fit and finding fit.

I've passed the halfway mark of life.  I'm finding that my stamina is less, my strength is less and it takes way longer to heal from an injury than it used to.  This year is dedicated to trying to stay level and not lose ground and maybe if I'm lucky, I'll make up some lost ground. 

About finding fit - I need this especially.  I'm living a double life spreading myself between two cities, two homes, two studios.  This year is about finding a rhythm and a way that feels equally good in both places. 

Its also

F - flexibility.  I need not only in the form kindness to my body and fitting yoga into the mix this year, but also more about going with the flow and flexing and bending in ways that keeps life in balance

I - intention.   Setting it and moving forward in ways to make it happen.  Finding a way to release the patterns that hold me in place and keep me from getting where I want and need to be.

T - Time.  I have time and space for everything I want to do.   I need to stop struggling with it and accept that things are happening at the pace in which they are meant to happen - no more and no less.

 

Its kind of amazing actually how much I managed to fit into one three letter word. Its a big word for a little word.  I'm looking forward to living up to it in 2015.

 

If you have a word for 2015, I hope you share it here.  Happy Friday everyone!