We've Created a Monster! New Works by Tim Hunt and Katie Argyle.

We've Created a Monster!

New Works by Tim Hunt and Katie Argyle

Dovercourt Community Centre 

October 4th-31st, 2013

Tim Hunt is showing his urban masks alongside my linocut prints, woodblocks and paintings.

Given we both collect material, the concrete and the abstract stuff,

on discussing this new show and trying to conjure up a title for our work, 

the idea of Frankenstein's monster kept creeping to the surface.

If you are interested in having a look and you are in the area,

drop by the Dovercourt Community Centre, 411 Dovercourt (in Westboro), Ottawa  

  http://www.dovercourt.org/

Feb 16-26: Key West Daily Linos

1st 16
2week print completed for exhibit



Night Walk
after show melancholy



en route
going off-island




Backseat to the Keys
viewing the Keys from the backseat of a car


Step into the Dark
walking at night


Sunset at Mallory Square
sunset celebrations


End of Road
mile 0 end of US Hwy 1 South




On the Horizon
cruise ship seen from Fort Zach beach


Robert Burridge en plein aire
Burridge workshop



Special Request

2 weeks of Linos: Feb 1-16, 2012

Here are all the linoblock images and what inspired them from my cumulative print depicting my first 2 weeks in Key West, Florida during a month long residency at The Studios of Key West.



February 1st: Causeway
This is all about travel and heat. I landed at Ft. Lauderdale and traveled to Key West on the shuttle bus. The road looked white hot at times and the air was full of tropical moisture. It felt like I had stepped into endless summer.


February 2nd: Feb 2 Space 2
This is a depiction of the Keys Eyes exhibition which opened at The Studios of Key West on February 2nd, 2012. This is the same space my work was shown in on the 16th. I wandered over to see the work and took this shot with my camera and translated it into a lino. It was a particular challenge as the space is bright white.


February 3rd: At the Art Store
I came across this sign posted on the door of the local art and craft supply store. I thought it had just gone up, a spontaneous little note. Instead I hear back that it's been on the door for years. Unknowingly, I had chosen an image well-known to many in the Key West art community.



February 4th: Boat Parking
Saw this as I was walking toward a marina. These boats were all parked up high, like in an unfinished wood framed two story garage.



February 5th: Down the Street
Every street I come across, as I look down it I see a tangle of wild plant growth and cars parked into what seems one of the two lanes. The streets seem very full and impossibly narrow but very enticing.


February 6th: Bus Pass
Here is my stylish 31 day Key West bus pass. I was happy to have my own cheap way to get around town, though I have walked way more as the bus is once every hour and one bus stops running at 5:30pm. The bus driver honks his horn every 2 minutes or so. It's not because of the traffic; it's because he's saying hello to everyone he knows.



February 7th: Coral
I started noticing all the coral around. It's hidden and overshadowed in places but my eye kept looking at it. The whole island is coral so I thought it appropriate to focus on the "bedrock of the community" so to speak.



February 8th: Life on a Houseboat
Unexpectedly during another walk, I stumbled upon houseboats. Looking at people living their life on the water I started to zero in on how these boats are moored. And then I saw the other creatures who are also moored there: the little mollusks clinging to the chains and the ropes.




February 9th: Chicken Crossing Road
Chickens and roosters (and their babies sometimes), can be expected at any street corner. I was walking down a street and this pair were walking toward me on the sidewalk. I stood still to take their picture and they couldn't decide on where to go next. They went back and forth but it was obvious they waned me to step aside so they could pass my on the sidewalk. In the end we both moved at the same time, me forward and they toward me, and at the last minute they darted out onto the road, avoiding my legs and running around me to pass me on the street.



February 10th: Subject Matter
I was sitting on my front step, carving away on a woodblock, completely lost in my work when I heard little clicking sounds. The class for "getting to know your camera", which had been meeting at the back, was now right in front of me, all cameras aimed at me as I carved away. Instinctively I put my carving down and grabbed my camera to take their image, but they had all scampered off except for this one guy. I am sure he has me taking his picture as well. This was my first experience with what it would feel like to be followed by the paparazzi. I can say it is not pleasant. In only a few seconds I felt like all those lenses were stealing my image from me and it felt like a black hole. It was strangely mesmerizing.



February 11th: Newsboy
I've been buying the Key West Citizen when I remember to, and that's almost everyday. I was in a car and at a busy corner, i saw a 'newsboy" hawking papers to motorists. We called him over as I needed my daily paper. I haven't seen a real live newsboy, with the newspaper delivery bag slung over his shoulder, in years. They do have the newsies who hand out the free papers in Ottawa, but the real paper, that is to be paid for and not given away as a freebie to entice people to read the paper again, is a rarity to my mind.




February 12th: Sheriff's Animal Farm
We went to the Sheriff's Animal Farm (see my post here) and there were a lot of rabbits. This one, names Fluffy, was being shown off by one of the inmates. He was a great big fluffy bunny. We weren't allowed to hold Fluffy ourselves, though we did ask. They do have rules to abide by at the Sheriff's Animal Farm.




February 13th: Yes, I Need the Heater On.
It was cold. I was cold. I didn't get any sympathy from my friends back home, or from the folks here either.
At home: It's ONLY 57F? Aw. Poor thing! How will you survive?
Here: But you're from Up North. How can YOU be cold?
This block shows the heating company guys coming to check to see if the wiring was hooked up for the heater. Apparently not. It is now.



February 14th: Frequent Visitor
This cat is one of the wanderer's who visits me. he comes the most. the other three aren't as regular. This kitty jumped on my lap and purred and purred then CHOMP bit me. I was okay with that. Caesar cat at home does the same thing. it's just cats being cats. Sometimes they get fed up with Humans.


February 15th: Work on the Line
This is an image of all my prints drying on the clothesline after being printed. The title also refers to putting myself and my work on the line.



February 16th: You Are Here.
It was about 3 years ago, could even be four, that I first visited Key West. I sat under a tree in front of a coffee shop completely enamoured of this place. There was a wooden sign with the name of the cafe on it and I took its picture. A year later I took that image out and put it in my paint program and replaced the signage with a fake marquee announcing my Key West Art Show. I put this image into a calendar gif and stared at it for a year, willing it to happen. On my second trip I visited the Studios. When i entered the main hall and saw the light in there and the railing up above I thought what a great old Southern building and I really want to be in it. And so I looked them up online and saw the residencies being offered and I applied. And there I was on February 16th, dream come true in a bigger way than I had ever envisioned. My name was on a marquee and lit up inside my exhibition space. I was having an art show in Key West. My block reminds me to enjoy the moment and the day and the accomplishment. And it marks it with the visitors' presence as well.

Feb 15 - readying for my exhibition

empty exhibition space waiting for me

My exhibition opens tomorrow night.

The Studios of Key West van, parked on the street as I
made my way to discuss my exhibit tomorrow

Martha Barnes, the director of the studios, keeps reminding me that I am showing works in progress ie. they don't need to be finished works, just works in progress. And for me to remember that downstairs, in the main gallery, they have been working for 6 months to get ready for the opening tomorrow and I, she reminded me, have been working for 16 days.

I have a lot of stuff for 16 days.

I was taking full advantage because I was well aware that I have no work space back home. That I was just starting to organize my dining room, and even with that I'd still have little room and would have to wait until it warms up to go outside and work. That's around April if I am lucky.

And then an amazing thing happened. Last week as I was pondering my lack of studio space at home, I checked online to discover that a brand new artist's studio collective in Toronto North was starting. Long story short, I have a studio to go home too. On top of that, I have a clear focus of what I want to work on. It's incredible how 15 days ago that was all foggy and now, it's like a clear path has unfolded at my feet.

After our talk I saw this bike. I thought it was "just spotted" until I really looked and saw the stenciled numbers

I am in one of those time periods of my life which don't come often but when they do, look out. Things just go click-click-click and it all just makes sense and it all just falls into place and it's all just very clear. I remember thinking last year about the last time I had one of these experiences and despairing I would ever get that again in my life. In spite of all the good changes, many other things sure felt bleak. Thank goodness that's gone and thank goodness for Key West.

But let's get back to the nitty gritty. Today was the completion of my daily blocks bringing me up to the day of the show. I just, yes just, finished printing the large print.

February 1st - 16th, 2012 Key West, Florida, U.S.A.
55" x 27" 16 blocks
double xuan rice paper printed by hand all at once

Boy, I love making these cumulative prints. I really do. Of course there were challenges, the paper I used I only have 2 sheets. So one for these first 2 weeks and one for the last 2. What this also means is I have no experience printing on it so some of my blocks could have used more ink but, actually, whether I knew that or not, I am having a really tough time judging what is inky enough on any print I am making. I don't know what it is. The ink is also new to me, of course, so it could be that, it could be the humidity, it could be the paper being very absorbent or not absorbent enough, or not using enough pressure when I am using the barren, so many factors involved in pulling a good print. Perhaps by the 29th of February I will have a handle on it, only to be faced with brand new conditions Up North.

All part of the fun.

So my exhibit is all planned out but it has yet to be hung. And I, dear reader, have a very early morning as I have to finish my double rooster print. The double sided rooster block is part of my exhibit so I need to get up super early and tackle that before I am thinking. A 5 part colour reduction woodblock print to be done by 10am.

I am a crazy nut.

Year of the Dragon print

Part of the joy of printmaking is in the experience of the paper. I decided to try this paper for my first print of 2012: Anno Draconis

The paper is smooth on one side and softly textured/fuzzyish on the other. I did a proof on the smooth side last night, and when I was burnishing it, the paper tore. Hmmm. So I printed onto the rougher side this morning and the burnishing was a dream. This is very strong paper. I can see it holding up to some reduction prints which are coming in my very near future.

More on that later...




I made my print from a lino block using Speedball's oil-based block printing black ink.



I am always wary of Speedball ink, but it seems to be the only ink that is carried by all the art stores when I am in a rush trying to get ink. Everyone has it. Their sales reps must be very good.I have had poor results from the water-based Speedball ink every time I use it. I tried it for this print last night but it was a no go. It dries out so fast and you need a lot and need to keep rolling out and re-inking over and over. I have made it work, but I just couldn't fight with it last night. So, this morning, I opted to try the oil-based ink and it was so much easier, but the cleanup will be harder.

Anno Draconis
lino block on Shoji paper 9.5" x 8.5"

Proof Studio Year of the Dragon on Facebook

Proof Studio Gallery's Year of the Dragon exhibition plus prints

Year of the Rabbit - Proof Studio Gallery, Toronto

Proof Studio Gallery is holding its
annual Chinese New Year Print Exhibition starting today with the vernissage set for tomorrow evening, Feb 3rd, from 6-9pm.

Their blog is filled with rabbit themed prints from all over the world. This is my fourth year participating in this print event. The best part is the print exchange held in March. I've got a good collection of prints from printmakers all over the world. I look forward to this year's bounty of bunnies!

The print I submitted is titled

The Dance of 2011. It measures 9" x 9" and is a linocut handprinted on blue handmade chinese mulberry paper with embedded gold flakes.

The design was inspired by Chinese chopmarks, or signature blocks. This was carved from the new rubber "linoblock" material I've wanted to try for awhile.

I found the rubber material very easy to carve but did not like the printing results, though I did get it to work. It tends to give too much when I press onto the back of my paper draped over the inked block to print my image. I do think the material would be fantastic for small stamps but this larger piece (image was about 8" x 8") was just too uneven and "soft" for my liking. Back to the usual battlegrade linoleum for me.

You can see ALL the rabbit submissions at
http://www.yearoftherabbitprintexhibition.blogspot.com/

or if you're in Toronto go see them in person:

Proof Studio Gallery Print Exhibition: Year of the Rabbit 2011
PROOF Studio Gallery
Studio 104, Case Goods Warehouse, Bldg. 74,
55 Mill Street, Distillery District
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Open Wed-Sun 12-5

Opening reception: February 3, 6-9PM - Chinese New Year!
Exhibition runs from February 2 - 13, 2011