Foreign Flora - a work in progress

  

Presenting Foreign Flora, 15 x 11.5 cm, a newly carved lino block intended for Illustrated Women, an artist book that’s slowly, but surely, in the making. 

The subject’s floral tattoo is a motif from Australia, circa 1888, an embroidered table cover designed in Britain by the remarkable May Morris (1862 - 1938). In fact, none of the flowers depicted in her textile are native to Australia. The table cover, reproduced (not to scale) in the first developmental  view below, was commissioned by a Scottish-born couple residing in Adelaide, South Australia, which I assume is how it acquired its title. Australia is now held in the permanent collection of the Art Gallery of South Australia.

Following are four sequential progress views of Foreign Flora.

Yuletide Greetings

As demonstrated by the climbing molluscs in the lino block pictured below, this year has certainly had its ups and downs. That’s life, I guess - and even more so than usual over the past couple of years. 

The block, which measures 15 x 11.5 cm, is a work in progress for a forthcoming linocut, Snail Trails. The linocut will be part of an artist book, Illustrated Women, which I’ll be working on during 2022. (See also Blog Post Saturday, December 11, 2021). Click on images for a clearer view.

Enjoy the holidays, everyone, and here’s hoping for a safer, healthier, happier year ahead. 

In development: ILLUSTRATED WOMEN, a new artist book

Currently I’m working on several small blocks that, once completed, will provide the content for Illustrated Women, a forthcoming artist book. 

Illustrated Women will be a book without words, enabling the viewer to make up her or his own stories about the subjects within. Directly below are two lino blocks, Sunflower and Morris Dancer, that are fairly near completion. Each block measures 15 x 11.5cm. 

Further information about Illustrated Women will follow in future posts.

Bookplates in progress

While we’re on the subject of bookplates (see my last post) here are the first of several I’m currently developing. These examples incorporate three small paintings I made in the early stages of lockdown.

I’ve always had a fascination for bookplates, and am about to begin one using the more traditional medium of linocut.

These digitally produced bookplates are essentially limbering-up exercises. They are still in the experimental stages, but I’m finding them quite soothing to work on, a welcome contrast to far more laborious, time-consuming projects, including the painting I’m currently working on, a triptych that’s likely to take a considerable time to resolve.

FRANKENSTEIN'S WOMEN - a progress report

Lino blocks for Frankenstein's Women, 20 x 15 cm (each block)

The blocks for Frankenstein's Women, my forthcoming artist book, are almost ready for the next stage, namely, printing.

For those who have been following the development of this project since it began life at Melbourne Athenaeum Library during a residency for Melbourne Rare Book Week 2018, here is an overview of the work to date. (Click on images to enlarge).

As noted in my last post, the block for the title page of Frankenstein's Women (pictured third from top) was new and hadn't begun to harden. As a result, the surface was very brittle. In what turned out to be an ill-starred combination, my linocut tool, a Speedball with an interchangeable No. 1 cutter, was also new, but far from sharp, causing areas of the lino to crumble away during carving. For many   years, I've found this particular cutter indispensable for producing very fine lines. Sadly, however, the current Speedball cutters are poorly made; they are blunt, rusty and frankly, shouldn't even be on the market.

There is hope for the future, however, thanks to my friend Paul Compton, who recently presented me with a most thoughtful and generous gift - the elegant linocut tool pictured directly below. I've never seen one like it before. According to the accompanying label, it's a 'TRAD SANKKAKUTO Vee Gouge'. Some of the blocks could use some minor tweaking; this tool cuts through them like butter.

FRANKENSTEIN'S WOMEN, an artist book in the making

Pictured below: selected progress views of the fifth of eight linocuts for the forthcoming artist book Frankenstein’s Women, in this bicentennial year of its primary point of reference, Mary Shelley’s groundbreaking novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus.

For progress views of the sixth linocut in the series, visit my Art Blog HERE.

FRANKENSTEIN'S WOMEN: an artist book in progress

In a week that included the birthday of Mary Shelley (on 30 August), work continued on my current linocut, one of several intended for an artist book based on the women in her masterwork, Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus. The second of these progress views shows several adjustments and changes that were made to the original drawing.

2018 also marks the 200th anniversary of the publication of Frankenstein.

Looming Deadlines

On this, another wet, wintry Ballarat morning, I soak up the vista from my work table: another table with another pile of work with another hovering deadline. 

Above, foreground: ink drawings on linoleum blocks, preparatory work for my forthcoming residency at Melbourne Athenaeum Library, beginning late June. 

On the second work table (most of it not visible in this view): artwork and related paraphernalia for PATTERNS OF COLLECTING/From the Bower at the Johnston Collection, opening June 4. (The framed insect collection on the far wall will shortly be packed up for the same show).

Below: A lino block for the AIR, drawn up and ready to go.

Work in Progress for library residency

Another linoleum block drawn up in readiness for my forthcoming stint as artist-in-residence at marvellous Melbourne Athenaeum Library. 

Scroll down to our last two posts for additional information.

Frankenstein's Women - a progress view

Pictured above: an ink and acrylic drawing on linoleum, 20 x 15 cm, another preparatory work for my forthcoming artist residency at Melbourne Athenaeum Library,  part of Melbourne Rare Book Week. (For further information, see previous post).

The completed linocut will form part of an artist book focusing on the female characters in Mary Shelley’s gothic novel, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, which celebrates its two-hundredth anniversary this year. 

Preparations for Melbourne Athenaeum Library Residency

Work in progress, pigmented drawing ink and gesso on lino block, 20 x 15 cm

Pictured above: a lino block drawn up and ready for carving, the first of several planned for two artist’s books influenced by female characters in the Gothic Novel - in particular, Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. Both of these hugely influential works have bicentennials in 2018 (it’s the 200th anniversary of Brontë’s birth and the publication of  Shelley’s novel).

The linocuts will be developed during my residency at Melbourne Athenaeum Library from 21 June, in conjunction with Melbourne Rare Book Week, which runs from 29 June - 8 July.

Full details of both events will be posted nearer the time.

FIREBRAND - an artist book in progress

Further to our post of Thursday, 22 December, directly below are further progress views of Firebrand, our latest one-of-a-kind artist book. Click on individual images to enlarge. 

Firebrand, artist book in progress, pencil and pigmented drawing ink
on Khaki paper, 16.5 x 15.5 cm

Artist books in progress

Two more Moth Woman Press books are currently on the drawing board. Pictured directly below in early developmental stages are Gorgon (top) and Firebrand (bottom). 

I'm still battling with the unruly snakes on the head of the Gorgon, but have plowed ahead with Firebrand. Below are three detailed views, followed by the first stage of the inking up process.

In 2012, I made a smaller version of this work for an artist's book exhibition at Hand Held Gallery in Melbourne. (The original book can be seen to the right of the tubes of paint below). I was never entirely happy with the end result, which I felt didn't quite reach its full potential; however, I've used it as working model for the current artist book. It's one of a new, ongoing series of concertina books collectively titled Tail End.