As autumn sets in.
From what felt like an unseasonably warm fall has suddenly shifted as I wake up this morning to below freezing temperatures in NYC. While it is chilly, this is one of my favorite times of the year as I can bundle up, put on warm socks and have a hot cup of tea. Working in Japanese woodblock print, I find myself more tuned to the change in the seasons, as the water-based medium involves the interplay with humidity and temperature. Creating prints in the winter can vary greatly from creating the same prints in the summer, as the wood, paper and pigments dry at different rates. This seasonality makes me feel more present, as I mark the year through the changes to my artistic practice.
On another note, I have recently finished a new woodblock print “Rainsquall” which aligns well with the shift in weather. It was inspired by some aerial photography I had taken a few years ago from a passenger jet with the birds eye few giving a new perspective on the dramatic color shifts from a rolling storm front.
Rainsquall, 2025
Rainsquall, 2025
Reduction Mokuhanga on Yamada Hanga washi
Made from two woodblocks with 13 color layers
13.25 x 19 inches
“My knees begin to ache
As I feel the pressure increasing.
That shadow, rolling across the far fields.
Glistening drops with faceted faces,
Lit by sunlight from above.
From here it looks so small
Watching over I imagine,
The clatter of rain on farmhouse windows.”
Available through my Etsy store; here
On another note, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the fantastic exhibition “The Unfinished Print, Five Years of Taking Mokuhanga” at Mark Christopher Gallery in Toronto, Canada. Filled with prints from contemporary artist from around the world, the show displays the breath and depth of possibility of the medium and showcases the many artists working in mokuhanga. This exhibition was organized by André Zadorozny as a celebration of five years of his insightful podcast The Unfinished Print. For those unaware The Unfinished Print focuses on interviews with the global ecosystem of artists, gallerists, and scholars who make, study and show Japanese woodblock prints in their many forms. Its worth a listen and is great to be part of the show to celebrate 5 years of the podcast.
Hoping everyone stays warm as the seasons shift and I am always grateful to be part of the wonderful community of printmakers and collectors that makes this work possible.
