First Friday at Studio 204

I am the featured artist at Studio 204 for First Friday on September 3rd. I will be showcasing my prints this time in an exhibition called Paper & Ink. So, I hope you get a chance to stop by between 6 and 10 on Friday. I will be showing prints that use a variety of printmaking techniques including monotype, woodcut, etching, and collagraphy. And, while nature is a frequent theme in my prints, I will also be showing prints that are abstract and fanciful.

Hope to see you on Friday!!
Marti

Poetry in Paint at Garfield Art Center

Poetry in Paint opened at the Garfield Park Art Center on March 13th. In this show, each artist was paired with a poet and the artist was tasked with creating a visual interpretation of the poet's poem. I had the pleasure of working with Richard Pflum and developing my interpretation of his poem "The Swamp" into a woodcut print.

Unfortunately a broken leg kept me from attending the opening reception, but I was told that their was a good turnout for the reception and that the work has been well received.

If you get a chance, please stop by and visit the show which runs thru May 2.

Moku Hanga Class with Mary Brodbeck

I started trying to make arrangements to take a moku hanga class with Mary Brodbeck in Kalamazoo, Michigan, over a year ago. For those that don't know, moku hanga is the Japanese term for woodblock print (moku means wood and hanga means print). This technique involves the use of water based ink (or paint) rice past (known as Nori). You mix the pigment directly on your wood block with a little rice paste. Then. you use special brushes to spread it across the block, and final you print on damp paper. If you are familiar with the Western style of printing wood block prints, you know that this is a very different technique.

Finally, in late January, Cynthia Blasingham and I headed to Kalamazoo for a weekend class with Mary. Here is Mary showing us one of her latest prints.

And below you see Cynthia at work on her moku hanga print.

I am really excited about all of things that we learned and hope to start trying some of these techniques in own studio soon. But, unfortunately, I am battling tendonitis in my wrist and currently need to wear brace on my wrist when I am active. But, hopefully that will clear up soon and I will be able to make my own moku hanga prints.

Prints on Display at Irvington Branch Library

I am really pleased to have my prints hanging in the Irvington Branch Library thru the end of February. They are in the Community Room. The picture above is an overview shot of the east wall of the Community Room. As you can see, the library has an awsome hanging system for displaying art.

And, just in case, you don't make it by the library, here are a couple of slightly closer views of some of the prints in the exhibit.

Artists of INprint Show at Robert Goodman Jewelers in Zionsville

Show Dates: August 20 - October 11, 2009

Five artists from INprint--Cynthia Blasingham, Patrick Flaherty, Marti Icenogle (ME!!), Myra Perrin, and Betty Scarpino currently grace the walls Robert Goodman Jewelers in Zionsville, IN.

These are the four monotype prints that I have in the show--Wildflowers and Fireflies (top row); Quiet River and Summer Green (bottom row).

A very lovely opening reception was held on September 18 from 5:30 to 8:00 P.M. Bob and Rose Marie, the owners, provided wine from The Grapevine Cottage and food from Serenity, both Zionsville businesses.

INprint is a regional association of 25 fine art printmakers based in Central Indiana, formed in 1997 at the Indianapolis Art Center and affiliated with them since. INprint strives to share, create, educate, and promote the media of printmaking; and to encourage, inspire, and enrich communities through our artwork, with focus on social, environmental, cultural, and spiritual issues. Their artwork consists of original hand-pulled prints including etching, silkscreen, monoprint, monotype, collagraph, woodcut, linocut, lithography, and new non-toxic intaglio and relief.

Printmaking Pursuits

In addition to designing and creating art jewelery, I am now also doing printmaking. I have had the privilege of studying with Cynthia Blasingham this past year and have learned how to make prints using several different printmaking techniques, including woodcuts, monotypes, etching, and drypoint. I plan to continue studying printmaking and creating new prints.

The Start of My Journey

I happily started on my printmaking journey in 2007 when I bowed out from life in corporate America. At first I did a lot of reading about printmaking, especially the Japanese woodcut techniques Then in September of 2008, I started taking printmaking classes from Cynthia Blasingham and and have had an opportunity to try many different types of printmaking techniques in both intaglio and relief. I have done monotypes, woodcuts, wood engraving, etchings on copper, drypoint on plexi and collagraphs. As a result, I have decided that what I love doing are monotypes and woodcuts. I am sure that I will continue trying other printmaking techniques from time to time, but my current plans are to focus my printmaking efforts on woodcuts and montypes.

I have already participated in three print exchanges. Two in my classes and one as a member of INPrint. I was delighted to be asked to participate in the INPrint exchange, but also overwhelmed by the quality of prints in the that exchange. But that was good, because it will push me to strive harder to create a better print for the exchange for next year.

My current printmaking goals include setting up my studio space for more efficient printmaking, taking a class in moku hanga, and buying an etching press. Due to the price of presses, the later is a slightly longer term goal.