Happy New Year 2021

 Besides continuing to do experimental work as I decide what I can and can’t teach online, I’ve been doing some more etchings lately. Here are some proofs of recent etchings:

Here is another in progress:

I grained my last lithograph off the stone last summer, but had limited access to the KIA studios since then because of Covid restrictions, and have not been able to start my next one. With the studios open again, I hope to get a start on it soon.

Covid 19 updates

I’ve been working on personal projects since the Covid 19 crisis, but also on a lot of projects for online classes for the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts. In addition to teaching Basic Drawing online, there have been workshops on gel plate monoprints and kitchen lithography.

I’ve been posting most of my personal work on Instagram, also at gunplainpress.

Current Lithographs

I’ve finished this lithograph drawing on the stone, I’ll just have to process it and print!

I’ve also been working on a small accordion book, a series of small self portraits that fit into an empty make- up compact. The portraits were done on a plastic lithograph plate, a small edition of three.

The book is a response to environmental damage and “throw-away” culture, and out personal responsibilities regarding those concerns.

Current Projects

This is the lithograph I’m currently working on, a rural scene on Miller Road. The stone is one of the largest at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts; the image area is about 18” x 24”. This is the same stone I used for my Josephine Butler poster, which is currently on view at the KIA faculty exhibit.

The quote reads “God and one woman make a majority.” Josephine Butler was a Victorian social reformer whom I admire.

Autumn Projects

       Some photos from the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts wrapping paper workshop this November.

Works in progress... baby shirts for the KIA holiday sale.

,

Gifts from Laura

My daughter, Laura, made me these great items with the Gun Plain Press logo! She used a Cricut Maker. Thank you, Laura!

West Michigan Area Show

I was honored to receive the Kalamazoo Art League award for Border Police, my entry to the West Michigan Area Show at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts.

The image was inspired by a conversation I had with one of my students over print borders. Printmakers are traditionally very particular about having large, very clean borders around their work. The student asked me if there are any hard and fast rules regarding print borders and I said "No, there aren't any border police," to which she responded "I wish that were true in real life."

It's hard to see in this photo, but the outer border of this print is covered with smudges and fingerprints that are "walking" around the wall, and one set of fingerprints has breached the wall at the lower right side, to the offense of the guards. The entire image is meant to be a tongue-in-cheek comparison between printmaking and "real life."

Thanks again to the Kalamazoo Art League for their recognition.