Printmaking at Arisia

        This past weekend I was at the Arisia sci-fi/fantasy/fandom convention, where I was on a couple of panels, exhibited in the art show, and ran two workshops on rubber block printmaking.  I had great groups at both sessions, including several who had joined me in workshops last year and were back for more.  All sessions at Arisia last an hour and a quarter, which is not really enough time for most people to design, carve, and satisfactorily print, but people do work at different rates, and most of them were able to ink up their block at least once.  Everyone was patient with the limitations of time and materials, and the fact that in the dry hotel air it was very difficult to keep the ink at the right consistency.  I think they were well-pleased with their work, and at the very least, I enjoyed seeing what everyone came up with!

        My printmakers ranged in age from probably about 6 to 60s, and we had a delightful variety of themes, from landscapes, to abstract designs, to animals.  As usual, I wasn’t able to photograph them all, so I’m sorry I can’t share with you more, including a cool winged key and a camouflaged frog, among others.  Here, at least, is a sampling of miniature works of art.  I like the slight roughness in the filigree and the sun face, so that they really do retain the look of hand carving.  I like how the owl’s background is so full of swoopy texture.  

[Pictures: Flower, and other carving;

Filigree, Sunshine, The Cutest Unicorn Ever;

Clockwork Cat, Snowy Owl in a Winter Tree, Owl;

Water Lily, art by printmaking workshop participants at Arisia, January 2017 (Photos by AEGN).]