Log cabin in progress

I've been a patchwork and quilter for many years and have thought for some time about a log cabin lino cut. I found a design I had sketched and decided it had to be a reduction cut.

 I forgot to photograph the 1st cut and 1st colour, which was yellow. I then cut away the areas I wanted to stay yellow and over- printed with red.

This design is a small edition of 12, here they are drying....

and a close up of the print so far.

It is actually on a creamy white paper, 300g Daler Rowney smooth water colour paper which takes the inks well. I now need to cut away areas that I want to stay red.

The prints won't be dry enough to print the next colour for a few days, so I decided to print my new lino cut, called Home.....

I cut this design on the grey hessian backed lino, which I hadn't used for a while, preferring the thin floor tiles I use. Using really sharp tools and warming it I found it OK, but it can be a bit crumbly.

Here's the result....

This is a limited edition of 50 and here's number 1 framed and ready to go to The Art Nest gallery in Hitchin this week, together with another 'Love' image to replace a sold print.

Happy New Year

Happy new year to everyone, rather late I know but it's been busy with my son back from Oz, hospital appointments, playing tennis, working on my website, printing, Barney sitting, taking prints to an exhibition, a new private pupil this week and 2 lessons to plan for tomorrow. I do wonder how I taught 34 children full time and remained sane - well almost!

 Interesting times also in that I did my meditation practise for the first time at a Buddhist Temple; the next morning I found myself unexpectedly sitting in on a water colour class watching James Willis painting  - a varied life!

I'm getting the feel of my press, last week I had more fun....

This is to mark the birth of my grandson and is an example of the Special Event commissions I do.

Ready for St. Valentine's Day, a LOVE lino cut with a chine colle heart .......

and the same design printed on sheet music.

The next print links birds and song......

my guinea fowl feather lino cut on sheet music. A bit of a tenuous link, as of course no-one could call the noise guinea fowl make, a song or musical!! We kept them on our farm and my mother hated the noise. They're one of my favourite birds; I love their shape and the beautiful patterns of the feathers. I also like eating them.....