Shells

Last summer, I did a lot of oil studies to become more familiar with the medium, since to me, using oils was at first about as intuitive as painting tiny details with house paint.

These are three small oil studies of sea shells from that time. 

Shells I, oil on canvas, 6x6"

Shells II, oil on canvas, 6x6"

Shells III, oil on canvas, 6x6"

Way of Souls

These little prints are inspired by the Spirit Tree, a tree that still stood after a tornado struck Joplin, Missouri, killing 158 people in 2011.

With woodcuts, the wood grain and some texture often shows through in the print, and in this case, the lighter texture in the dark sky reminded me of the Milky Way. When I was a kid, I used to wonder about the relationship between stars and souls, so it seemed fitting in this case to call the prints "Way of Souls."



Way of Souls, blue, woodcut, 4x6"



Way of Souls, purple, woodcut, 4x6"



Mini Woodcuts

I have been working on some tiny woodcuts, using high-quality Japanese Shina Plywood, which is made specifically for woodcut printing. To get started, and to get used to the material, I began by carving tiny blocks, no larger than four inches across.

The process for making woodcuts is quite simple:

First cut the woodblock with desired design. Then evenly ink the surface of the wood. Lastly press a paper onto the inked wood. That is basically it, with a few specialized tools to make the process easier.

Here are the first prints I made this way.



Fabricated 1, woodcut, 2.5x4"

Fabricated 2, woodcut, 4x2.75"

Fabricated 3, woodcut, 2.75x4"

Construction, woodcut, 2.75x3.25"