Enjoyed a one day workshop 08-27-22

Friends who belong to the group "Quilts on the Wall", which promotes member quilts in various venues, but is apparently now a ZOOM meeting group, convinced me to join them for a one day live workshop on carving and printing with linoleum blocks.  There may be a new modern name for that, but so it was called sixty years or so ago when I did it for the first time.  The teacher, Tara Ritacco, provided blocks and erasers to carve and a carving tool, along with other materials, so it was easy prep.  We ran out of time and the printing part was a demo by Tara in possibilities to do at home.  She is very imaginative and gave us a lot of inspiration to try different paints, inks, fabrics, and experiments.  I carved two blocks in the class and did a little printing with textile paint at home.  I enjoyed the day and even hit a gas station with gas for $4.99 a gallon - something I haven't seen for quite a long time.  Since then I filled my tank at $4.79, so things are looking up for a less expensive road trip to....   somewhere!

This is the first block I carved.  I was amazed that the technique came back to me after so many years.  I think I did some blocks for a project in mid-1980s, but haven't even thought about it since then.  I must have some old blocks in a box some place in this crowded house. 

Then I tried some trees and my classmates thought this looked like trees with a bird house.  I didn't intend that, but I agree.  The large white triangle was a mistake, a problem that comes with thinking in reverse and carving away what you don't want to print.  I am thinking of ways to put a couple little branches to fill the space a bit. 

So, this is what I had to work with, including a commercial leaf stamp from a box of miscellaneous art stuff, the only stamp I could find when I wanted to try printing.

This was a first print.  Need to do this so that corrections can be made to the block.  I had to carve away some layers in the upper right corner to make a clean print. 

Then I did a more "serious" test print combining the blocks.  The fabric was a scrap from a previous dyeing class, I have a box of those leftovers.   As You can see the prints are in reverse, something planned for when the carving starts.  I think an opposite carving of the bird would make an interesting border with the birds facing each other.  

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