Happy Accidents

It's been a while since I had a steady stream of work time at the studio. My press has been calling to me. I have started another reduction "Calaca" print for my friend, Carlos Barberena's print exchange.

While laying out the color separations I came across a happy accident that I'm going to experiment more with. The marker drawings I made onto the linoleum transferred once I rolled some ink onto the block. The result was a monotype of sorts. The effect looks like I've already printed out the other two color layers. Too bad the marker transfer faded out after a few passes. Still something to consider for future play.

A Presión/Under Pressure

Members of Consejo Grafico, of which I am a member, will be exhibiting prints at Taller Boricua Gallery at the Julia de Burgos Latino Cultural Center, 1680 Lexington Avenue, @ 106th St., New York, New York. The exhibit runs from February 17 - March 17, 2012. Come meet the artists at a reception on February 25th from 5 - 8 p.m. Info @ 212-831-4333

The End of Summer

Last year I sat in on a print making class taught by Jean Dibble at the University of Notre Dame. I wanted to learn a bit about bookmaking and the use of a letterpress. I also wanted to attempt some broadsides on the Vandercook press the shop has. As I thought about what text I would use for this experiment I wondered if any pals that are much more adept at word play then myself would be up to lending me some of their work. I sent out a few emails and my friend the writer and teacher, Bret Anthony Johnston was the first to respond. We were both very excited at the possibilities of collaborating on something.

Bret sent me two of his short pieces, one 340 words the other 720. I primarily chose the 340 word short story “The End of Summer” because of time constraints and my worries that I would probably mess something up on my first attempt at this process. Secondly, I really responded to Bret’s characters and the way he played the teenage relationship out in such a short amount of space. Trying to pick what image to represent the story was the easiest part of the process. I read through the story many times trying to just submerge it into my thinking. The fingers on the back seemed like an easy choice but I kept wandering back to the image of the coyote barking at the ocean waves. I don’t think I had ever thought of a coyote near an ocean. Maybe a river or stream. The image stuck so I went with that.

The limited type resources in the shop created many opportunities for me to diverge from any plan of what I thought the finished piece might look like. As I began to lay the type for the text I became concerned about having enough type in the same font style to set the whole story out at once. First there wasn’t enough “b” type so I figured out a way to use “q’s”, then there weren’t enough capital letters but I found enough in a different font to cover, later I wasn’t happy with the “b” solution but somehow was able to dig up enough “b’s” to finish the story…

Paper considerations were another aspect I hadn’t thought much about. Luckily, a friend had recommended Mohawk Super Fine paper for printing so I ordered a batch and used that for printing. The white of the paper is pretty bright and the ink just seemed to lay perfectly into it. At some point I also pulled some strange rippled dark brown stock of paper a studio mate had left me just to see what the contrast would do. I ended up liking the way the dark paper changed the feel of the broadside giving it a more somber tone. I printed up a few extra prints on this paper just for kicks. In the end it all worked out perfectly. Bret was pretty impressed with the outcome and we’re looking forward to collaborating some more in the near future. If you are interested in purchasing one of these broadsides signed by Bret and myself contact Bret through his website.

Caritas: The Immigrant in the Word print series

The paper I proposed for Inter-University Program for Latino Research’s conference, SIGLO XXI: Forging the Future of Latinos in a Time of Crisis, was accepted. I will be flying to NYC to present on a panel which will take place at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY in New York on February 23rd. My fellow panelists will be: Henry Rivera, Arizona State Senate Bill 1070 Daniel Eduardo Martinez & Jeremy Slack, The Migrant Border Crossing Study: New Evidence of the Unauthorized Crossing Experience through the Arizona-Sonora Border

My paper is entitled “Caritas: The Immigrant in the Word” which is the title I gave to the latest series of relief prints. The print series combines passages from books of the Bible with images of contemporary immigrant issues such as rights abuses due to legislation.

This 6 print series began with a print I created for the Consejo Grafico’s portfolio entitled “Borrando la Raya/Erasing the Line”. The portfolio consisted of images dealing with immigration issues. My contribution was a 9 x 13” color linoleum block print entitled “Fallecio el Señor Urbano Ramirez” (Mr. Urbano Ramirez died).

The idea for the image came about after I heard Mr. Baldemar Velazquez, President of Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC) speak in 2009 at an award ceremony honoring my father, Maximino Rodriguez, with the Cesar Chavez Tri-Community Award. Mr. Velazquez told the shocking but now all to common story of farmworker, Urbano Ramirez Miranda, who died in a field in North Carolina and was not found until 10 days later. Undocumented = cheap & expendable labor.

Within his talk Mr. Velazquez, an ordained chaplain, spoke of his search through the bible for passages that deal with the treatment of the alien/immigrant among other people. He found three passages that spoke to this subject - Exodus 22:21, Numbers 15:15, and the one of which I chose to use as a footer to the image. The passage is from Leviticus 19:34 “The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native born.” The print and quotes inspired me to create prints marrying the remaining passages with powerful images to make an impact on those that profess charity through their religion yet ignore the written word’s suggestions. I have expanded on the three passages with a few more for a total of six passages and images.

Exchange

My 1993 oil painting "Exchange" is gracing the cover of Austin musician, Adrian Benavides's new album "Same Time Next Life" set for release in June 2012. I'm pretty psyched to be included in the mix with these quality musicians.

Recycling the Dead

I'll be giving a talk at Harold Washington College in Chicago, IL on November 3rd entitled "Recycling the Dead". Public is welcome.

Navigating the Currents

I volunteered to make a print for Inkteraction’s Navigating the Currents: 100 Inkteraction Reactions portfolio. My idea is pretty simple: a printmaker carrying a heavy roller through a binary marsh of 1s and 0s.

This print's requirements were for a smaller 5x7” sheet of paper so the image is pretty small. I chose to further explore color reduction relief printing with my snazzy new registration system. This time I went for a cooler palette than the previous two prints.

(1st & 2nd color layers)

I don't know if it is the changes in humidity or my new block prep that have affected ink layering in a positive manner. In prepping to ink up this block I scraped down the linoleum with the side of a razor. The “La Vida Dulce II” print had some inconsistent ink layers due to what I think was the factory texture of the lino block. Each successive layer of ink picked up on the texture of the layer below and compounded the “orange peel” texture where I had intended flat areas. Of course I rolled with it and used the texture to some advantage but I wanted to avoid this in the future. I believe the shaving/planing of the block prior to inking led to a more even and flat layer of ink. Four layers of blue were laid down to create the print. I debated adding a finishing black line layer. In the end I like the all blue palette.

Reduction print (pt.2)

I decided to continue printing the reduction print on the wrong size paper. I'll just have to do another one on the right size paper later. Here is the second color run.



Here is the first color state, second color state and the second color on it's own for comparison.



Here is the third and maybe last color run and the block much reduced.

Reduction print

I’ve got a few pans in the fire.

One: I’ve agreed to make a print for the Inkteraction print exchange with the theme “Navigating Currents: 100 Inkteraction Reactions” due at the end of September. Two: I’ve also been asked by Carlos Barberena and Calaca Press to contribute a print to the “Calacas” themed International Print Exchange. Three: I have a few possible commissions I need to think about.



I’ve decided to try my hand at a reduction relief print for at least one of these portfolio exchanges. I haven’t attempted a reduction print since I was 15 years old and made a 4 color print of Freddie Mercury for my high school art class.

A reduction print is a multi-colored print that is created using one block. Each color is printed in sequentially, usually light to dark. You can start by printing the whole block as a base tone for the print or remove some of the block before inking thereby leaving some of the paper exposed as a base or highlight. Before the second run of color more of the block is removed ("reducing" the block)which leaves some of the first color printed (and paper) exposed wherever the block has now been cut away. This process is repeated until the final color state, sometimes a black but not necessarily so, is printed. The block is destroyed in the process, therefore it is not possible to go back a step and re-do a state. Obviously a little pre-planning and a good registration system is in order for a successful print.





The idea for the Calaca theme came quickly – a variation of something I’ve wanted to do for a while now. First I drew a color sketch then I transferred the image to a block. Next I decided what areas were going to be left white (the color of my paper) and cut those areas away. Next I printed the yellow base color… Then I realized I had used the wrong size paper to print this edition….!!!! (to be continued)

Prints @ SBCRC

Reception May 13, 2011 from 5 - 7 p.m.

Art Walk South Bend 2010

Our studios are on the South Bend Art Walk tour. Stop by and get your stockings stuffed.

Walls and Plates

The wall was completed on October 2 (Feliz Cumpleaños Ama). We’re just waiting on the print framing to be completed so that we can hang them in their spots (the white paper in the pictures). I’m really happy with the outcome of this wall. Thanks to Dolores and Gil for the opportunity to create this piece in their home.




I have been drawing on a couple of litho plates for a demonstration at Indiana University South Bend (details below). IUSB had asked for an image with a Dia de los Muertos theme. I had originally intended to create a different image for the print. However, working on the Luna Mariposa on the wall inspired me to rework the image in lithographic form. The print will be in orange and black which means I have drawn up two plates – one for each color.

(below is part of the press release info)


Demonstration of aluminum plate lithography and the collaborative process in printmaking.
9:30 – 12:30 Friday October 22nd 2010
in the IUSB printmaking workshop
room 101 in the Fine Arts Building

Indiana University welcomes Joe Segura and Ramiro Rodriguez to the printmaking shop on Friday October 22nd for a morning workshop on aluminum plate lithography. Segura and Rodriguez will collaborate to produce a two color lithograph drawn by Rodriguez celebrating the Day of the Dead. The workshop will highlight both the technology of the process as well as reveal the methodology of a printmaker and artist functioning in a collaborative manner. Examples of the work of both artists will be a major part of this presentation.
All students and guests are welcome.

The dragon, the tree and the wall

Another patron has purchased a suite of the Earth Dragon prints. This is the suite of prints pulled from the coffin I created for my installation "Cuentos y Memoria" in 2007.

This print has become a bit of a challenge to frame and exhibit because of it’s 18” x 16’ length. The solution has been to frame up the prints in 4 sections - the three “head” portions of the print in one frame, the two 54” long side prints and the “tree of life/tail” sections separately.

While working out framing logistics and placement options the couple asked if I would be interested in painting some elements from the print designs onto a stairway wall in their home somewhat like what I did in Omaha last year. Here is what the wall looks like after two nights of working on it. The white rectangles are where the framed prints will be hanging.

3rd Ward : Ramiro Rodriguez

Please follow this link and vote for my work. Your vote could help me win a $1,000 cash grant and a feature in 3rd Ward's Quarterly Magazine.
You may vote every 24 hours.

3rd Ward : Ramiro Rodriguez

Materia Prima

My exhibit "Materia Prima" opens at the Crossroads Gallery in downtown South Bend, Indiana.
Reception is Friday December 4th from 5-9 p.m.

Crossroads Gallery
217 South Michigan Street
South Bend, IN 46601

The exhibition runs from November 30, 2009 - January 29, 2010.

Update: The show has been extended to run until February 19, 2010.

blld

My painting "Materia Prima" graces the cover of the latest offering by musicians Markus Reuter and 05Ric (Ric Byer). You can hear some sneak previews at www.myspace.com/blldproject . These images are the working examples and not the final cd cover design.

More winter exhibitions

I have a couple of exhibitions happening this winter in South Bend, Indiana, USA. Follow the links for place, date and maps.


Oscura: Prints, Drawings and Paintings by Ramiro Rodriguez @ the South Bend Civic Theater Community Gallery. October - December 2009.



Materia Prima: Recent Paintings and Prints by Ramiro Rodriguez @ the Crossroads Gallery in downtown South Bend. November 30, 2009 - January 29, 2010

"The Dream" exhibit

The Goshen College Multicultural Affairs Office,

Good Library, and the Center for Intercultural Teaching and Learning

bring to you:


"The Dream"

Art Exhibit at the Good Library Gallery

January 25-Febuary 18

Opening reception: Sunday, Jan. 25 from 2-4 p.m.

 




Featured Artists:

Richard Allen, painter

Margaret Bryant, fiber

Joe Casey, painter (self taught)

Javaughn Renee, painter

Laurie Rousseau, light boxes, photography

Ramiro Rodriguez, print maker

Kay Westhues, photographer

Jake Webster, sculptor



Opening reception: Sunday, Jan. 25 from 2-4 p.m.

This a FREE event!

In case you can't make it...

My friend, Jon W., has posted a 360 video view of my exhibit installation, Herencia, at Latino Arts Inc. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The show runs through February 6th if you want to see it "in person."

Delivery

2008, December 3rd

The week leading up to delivery to Wisconsin had me in a spiraling mass of energy. Spent Saturday the 29 finishing up Hueco and Materia Prima while L framed up the last prints. Sunday was spent packing all the works – wrapping and boxing prints, wrapping paintings, picking up cardboard padding and the truck to haul everything in. Sunday night I packed it all into the truck and prayed it wouldn’t blizzard overnight.

Monday I rode out into a snow storm that didn’t look too bad at first. What worried me was how a 14’ truck would handle in the icy road and high winds. I white knuckled it through most of Indiana (6 cars in the median and ditch within the first 30 miles – including a cop car!) then got to Chicago just in time for the rush. What rush? It took me a couple of hours just to clear the city.

Finally got to Milwaukee and unloaded the truck in freezing wind. I spent the better part of the day unwrapping, laying out and hanging the works. I eliminated a few prints and one painting in the process. The model I had constructed at home made a big difference in helping lay out the space. It looks pretty darn good.

I made the long late night drive back in somewhat better weather. Looking forward to the drive back with the family on Friday. I’ll post some pics and comments sometime after the big event.