Birds of a feather

I conducted a 6 week printing workshop with Jr. High students at Good Shepherd Montessori School. Art Specialist, Ms. Rousseau and Guide, Miss Hoipkemier assisted. In preparation for creating a print the students first visited the Snite Museum of Art at the University of Notre Dame to see examples of various relief prints selected from the Snite’s vast collection. Through the prints students were able to see firsthand examples of techniques in mark making and subject matter to further enhance their own image making potential. The next five weeks allowed the students to draw, carve out, and print editions of their linoleum block images.

Birds of Indiana were selected as subject matter for the prints the students and I would create. I believe that a personal connection with a project resonates truer with the creator, as well as, the audience. GSMS's students' farm experience has contributed to their knowledge of the local environment. Each participating student chose a different bird that is commonly seen around their state.






GSMS also commissioned me to create a work that the school can give as an award at this year's annual benefit. This year’s award recipient is partial to the Great Blue Heron so I chose to print a 12 x 12” image in addition to my smaller class room demo entitled “Great Blue”. Because the award honors a community leader for their commitment to improving the lives of children in the Michiana community I included some of the students’ work alongside my own. Therefore, the finished composition “Birds of Indiana” consists of my own depiction of a Great Blue Heron bracketed by prints of six other birds familiar in our home state – Purple Martin, Snow Goose, Mallard, House Wren, Loon, and the Woodpecker each created by – Jace, Izzy, Laurel, Olivia, Robin, and Jonathan respectively. These prints were collectively printed in my studio with the press. I liked the look of the works all together so much that I decided to print a small edition of just the smaller student blocks along side with my own, Ms Rousseau's and Miss Hoipkemier's.

2011

The studio is buzzing with a few new collaborations. First up, my two little apprentices. I took a couple of drawings from my sons’ sketchbooks, added a few flourishes, cut and printed the resulting images on some t-shirts with my press. Hoping to continue these experiments in the new year.

I’ve volunteered to teach a 6 week class on relief printing to a few of the Jr. High students at Good Shepherd Montessori. We’re hoping to have a collaborative print made including images from each of the students, Laurie Rousseau and myself.

We’re hoping to tighten things up with the Consejo Grafico this year. We’re planning exhibits of the two portfolios created by the group and some organizational meetings for this spring and summer.

At home it's been deja-vu. The Lightboy has developed a taste for Queen and discovered the wonderful wacky genius of Don Martin cartoons.

The Don Martin interest started with the Mad Magazine Don Martin collection I got for Xmas. The Queen interest started after hearing the Fresh Air interview with Brian May. "That's a unique guitar sound." I remember being his age sitting in our living room reading Mad Magazine, drawing and listening to my older brothers' record collection. I eventually made the transition from listening nonstop to the Beatles to Queen. It's like history repeating itself seeing him doing the same. He’s particularly interested in Brian May’s unique layered guitar sound and the vocal gymnastics of Freddie and the band.

Synchronous event: While cleaning out the basement studio the same day we heard the Brian May interview in the car, I found the very first concert T-shirt I owned – a bootleg Queen t-shirt I bought at my very first concert for $10.

Art Walk South Bend 2010

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

LA La La Latino Art Now!

I'm headed to Los Angeles to take in Latino Art Now! conference. Follow the link for details and format then come and join the discussion.

Hoping to connect with some friends as well.

La Luna Mariposa

The new limited edition lithograph, "La Luna Mariposa" is available for sale. $100 a print. Printed on Arches buff 20 x 15" paper. The edition of twenty eight prints was split with IUSB. I have 13 remaining to be sold on my end. Get them while they're hot. Email me @ info@ramirorodriguez.com if you would like to own one.

UPDATE: 11/16/2010 Ten (10) prints left. Get 'em while they're hot!

La Luna Mariposa

Last Thursday Joe Segura and Alan Larkin printed up the orange layer for the Mariposa print in preparation for the demo at IUSB. Friday Joe and Alan etched the black plate and printed over the orange base they had printed the day before.






During some of the drying times Joe showed examples of prints his publishing company, Segura Publishing Company, has printed. I showed a few of my relief prints and talked about the ideas that lead up to the image for “Luna Mariposa.” We had a pretty good turnout and the students asked good questions about collaboration, techniques, inspiration, and shop safety.

I’m pretty happy with the results. I still have to go back to edition and sign the prints before they are available for purchase.

Dirty Printmaking

Wednesday I finished printing up my newest woodblock relief print for the Dirty Printmakers of America’s “State of the States” portfolio. The new print is titled “Toma, Tomas.”