Monday, February 9th, 2009
printmaking
In Minneapolis there are so many great arts organizations and resources for artists. One of my favorites is Highpoint Center for Printmaking. It has a cooperative printshop for local printmakers, a gallery, a visiting artists program, and educational and community programs. Last year they worked with the Minneapolis public schools conducting workshops in their studio with various classes throughout the city. My older son was fortunate enough to be a part of one of the workshops where they worked at the Highpoint studio to make monoprints. All the student artwork was then displayed at an art opening at the studio.
Highpoint also hosts free ink days, where the community is invited in to use their facilities and try out the various presses for free. This past Saturday they hosted a free ink day at the Walker Art Center, in conjunction with the Walker’s First Free Saturday (the first Saturday of every month there is free admission and there are numerous programs for kids, including art projects, films, music and dance performances -I really can’t say enough about this fabulous program). My two sons and I went and they made these woodblock prints using blocks that Highpoint provided. They got to mix ink, use the rollers and print on the press. It was super fun. Highpoint’s next free ink day is February 21st, at their studio. If you’re in town you should definitely go.
Some of my favorite woodblock prints are from minimalist artists like Donald Judd. Here you can see some examples along with some beautiful screenprints from Richard Serra, Agnes Martin and Ellsworth Kelly.
I also really like the woodblock prints of Vija Celmins, especially this one titled Ocean Surface.
Right now I’m a little obsessed with Polly Apfelbaum’s work. Her prints are colorful, contemporary, and almost pop art like. Here you can see how her Wood Street and Lover’s Leap prints are produced. Facinating.
on Monday, February 9th, 2009 at 10:51 am:
Polly Apfelbaum’s work is amazing and really inspiring…printmaking is a ton of fun.
on Monday, February 9th, 2009 at 11:06 am:
this is making me long for the stinky (wonderful) smells of a print shop.
on Monday, February 9th, 2009 at 1:20 pm:
thanks for the links, martha!
i am a big fan of rockwell kent’s woodcuts.
on Monday, February 9th, 2009 at 1:47 pm:
so much great inspiration here!
on Monday, February 9th, 2009 at 2:56 pm:
Thanks for sharing the links. I too am a fan of all types of printmaking. I recently saw a fabulous exhibit about the modern woodcut: http://hammer.ucla.edu/exhibitions/detail/exhibition_id/141
I especially loved the Terry Winters ones- though it was fascinating to read about the historical + cultural contexts of the various works.
on Monday, February 9th, 2009 at 3:16 pm:
OK, that is the coolest thing ever. My kids would enjoy this, too bad we don’t live closer. And polly’s work is so perfect. Love the colors.
on Monday, February 9th, 2009 at 9:24 pm:
Oh, the boys must have had so much fun. I know my boys would LOVE to do this. Wish we lived closer!!
And the links are so great…I keep wishing I could capture the beautiful waves near our house…I need to work on my photography skills because they don’t seem to turn out the way I envision them to. I love E Kelly’s work…I’ve always wanted to do a fabric + paper wall hanging inspired by some of his work. Thanks for the links!!
on Monday, February 9th, 2009 at 9:32 pm:
thanks so much for all the links! so inspiring…
on Tuesday, February 10th, 2009 at 12:49 am:
one of my favorite printmakers, discovered because i purchased some of her husband’s(kenny walton) glass work:
http://www.karenkunc.com/work.php?num=204
printing tomorrow, with a rolling pin!
on Tuesday, February 10th, 2009 at 11:06 pm:
I tend to shy away from free days at the museums because I figure they’d be too crowded. Guess i should give them a shot.
I’ve taken a workshop at Highpoint, but our work wasn’t put on display. Lucky O.
on Wednesday, February 11th, 2009 at 5:44 pm:
I always miss free ink day! I am especially embarrassed to have missed this one since it was at my workplace.
on Wednesday, February 18th, 2009 at 5:56 pm:
what an amazing resource in your community.
on Wednesday, March 4th, 2009 at 11:55 pm:
the highpoint center sounds like such an amazing place. i long to find such a space here in ny… i know they exist but the ones i have found are super-expensive, so i will keep searching! i loved the arts + crafts center in florida, where i took the screenprinting and jewelry-making classes. such a great resource.
xo