Happy New Things

I've got some fun new things happening in my shop - a new limited edition print collection that I'll be gradually adding to + I busted out a block that I carved back in 2006 and printed from that this afternoon. It's fun to mix it up a bit and do something a little different!

Wooden Spoon Editions 

Etsy Shop

Fresh Ink :: White on Blue

I wanted to experiment a bit with some of my prints and some different paper than I typically use for printing. I've had my eyes on this Lama Li paper for quite a while and thought I'd give it a try. The paper is handmade in Nepal and comes in a wide range of colors - but wait....even better - I found out that a percentage of the proceeds from the sale of these papers supports community development initiatives like clean water, road construction, and other infrastructure projects in Nepal! Pretty sweet deal! 

All in all I'm really happy with how this turned out. 

Come back to see more soon...I got two other colors! :)

:: Hand mixing ink to warm it up ::

:: Rolling the ink out with the brayer ::

:: After ink is rolled onto matrix with the brayer ::

:: Burnishing the back of the paper with my wooden spoon to transfer the ink to the paper ::

:: Finished print and matrix ::   

         

:: An afternoon spent printing on new paper produced some fun results ::

:: Can't wait to do more like it! ::

Perspective

Lots of draw, erase, and then repeat happening this morning....the perspective on this canoe is really tripping me up! Hopefully it's better now, walking away and will check on it later.
Hope you're having a good week!

Oh So Kind

I recently received the nicest feedback from one of my customers on Etsy! It's hearing things like this that encourage me to keep creating more. Have to share....I was overwhelmed by the genuine kindness of her words :) 

About

I recently designed the About page for Wooden Spoon Editons on Etsy. It's a fun new space within the shop that is created for telling the story of your business. I'm sure it will evolve over time but in the meantime, come check it out :) I'd love to hear what you think and if you have any suggestions!

Highlights from our trip to Mexico

We recently got back from a week vacation in Mexico! We had a enjoyable time visiting with family, enjoying delicious food during Puerto Vallarta's Restaurant Week, and spending time in the sun!

 

Inspirational Artist :: Deconstruction

Off to Austria!
Austrian artist Jochen Höller, creates some truly beautiful collages. Made of deconstructed books or other typed material, his work is a nice fusion of both imagery and narrative. 
A collection of his work is on display at MAM Mario Mauroner Contemporary Art in Salzburg through June 30th.

pics via artist's website

Art-A-Whirl

This weekend is the 17th-annual Art-A-Whirl! Sponsored by the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association, it's the largest open-studio tour in the country. 
If you're in the Twin Cities this weekend, I highly suggest checking it out. It's a great opportunity to tour artist studios, meet the artists, and purchase original artwork. This year I think will be especially fun since I know a few people participating in it! :)

Friday, May 18th -  5:00-10:00 p.m.

Saturday,  May 19th -  Noon-8:00 p.m.

Sunday, May 20th -   Noon-5:00 p.m.

:: Plan your visit by checking out the directory here ::

Inspirational Artist :: Dragon Escape

Second stop, China!
For the past three months, Chinese artist Yang Yongliang has worked to create a dragon sculpture made of cement that looks as if it's bursting through a wall. The Chinese dragon has been a long standing symbol of peace, prosperity and power. Yongliang explains why he chose to use cement :: "China is now at the stage of rapid development. The construction, which has been built in the past 30 years in China, consumed nearly 40% of the cement and steel all over the world. It can be imagined that China, as a whole, is almost a huge construction site. Consequently, many problems emerge, such pollution, energy consumption, and cultural destruction.
"In this circumstance, I made a metaphorical creation of an escaping dragon, which is constricted to death, wanting to get rid of the enclosed wall."
Fiberglass, ceramic, and linen were also used in creating this amazing sculpture.

pic taken by artist

Inspirational Artist :: Bonsai Treehouse

First stop, Japan!
Japanese artist Takanori Aiba, is the architect behind these amazing bonsai sculptures. He creates his sculptures using materials like stone, clay, copper line, plastic, and resin - doesn't it appear that something, or someone...very miniature of course...has taken up residency in these beautiful bonsai treehouses?! His goal is to make a modern bonsai that portrays "the beauty of spiritual accordance between human and nature in miniature." Love it!

images via artist's website