Teaching at the Woodstock School of Art

Always a quiet winter but the daffodils have finished in Orkney and I have just finished teaching the Orkney Woodcut Print at the Woodstock School of Art in New York.

The School is on the grounds of the original summer school of the Art Students’ League of New York.

The workshop was held in the wonderful Graphic studios and I had a great team of willing participants.  This opportunity brought a bit of my art life full circle as over 20 years ago I learned the watercolour white line printing process from Pia Oste-Alexander at the Woodstock School of Art. 

The print studio is bright, big and perfect for areas of work.

This process has captivated me for its “revolutionary” twist on printmaking.  Each print is unique.  Each area of colour is unique. Every complete print is like no other and even the board, stained with colour, becomes a delight.

I have been teaching this technique on Orkney in Scotland since 2004 and this is the first time I have been back in the USA to share my adaptations to the “Provincetown Print” as it was coined in 1916 in Massachusetts. Nine lucky participants choose to experience my version April 23 and 24th.

Here is the wall filled with the first prints from the students.  This was our beginning exercise to become familiar with the paint after getting to know the chisel!

You can begin to see the possible varieties for each woodblock.

Here is a close up of my demonstration print.  The first one is bolder.  The second one is a bit gentler with the colour as much was gained by just applying water over the inked board from the first image.

The one on the right was the first print.