Linocuts by Lill

This week’s Music Monday is a special treat for me, although I’m sure many of you artists, creatives, and Museworthy darlings will appreciate it too. As you may know, my recent experiences in printmaking class have introduced me to the joys of making linocuts and woodcuts – relief printing techniques. As much as I enjoyed learning intaglio, relief really won me over. Imagine my delight – excitement actually – when I stumbled upon an image for Music Monday that is the work of a tremendous printmaker I never knew of until now. She is Swiss-born Lill Tschudi, and if she were still alive I’d write her a fawning fan letter. Tschudi worked primarily in lino, short for linoleum, which is a material commonly used for floor covering, made of linseed oil and cork. In printmaking it is carved into fairly easily with cutting tools. For color prints Lill Tschudi used multiple blocks, inking each one with a different color and printing on top of each other to achieve the desired effect. Very labor-intensive process.

Here are two music themed linocuts by Lill Tschudi:

The Cornelia Siegel FIne Art Gallery is the exclusive representative for Lill Tschudi’s prints. Visit their site for more images by this gifted linocutter. And check out this beauty from the Met Museum collection. As for me, I’m on my own now since class has ended and I’m without the guidance and instruction of my wonderful teacher Lisa Mackie. But it’s all good. I’ll buy a set of carving tools and some lino blocks from the art supply store and just let it rip and see what happens! My composition skills could use some help. But if I can create one decent, artistic print within a year I’ll be happy

Goin’ to the Printshop

Guess what everyone? I registered for a printmaking class at the Lower East Side Printshop, and it starts today. Yay! I’m excited! We will meet once a week for eight weeks. Excellent

This is an Intro class for beginners like me who know next to nothing about how to make prints. Emphasis will be on inatglio techniques like drypoint and etching, blocks, plates, and all that other cool stuff. Now I am fully aware that I’m a neophyte and therefore have no unrealistic expectations. So because I have no illusions about my ability, I’ve set very modest goals for myself. I’m thinking that after eight classes, I’ll be able to produce something of merely this quality:

Um, yeah, that was joke, in case you couldn’t tell

The above image is a drypoint titled Holy Family with Saint John, the Magdalene, and Nicodemus, circa 1512, by master printer Albrecht Durer. One of the greatest printmakers of all time, if not the greatest. Although Rembrandt’s prints are pretty amazing. The Met Museum has an informative essay, “The Printed Image in the West: Drypoint”.

Besides getting my creative juices flowing and hopefully having fun, I’ve also been thinking about how long it’s been since I actually learned something new. Gosh, it’s really been a while. I don’t mean learning in terms of acquiring knowledge. That’s something I try to do every day by reading, asking questions, searching on the Internet, etc. I mean learn how to DO something – a skill or a technique. Wish me luck!

Before I go I want to give a quick shoutout to my friend Janet Cook who is having a solo exhibition, “Power and Beauty”, at Dacia Gallery. Way to go Janet!! And I’ve been informed that one of Janet’s paintings of me will be among the exhibited works. That makes me happy Unfortunately I have to miss the reception Thursday night because I’m working. But I will definitely be seeing Janet’s show before it closes on May 11th.