Some Afterthoughts

When I came back home to Hamburg my husband was waiting for his dinner. I had made a good dinner the night before and we had leftover spareribs, coleslaw and some good bread. It didn't take very long to get it onto the table. Today, I decided to experiment with the screens that I had used for my demonstration. I printed a few green backgrounds and then printed the black screen on them. This time I used a Rives soft gray paper. Then on just a few I printed Overprint Varnish with the black screen. This will give just the black areas a shine and not change the color at all. It will give more of a contrast between the green and the black. In this photo the upper print has the varnish and the lower one doesn't. The varnish darkens the black ink and makes a better contrast with the soft green.

Then I decided to print some note cards with the screen for the black print. I had bought some cards and matching envelopes at AC Moore, on sale a while ago. I decided to print on those cards. I put some process magenta and some process cyan ink onto the screen, along with a lot of transparent base. The magenta was in the center of my screen and the cyan was at the outer edges. The squeegee would do the blending as I pulled it toward me. I printed a few on newspaper until I liked the look of it.

I liked the way that they looked. No two prints done this way will ever be exactly the same. I can always use note cards, or they make a good gift.

Memorial Day, 2013

On this glorious Memorial day, I went to East Aurora to give a demonstration for a Road Scholar group. I had taken many of my "proof books" - they show the steps in printing. Each screen print is made up of layers of ink printed one on top of the other. After explained how the stencil is made on the screens, I invited each participant to print the second color on a print that I had designed to print with just two colors and two screens. I had printed the green backgrounds and they were to print the black stylized flower design on top of the green rectangles on the Stonehenge print paper. I had cut each print paper 7" x 9" before I printed green. This will enable the print to fit nicely into an 8" x 10" ready made frame

Facilitator prints second color on the prints. Participants are holding the prints
that they had printed.

Presentation for "Roads Scholar" Group

On Memorial Day I will do a demonstration for a group who are attending a program about Roycroft , in East Aurora, NY . My husband and I have taken many Elderhostel programs from creating stained glass in West Virginia to studying wildlife in Alaska. Now, the name has been changed to Road Scholar, a not- for-profit organization that inspires adults to learn, discover and travel. Their learning adventures engage expert instructors, provide extraordinary access, and stimulate discourse and friendship among people for whom learning is the journey of a lifetime.

I took the first Elder hostel program that was held at Roycroft. I had always been interested in the Arts and Crafts Movement in the United States. I had the feeling of "coming home" whenever I went to East Aurora - I still feel that way. This has evolved into my creating art work that has the look and feel of Arts and Crafts. My screen prints are often of garden and field flowers arranged in Arts and Crafts collectible vases. I  may surround the print with related borders that reflect the friezes of the period.

I have designed a print that follows Arthur Wesley Dow's design principals. When Dow died in 1922, he was called a great teacher. He had the knack for showing artists how to translate the poetry of nature into exquisite designs. For many, he was the single most influential teacher of arts and crafts in this country. This print will be made with two screens that are hinged to the same backing board.

design for print on a sheet of print paper.

This design will be printed in two colors. I will have the participants print the second color and they will be able to take their prints home with them. I will print the first color here in my studio.The edges of the green rectangle were deliberately hand painted with a brush as opposed to perfectly straight machine made edges. The contrast of the first and second colors is of primary importance for the design. The second color will be a mat black - it will contrast well with the soft green. I made the stencil for the green screen by tracing my layout lines with pencil onto the screen. Then I brushed the screen drawing fluid in that area onto the screen. After the drawing fluid dried, I spread screen filler across the entire screen. I let it dry and then using cold water, I removed the drawing fluid and was left with the stencil below.

Photo of image and screen used to print the first color (green)
with some prints, a squeegee, ink and other tools.

This design will be printed in two colors. I will have the participants print the second color and they will be able to take their prints home with them. I will print the first color here in my studio.The edges of the green rectangle were deliberativly hand painted with a brush as opposed to perfectly straight machine made edges. The contrast of the first and second colors is of primary importance for the design. The second color will be a mat black - it will contrast well with the soft green. I made the stencil for the green screen by tracing my layout lines with pencil onto the screen. Then I brushed the screen drawing fluid in that area onto the screen. After the drawing fluid dried, I spread screen filler across the entire screen. I let it dry and then using cold water, I removed the drawing fluid and was left with the stencil above.

Drawing fluid for first color.

 The second color will be black. I have prepared the screen for that. I carefully traced my original designwith screen drawing fluid. Dried the screen, spread the screen filler over all. I will show everyone how easily (I hope) the drawing fluid comes out of the screen and leaves the stencil for the second color. On Memorial Day, each person will get to print one for him/herself. I will remove the drawing fluid with cold water, dry the screen and have them print the second color.  I have added my initials in the bottom right hand side. 

Drawing fluid and screen filler for second stencil.