Japanese Woodblock Workshop

Judy and I have begun coordinating and hosting workshops in our studio. This past week we were lucky to have artist Daniel Heyman instruct us in the traditional art of Japanese woodblock printing. Daniel teaches at RISD, Swarthmore College and Princeton University and this year received the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship Award. He has done some amazing projects and artwork in which we were awed by. You can find more information on his website www.danielheyman.com. In this photo, Daniel is demonstrating inking and printing.

I spent the entire week cutting woodblocks and printing. My piece consists of 4 colors so I cut 4-12"x16" woodblocks in which I started printing in class. Let me tell you I carved wood day and night, even burning the midnight oil at home. I still don't have a print of all 4 colors so I can put my woodcut on the blog just yet.

We all surprised Daniel today by wearing headbands. Joan even dressed in her kimono!
Even Bandit put on a Japanese bandana (although it didn't quite fit on his head).
Daniel is showing us his work and explaining his projects and art installations that are very much about the lives and emotions of different people that include Iraqi prisoners or individuals living in homeless shelters.