Our shop had some very good energy in it the past few days and we were all a little sad and a lot tired when Nicole headed back to Murray. It was one of the most intense and productive printing sessions in a long while. Starting on Sunday afternoon and finishing the printathon on Monday evening, resulting in an edition of 35, with a small hand full of printers proofs for Wende, Dani, Daniel, Pako, Brian, and Donna. Rolling Knob press is especially please to have one of Nicole's prints in its collection.

Declining Constraint is a four plate, six color intaglio print, filled with personal symbols, rich textures, and subtle references to Nicole's life, her losses, and obviously her passions. She discussed the developments in her work to many students and many different classes, including drawing, foundations, and ceramics.

Nicole presented two very impressive portfolios, one of her prints and another of her current and former students. Our students and the printmaking faculty were especially impressed to see the work that students were doing at Murray State. They were ambitious, large, and beautifully drawn and printed.

Here Nicole places one of the four plates on the press bed, the RED! plate. Wende was the master of that plate for most of the printing sessions. Nicole leaves the paper engaged so that the multiple plates register, and her template is a thin tympan with a plate-sized hole cut out to fit each subsequent plate into. There were only three registration issues, all caused by me (rats!)

Daniel had a session with the RED! plate as well when Wende and Dani got promoted to other plates. All had very rewarding experiences with the entire process. We're going to try to bring Nicole back next year for a special book making workshop, and Donna's paper making class this summer will be geared up for creating some very special papers for that experience.

See some of the past few posts for additional images from the past few days.

Thanks, Nicole.

Nicole Hand Printathon

Yesterday was a full day in the shop with a support group that inked and printed almost 40 impressions, four plates and six colors - that's 160 pulls through the press. This group was the last combination of printers on the last impression: Donna Stallard, Nicole Hand, Wende Cudmore, and Danielle (Dani) Maudlin.

Nicole gave an impromptu presentation to about 60 students during the day. Talking about her works, its processes and content.

At the beginning of the day, donna was the 'yellow' plate.

Arts and Letters Academic Advisor, Greg Roberts, stopped by the shop to meet Nicole and see the progress of print.

Nicole and Wende examine one of the first impressions of the day.

Check by later, there'll be a wrap-up of images and commentary.

Nicole is in the shop!

Nicole arrived today, and within a very short period of time pulled a beautiful proof. A four-plate color intaglio. The above image is one of Nicole's prints she created for the Vitamin I Portfolio from 2008. She will be in the shop through Wednesday morning. On Tuesday, from 1:30 - 3:00 and from 6:15 - 7:45, Nicole will show and discuss her portfolio of prints and the current project for Rolling Knob Press. If you can't make either of those presentations, please stop by anytime to see the progress.

NICOLE HAND VISITING ARTIST

This year's Rolling Knob Press artist, Nicole Hand, will be in the shop from Sunday, April 10 through Wednesday morning, April 13. She will be printing an edition for Rolling Knob of a multi plate color intaglio.

Nicole Hand is currently a Professor of Art at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky where she teaches printmaking, bookbinding and drawing. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally in over 200 solo, invitational, and juried exhibitions. Recent exhibitions include Varied Voices, Denver Art Museum, Denver, Colorado, Delta National Print Exhibition, North America Print Biennial,Color Print USA, and Parkside National Small Print Exhibition. She has given lectures and workshops in over twenty venues including Atlanta Printmakers Studio, Arkansas State University, The University of Arizona, University of Texas at Arlington, Ohio University, University of South Dakota, Arkansas State University and The University of Kentucky, Lexington. The Cumberland Gallery in Nashville, Tennessee and The Heike Pickett Gallery, Lexington, Kentucky represents Nicole's work. She received her MFA in printmaking from the University of Miami, and a BFA from the University of South Dakota. Nicole lives in Almo, Kentucky with her husband Jim Bryant and daughter Ella.

We're excited to have Nicole with us this next week!