David Morrison's visit/day 3

Another image and run of color was printed last evening after yesterday's post, so there are now three colors/layers to the image. David is considering several possibilities for subsequent printings. So far the above stages have been printed off of plates, but he is thinking about a run off of stone today. Click on any of the images to see more detail.

Here are some of the drawing paraphernalia essential to developing each of the images that are being layered. The box of doughnuts are especially vital to the process.

This is the stone on which David created the key image, but it may be printed as an earlier run rather than the later. The proof to the right shows the 'musicality' of the image, and the subtle transitions of value moving through the complexity of the line work.

David's hand at work, drawing on frosted Mylar on the light table. It will be used as a positive to expose on the photo plate for subsequent printing.

It's been an amazing few days so far in the printshop. David and Rob are printing machines, pulling around 60 impressions for each layer, and running each of those layers in one session. It's been especially inspiring also for this 'intaglio-guy', who is now considering the possibilities of a litho. What? Yes, I may have to get on the litho press soon. There is a much more profound reconsideration of the process when you can witness the workings and the critical thinking process of an artist who is a master lithographer. Too much fun!

Besides all of the drawing and printing that's going on, David is also doing presentation after presentation to various groups of students who stop by the shop to witness the activity. Yesterday afternoon he presented a PowerPoint to Susan's drawing class, taking us back to some of his undergraduate work, through graduate school, various residencies, and up to his current work. A fascinating journey.

David Morrison's visit/day 2

Rob Woolley sponging the plate.

Rob attaching a first run proof to the registration system while David supervises.

Two impressions, the left a first run and on the right a combination of the first and second.

David Morrison rolling up the plate.

The ink slab, roller, and colors used.

David arrived yesterday and spent the day getting unpacked, acclimated to the shop, presenting work and his plans for the week to the print class, stretching paper (60 sheets with each running through the press three times), preparing the registration on each sheet, and then printing the first run of color, a flat. It was a pretty busy day. Today, he and Rob are well into the second run, and already it is a beautiful image. It's pretty exciting to have this kind of energy in the shop and to see one of David's images developing from the initial idea/drawing.

Yesterday he explained that on a recent residency to the Banff Centre he had an initial plan going in, but after experiencing the awe-inspiring vistas of the Rocky Mountains and the lush landscape, he refocused into a new direction, completing a series of drawings. This new work is the inspiration for his new prints, based on nature, obstructions, music, and gesture, they are gestural and lyrical.

I will try to keep abreast with the work-in-progress and post the information and images over the next three days.

Rob's Thesis

The images below are installation shots of Rob Woolley's thesis exhibition.

Rob Woolley and Sara Jones opened their thesis exhibitions last night. There was a big crowd in the course of the two hour reception, good food, and lots of interesting discussion. Rob, as many of your know, is graduating with a BFA in printmaking. He's the third BFA printmaker from our program since it started in 2003. Brett Ernst and Diana Hatchett are the other two. Rob has been accepted into graduate programs at the University of Florida, The University of Cincinnati, and the Herron School of Art at IUPUI in Indianapolis. He has accepted Herron's offer. Coincidentally, David Morrison, our Rolling Knob Press Visiting Artist coming in next week, oversees the Herron MFA program in printmaking. It's going to be an exciting week.

New Relief Prints

Some new relief prints hot off the presses. Some are for an edition of four and some are for an edition of 11 for our Wonderland exchange portfolio.

Danny Palafox

Mel Smith

Will Goolsby

Tatum Park

Pako Martin

Miranda Becht

Jerry Abshear

Greg Truesdel

Daphne Dohoney

Daniel Marshal

Connie Goodwin

Aberlyn May

Lithography Press Woes

Our Charles Brand Lithography press had been inoperable for the past three weeks after the warp plate that sits under neath the press bed finally warped. We've had the press around 30 years and never had any problems. Then one day, as the bed was passing over the center roller, a shotgun blast sound came from under the press. Apparently the warp plate, a 1/8 inch sheet of steel, had finally stretched enough that is had no place to stretch to, so it would recoil with a considerable percussion.

This is the "new" litho press, repaired just in time for David Morrison's visit to our shop and Rolling Knob press. We don't have time to sand and paint, but at least it'll be functional for intensive printing next week.

Rob and Shawn are positioning the 30" x 50" steel press bed at the end of the litho press for reinstallation. The press bed is about an inch thick and weighs several hundred pounds. It sits on top of the warp plate.

This is the way the press looked for about a week after we removed the bed in order to extract the warp plate. Diversified Sheet Metal, Inc. made the new warp plate in a very expeditious time so we could meet the Morrison deadline. They were great to work with.

Thanks to all who helped, risking limbs and digits, to get our press up and running again: Rob Woolley, Shawn McPheron, Danny Palafox, Will Goolsby, Greg Truesdel, Pako Martin, and Jeffrey Purlee, Daniel Marshall, and Troy Haggard.

IMMERSED

Rob Woolley and Sara Jones will be opening their BFA Thesis exhibitions on Thursday in the Barr Gallery. The reception is from 5:00 - 7:00. It's going to be a beautiful show, come check it out. If you can't make the opening, the exhibit continues until May 26.

DAVID MORRISON VISITING ARTIST

The Indiana University Southeast Printmaking Department and Rolling Knob Press are excited to be hosting a four day visit by David Morrison to our shop, April 12 - 16. David will be creating an edition for Rolling Knob Press, a multi-plate/stone lithograph, and meeting with drawing and printmaking students to discuss their work. Below are two of David's prints that were exhibited in the Passion and Process: Impressions from America's Master Printmakers at Louisville's Water Tower in 2006.

Iconic Bracelet No. 1

Iconic Bracelet No. 2

David is currently Professor of Art at the Herron School of Art, Indiana University/Purdue University at Indianapolis. His work has shown in numerous international, national, and solo exhibitions in which he has received over seventy awards. His work is included in numerous public and private collections and he has been a visiting lecturer and guest artist at a number of universities. David graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1985 with Master of Fine Arts and from the University of South Dakota with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1981.