it comes

His way is not my way, Isaiah 55: 8 tells me. He's been telling me to “drink in his peace--let go off fretting—rely on what he brings my way—thank him for the things that disappoint as well as the things that bring joy.” 

As I looked off to the side I could see the leaning cloud with its astute shading. My feet pedaled, the sprockets clicked, the rubber tires moved me gently over the rough tarmack of Highway B. It was like God was doing X games. You know those amazing riders on ESPN who flew high, somersaulted their bikes, and landed smoothly on the down turned ramp. God was twirling his bike handles in mid air, a fancy cloud stacked with flair, and his voice said to me, “look at this! Isn’t it cool?!”  I replied in my head, ‘That is fine, God. I am happy for you. How majestic is your name. How clever are your skills. I am truly impressed. But what will it be that you will bring to me??? What will be the thing you want me to paint?’

I used to feel intimidated by the wonders of nature. Felt compelled to master what I saw. Yanked this way and that. How majestic is your name. It is enough to give him credit for his astounding compositions in nature. I am drawn to wait. What surprise does he have set aside for me….

Easel faced toward the east end of my neighbor’s waning pond, the willows in shade, the edge of the water receded from the heat wave. Half way through the morning, God brought his awesome clouds into the patch of blue,  just behind the tree tops. Combinations from the brush excited me. Eagerly I ran to the shed and into the house to pull out paintings with unfinished skies. Darkened values received a new coat of titanium white and cobalt blue, swish spish swash splash. Muscles jubilant, awash with joy. It came,  just as he had said it would. Yes, he brought this moment along with the energy and spunk. He who is high about the tree tops. He who brought something unexpected. He who brought peace to drink. A light load to bear. A smile for my heart. 

Floating on my back in the Walmart rim-inflated pool, I looked up at the green pattern above, fuzzy without my glasses. How majestic is your name, Father. Jesus, this way, your way, high above the branches, is not my way. Walk away, you tell me. Walk away from my greed. Nothing escapes your attention. Time and again I fall back on my sneaky ways. Your restraining order is a discipline with which you are training me. Train me, Lord. Help me to wait. I will drink in your peace. Personal trainer, lead me in your word. Train my heart. Teach me your way. You are doing it well. Your peace quiets my mind, when it comes

Nebraska exhibit

Friday evening, August 3rd, I invite you to join me from 7:00 to 9:00 pm for my art reception in Lincoln, Nebraska. "As It Comes : Wood, Ink, Paper, Paint" will feature my latest creations in the lower level of The Burkholder Project. Check the map, it is right across the street from Lazlo's Brewery and Grill 719 P Street, Haymarket District, Lincoln, NE 68508

The show will run August 3 to 30. The gallery hours are Tuesday - Friday: 10 am - 4 pm. Saturday: 10 am - 2 pm(9 am - 3 pm during Farmers Market). Mondays by appointment. Phone: 402-477-3305  (Please call only during gallery hours) Also on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/burkholderproject

linocut reduction - part two

Notes from diary (double click on images):

Feb 17,  Friday

Set up work table up, moved pet bowls out, and blocked doorway. 

1 ½ hours spent looking over printing sequence, to figure out which color to work on next.
 

Two hours spent cutting 6 x 4 inch block (above).
One hour spent pencil layout on 12 x 19 inch block (below).

Reference studies were taped to the front of each block for image placement.
 
 
















I rubbed graphite on the back side, and drew marks on the front side to transfer onto the block.

Feb 18, Saturday

Two hours spent cutting on 6 x 4 inch block and 12 x 9 inch block.
It was easier to tape the small block to the top of a small metal canister. That elevated the block and made viewing the tiny cuts better.

(See next video)

Click video to see transfer marks cut on small block. Six minutes long.

 

Feb 19, Sunday

One hour spent locating and setting out more clothespins.

One hour spent to put dried sheets in order for hand printing.

45 minutes spent to uncurl dried prints. Gently pulled each over table edge.
Wondered what my habit for drying and storing prints would become...See http://karl-marxhausen.blogspot.com/2012/03/studio-considerations.html

Mixed “baby blue” ink

15 minutes spent on blue ink test strips. 

(above) After inking small block, I noticed the cuts in the sky were too shallow and the ink was filling them in.

(above) Spent 40 min re-cutting the dapple in sky, made cuts deeper so brayer ink would not fill in cuts.

(above) After one more hour all ten 10 x 12 inch sheets received their second color, and one trial print of the 12 x 9 inch block was made (below).

The palette and inked blocks were wrapped in plastic wrap for the night.

 

Feb 20,  Monday (holiday)

½ hour spent to scrub ink off blocks with soap and water, towel dry.

Two hours to store small prints in museum box with glassine.

Constructed paper window to mask the border for the large block (above). The block was inked first and pushed flush against the wood rig. The paper window was carefully laid on top of the inked block. The blank sheet was dropped on top of the block and hand burnished from the back.

Dug and cleaned up cuts on large block.

Decide against a blue border along the edge of the large block.

Two hours spent inking test strips of blue to match.

Inked nine of 18 x 15 inch sheets with second color.
Hit a snag!! The inside edge of the paper window was leaving odd inked line on the prints. What could I do to prevent that? That frustration was wrecking my day....
The solution was to fold and smooth scotch tape over inside edge of mask. Then I added wide slick “packing tape” over inside edge of window. I covered both sides of mask window with that tape (below).

To insure no ink would be transferred by mistake,  I wiped ink off the slick paper window after each print was pulled. (below, I have pressed the mask against the back door with my hand, and wiped the ink off with a damp rag.)

Cleaned up and rearranged room

Feb 25, Saturday 
Set up work table up, moved pet bowls out, and blocked doorway. 

One hour spent to mix and match blue ink

(above) After five hours straight all thirty-one 18 x 15 inch large sheets received their second color. Done for the day. Whew!!!

 ½ hour spent on clean up and putting supplies away.

(above) Compare sizes of small print on left and large print on right.

Mar 4, Sunday

Set up work table up, moved pet bowls out, and blocked doorway.

One hour spent sorting and ordering large dry sheets. Some borders were uneven. Every impression was one of a kind.

Two ¼ hours spent cutting on small and large blocks for next color.

½ hour spent cleaning up.

One hour spent downloading photos and videos to work computer.

A few weeks rolled by while I waited for an ink order to arrive. The company sent me white screen printing ink by mistake. The Kansas City Utrecht store assured me that the viscosity would have been too thin to use for block printing. Finally, the New Jersey office sent the correct ink (below).

Four 8 ounce jars of white block print ink. During the waiting period, I came to accept my new border decision. No border for the large block.

In March cut both blocks for the next color. To be continued,,,,,,,,,,,