printperson

printing the edition

2008-05-12T03:28:05Z

I printed forty impressions over the past two days.

Here is the inked plate, wiped with tarlatan but not yet handwiped.

This is a view of my studio. Some of the fresh impressions are hanging to dry. Others are flattening under boards on the table.

TH update

2008-05-09T21:25:42Z

The plate is done. Tomorrow, I will begin to print the edition of 100. While everyone else is out planting in their gardens, or seeing the lilacs at the Ewing Park Arboretum (always a big crowd there for Mother's Day), or hunting for morels, I will be in my basement studio, printing. It has been a long time since I printed such a large edition myself, but since I am in Iowa, I have to do it alone. In Venice, my long-time edition printer is Roberto Mazzetto at the Stamperia del Tintoretto. I hope to be able to print at least 30 impressions a day.

almost done

2008-05-05T03:48:51Z

I may finish the plate tonight. Or tomorrow.
I will start printing the edition of 100 impressions next week. But I won't post a photo of the actual print until the Terrace Hill Foundation has the unveiling.
I have been working on this almost daily since mid-January, so it will be good to bring it to completion.

Terrace Hill update

2008-04-26T17:26:07Z

I haven't posted recently because my home laptop hasn't been working well (it took 1 1/2 hrs to start this morning), because the USB ports on my desktop at work don't function any more, and because I was totally swamped with preparations for the exhibition I organized at the Des Moines Art Center (Iowa Artists 2008: Drawing) that opened on April 24. There is a nice article in the Des Moines Register (April 24) on this exhibition.

Miraculously, my laptop is working right now, so I am taking advantage of it to post (while listening to one of my favorite Eros Ramazzotti cds - Stile Libero).

I have also been working on the engraving, and have additional progress to show. Two days ago I brought a proof of the engraving to Terrace Hill and drew on it in ink to show me how to finish the carpet in the foreground. I made a tracing of the new information. Then I re-coated the copper plate with white paraffin, placed the tracing (face down on the waxed plate) through the press so the graphite transfered to the plate in reverse. This morning I am drypointing these lines and will take a proof in a few minutes.

An hour or so later...ok, here it the plate with the drypointed additions (they look like velvet lines), inked on the press, ready for printing a proof.

13 April plate update

2008-04-13T22:23:09Z

I have been working...the plate is complex and the work goes slowly. I have been fitting this in with much other work - I am curator of two exhibitions on drawing that open imminently (Apri 24 and May 2). And I had a week-long trip to to NY and CT last week. I am back in Iowa now, and went to Terrace Hill with a proof of the engraving the other day. I did most of the work on the plate in Italy, so this was the first time that I was able see the image on the plate in the room itself. Did some drawing on the proof to tell me what to do next. The square/round frame in the other room is for a copy of Raphael's Madonna della Sedia.

another progress report

2008-03-24T17:19:02Z

Here is a recent photograph of the plate. I have had other work obligations so haven't had too much time to engrave over the past two weeks. But now the book cases and side table are in, some things are on the library table, and I have started to drypoint the chandelier.

engraving progress

2008-03-13T03:26:52Z

It is hard to photograph the plate without reflections - sorry about that. I hope the new work on the plate is visible.Click on the photo to enlarge. A lot of the work I have done on the plate recently is in drypoint. This is under-drawing that helps to establish placement and details that I will engrave with the burin. I haven't done any drawing in notebooks for the past two weeks.

peacock engraving

2008-02-29T15:08:12Z

Here is a view of the plate in progress on my work table. I am using a #4 burin to engrave. I have sharpened the burin so many times over the years that it has gotten really short. I recently bought another one but the shaft snapped when I tried to re-angle the face. Must have been bad steel. I have a peacock feather duster for reference on the table. I had never actually drawn peacock feathers before, so am learning. I am trying to decide how (or if) to attempt to render the irridescence en engraved line. I was happy to see a peacock feather design in the brocade a virgin is wearing in a Paolo Veneziano altarpiece at the Accademia. I also had a look at Aubrey Beardsley's Peacock Skirt, but although his approach to drawing the feathers is delightful and gorgeous in its own way, Beardsley wasn't too informative for me.

The second photo is a closer detail of the engraved peacock (or rather, the Victorian peacock feather holder)in . The lines are filled with whiting (bianco di Spagna) so they are easily legible while I work. I am starting to indicate some of the architecture now.

local trains

2008-02-28T18:40:01Z

You might be thinking that these are the same drawing posted twice, but in fact I made them on separate recent train trips to Montegrotte Terme and to Padova. I have similar ones from lots of other trips, but two are enough. Veneto regional trains don't have too much variation.

On the blog are earlier posts of drawings that I made on train trips to Verona and to Saint Petersburg (Russia), and then there are some of my airplane drawings too. When I was a student at the High School of Music and Art in New York, we had homework assignments to draw on the subway, so drawing on trains comes pretty naturally to me.

image transfer

2008-02-23T21:15:02Z

I covered the plate with white wax, then placed the drawing, done with a 6B pencil on tracing paper, face down on the plate. I rolled it through the etching press and the graphite transfered in reverse onto the plate.

I then incised the major outlines of the image with a drypoint needle.

and after that I removed the wax with paint thinner.

Now I am ready to engrave with the burin. Photos will follow as I progress.

progress report on the new Terrace Hill print

2008-02-18T14:27:34Z

First, a bit of history. Longer ago than I dare to admit, I made two engravings, Terrace Hill with Moose, and Terrace Hill with Bengal Tiger and Raccoons, illustrated here (both 17 x 14") to benefit the restoration of Terrace Hill, an amazing Victorian-era mansion that had recently been acquired by the state of Iowa for the governor's residence. The animal fantasies came out of the history of the house - hunting trophies, a tiger skin rug, the Raccoon River that flows behind. The two editions of 100 impressions each sold out almost immediately and are sought-after. Last year I was invited by the Terrace Hill Foundation to return to the scene and create a new engraving. I was intrigued by the challenge of creating something new that could complement two engravings made nearly 29 years ago, but were true to what my work is like today. So last month while I was in Des Moines, I made new drawings in the mansion (see recent posts). The Terrace Hill Foundation selected my drawings of the library and the peacock as the subject of my engraving.

During the last two weeks I have been redrawing and preparing the image for transfer to the plate. The transfer drawing is in 6B pencil on tracing paper. Today I printed the transfer onto the copper plate, which I had beveled and coated with white wax a few days ago. So now the graphite is printed in reverse on the wax-coated plate.

I will begin to drypoint the image, and when the major outlines of the composition are incised in drypoint, I will remove the wax and begin to engrave with the burin.

latest engraving

2008-02-04T15:53:18Z

This is the second plate of panoramic views from our terrace. I finished it and the engraving shown in a previous post, and I made many drawings at the governor's mansion for an engraving commission while I was in Des Moines in January. Now back in Venice...bought a new sketchbook from Polliero on Sunday.

peacock feather holder

2008-02-04T15:47:00Z

one more Terrace Hill drawing

2008-02-04T15:42:31Z

This is the grand stairway at Terrace Hill.

another drawing from Terrace Hill

2008-01-29T22:53:53Z

I drew today in the library of Terrace Hill. My finished drawing is on the table.

Jan 22, the music room

2008-01-22T20:31:17Z

This morning's drawing.

My new engraving

2008-01-19T21:58:29Z

I have just completed this engraving. I began working on the copper plate in Venice this fall and brought it back to the US with me just before Christmas. I have worked on it since things quieted down after the holidays and after many late nights of work, finished it two days ago. The plate dimensions are 8 1/4 x 19 3/4"(21x50.2 cm) It combines two adjacent views from our terrace, which is located at the junction of four canals. The view is along Rio Sant' Agositn towards the Ponte Sant'Agostin and, to the right, towards Rio Marin. Many of the drawings I posted this spring through fall are of views from the terrace.
I have begun a second plate that continues the view around to Ponte de le Oche, and I hope to finish it this week.

return to Terrace Hill

2008-01-18T18:43:10Z

Many years ago, I was commissioned to make two engravings of the interior of
Terrace Hill, a Victorian mansion that had become the Iowa Governor's residence. The two editions of one hundred engravings sold out quickly and became rather sought-after. Now, I have accepted the commission to revisit the site and make a new work. I agreed to do it because it was an interesting challenge to respond to my own history but make something true to who I am now. So, I have started drawing at Terrace Hill again. I did two sessions this week, and my plan is to draw every day next week for a couple of hours. I will go back to Venice with the drawings and engrave the plate there.
So far, I don't know what my print will focus on (the foundation will be involved in the decision), but just going in to draw is a start. This is a much larger notebook than my Polliero books. Page height is about 14 inches.

Mapping Lois

2008-01-10T23:26:18Z

Last night I completed a large drawing/watercolor that was commissioned by the four daughters of a dear friend of mine to celebrate her 70th birthday. Let me try to describe this drawing. (If you click on the image you can enlarge it to see the detail.)

The dimensions of this work are about 26 x 22 inches. It is entirely executed in india ink and watercolor. I have incorporated a weather map from the day she was born in 1938, and the isobars are repeated across the top of the drawing. That was also the year of one of the most destructive hurricanes to hit the United States, so I have included a hurricane chart. She has traveled extensively, so I included the flags of every country she has visited. Also, maps of places she has lived, including Boston and Des Moines, and a London tube map (her maiden name is London). The L and F reproduce two of my engraved alphabet letters. There are also images of her lighting candles at Passover, standing in front of a Calder painting in her collection, and with her husband and nine grandchildren. She loves color.

Precinct 70 Democratic caucus at Merrill Middle School, Des Moines

2008-01-04T17:20:57Z

Four caucuses were held at our site, Merrill Middle School. Ours was held in the gymnasium. We had 554 registered participants and at least a hundred observers, including foreign press and tv. It was a glorious event. I have indicated the first and second round results.

Hillary Clinton final pre-caucus rally, Iowa State Historical Museum

2008-01-03T15:58:51Z

Last night, I attended the Hillary's final pre-caucus rally. It was held in the atrium of Iowa's State Historical Museum in Des Moines. The museum space is very interesting in its own right, with antique biplanes hanging from the stepped glass ceiling. They certainly add a touch of weirdness to this political image. There were so many people there. (the newspaper says about 2000). I arrived early, picked my spot and backed up to a pillar so I wouldn't have lights shining in my eyes, would block anyone or be pushed. The crowd was warmed up with music and then a Hillary trivia contest with tee-shirt prizes. Finally, the star-power arrived...Bill and Chelsea Clinton, Madeleine Albright, Wesley Clark, plus stars and Iowa state and national Democratic politicians. Bill introduced Hillary, she spoke, and the crowd loved it. I made three drawings...am posting two...may watercolor them eventually. I have come to the end of the notebook, and am working backwards on pages earlier left blank. So these last drawings are interspersed with Venice.

Tonight...the caucus itself.

Barak Obama caucus event

2008-01-02T19:58:56Z

Along with a thousand of my neigbhors, I celebrated the first day of the new year by going to attend Barak Obama rally at Des Moines' Theodore Roosevelt HS gymnasium. This was the Obama event I was waiting to see...one filled with passion and energy. He has matured as a campaigner and now knows how to deliver his message and vision. He has come a long way since Feb 2007. The scene was great for drawing. I stood to the side near the press desks. Made three drawings and I think they capture the scene pretty well. I wasn't fast enough to catch Obama to ask him to sign my drawing, but Michelle Obama signed the drawing I made of her introducing her husband.
Just 29 hours to go.
CNN will be broadcasting live from our caucus tomorrow night.

Bill Richardson Iowa caucus event

2008-01-02T19:50:18Z

I should have posted this earlier, but was hoping to get around to putting a bit more watercolor on the the drawing. On a heavily snowy day last week, we attended a meeting with Bill Richardson at the West Des Moines public library. Every seat was filled, and standees crowded around. The candidate gave a splendid presentation on his positions and abilities, and took many questions from the audience. He listens well and gives thoughtful answers. So well qualified! At left, the profile of Mr. P.

Hillary Clinton rally, Cumming, Iowa

2007-12-29T21:56:11Z

The Clinton rally was held at the Celebration Barn in Cumming, Iowa. It was packed. We had a mobility-impaired person with us, and had emailed the campaign about that, so we were given reserved seats right up front. While we waited for the candidate to arrive, we got to enjoy the Maple Street Band play a variety of political and patriotic music, including Happy Days are Here Again and God Bless America. This time the stage had a backdrop of people as well as a gigantic American flag.

Hillary and entourage finally arrived. After introductions, she began her very well-received speech. I had a great vantage point to draw, and after the speech, to shake hands. I showed her my drawing of people listening to her and asked her to sign it. (Secret service asked me to put away my pen, she was signing with her own pen). I admired the fact that she wrote her name so as not write over the lines of my drawing (the man's leg and shoe). Also in the drawing are Christie Vilsack (former first lady of Iowa) and Chelsea Clinton. Hillary herself is not in the drawing.

Christmas

2007-12-29T21:41:55Z

We took a break from presidential politics to celebrate Christmas with owlfish, C, marzapane, Mr. P, and AAN. It's been a very long time since we were all together in Des Moines for Christmas.