Linocut progress

Been working on this all week. Monday I was working on the digital image in Illustrator. Tuesday I transferred the image to the linoleum via carbon paper (yes, that was ridiculously time-consuming). Started cutting the plate last night. Spent the day chip-chip-chipping away. Still much to cut but I think another full day will get me there. The really tricky bits are the letters which are all done now.

I’m not going to say what it is but you might be able to figure it out.

Yes, there’s a puffin involved.

If the stars align in the coming days, I should have a print to post by Friday. Will have to use water-based inks for this so that I can have dry prints for Saturday’s market.

Now I’m having a beer. I hear it’s good for tired eyes. Better have two.

Bags, bags and more bags

I remember the first market of this year -- my first in about 10 years -- someone was buying one of my embossed pieces and I asked if she wanted a bag. She said yes and as I fumbled around my gear beneath the table I realized I had run out of my small stash of plastic grocery bags. Oops.

Five or six markets later, I finally ordered some proper paper kraft bags which arrived last week. I’m tinkering with a linocut to apply some homespun branding.

Got another Some Good Market in Makinsons this Saturday! In other market news, I’ve been accepted as a vendor at the St. John’s Farmers Market for this season. Hopefully I will find out in the coming days what my schedule will be.

Fancy Puffin finale

This little fellow is finished (though I’m debating adding some colour to his tie). I originally planned to have a lot less colour (like in the Grand Puffins piece) but I’m happy with the way he turned out: he still has the flavour of an antique photo which was the goal. Much more detail in this one as well. I’ll repost the underpainting below so you can see his humble beginnings.

Fancy Puffin
Oil on canvas
18" x 24"

12

Fancy prints of fancy puffins

I picked up a few canvas reproductions of the Grand Puffins today from Newfoundland Canvas and they look fantastic (if I do say so myself). I’ll be donating one to a silent auction fundraiser for Memorial University Athletics and the other I’ll be bringing to Some Good Market in Makinsons on Saturday. Also joining the puffins will be some new copper embossed pieces which got their final coat of varnish today (see below). Not joining me at market is Willow (bottom pic). She was doing some serious lounging by the patio door today.

Market wares

As a part of my application to the St. John’s Farmers Market, I had to submit photos of my products as they have a juried process. So I thought I’d pop them up here as well. I didn’t have any good display shots from other markets this year so did a little market re-enactment in the dining room this morning.

And speaking of which, I’ll be at Some Good Market in Makinsons, Newfoundland, this Saturday, 10am-4pm. Drop out for a visit and pick up your last minute Mother’s Day gift!

Fancy puffin

Started a new puffin painting on the weekend. He’s still at the underpainting stage but he’s got potential.

Copper pipes

My much anticipated shipment of metal arrived this week and I’ve been manically tooling copper for the last few days. Along with the metal was a container of Liver of Sulphur, a disgusting sounding but effective substance for adding patina to copper which I’m testing out today.

Above is one of the pieces I’ve been working on this week.