Inspiration: Nature and Vintage Printmaking

 I have spent the last few months immersed in as much nature as possible.  My energy levels and motivation are directly proportional to how much time I spend in water, near trees, and touching the earth.  I am a shameless hippie! My children carry my tree hugging blood, so life in general is much more pleasant when we all have sufficient space and time to explore and absorb mother nature in all her glory. 

Time in trees and water is essential!

Getting all touchy-feely!

Our adventures have been and will continue to be rejuvenating.  Part of my self-care as a mother and artist is to make sure we have logged enough hours of barefoot-hands-in-the-dirt-wave-riding-river-floating-tree-climbing as possible, all year long!  I hadn't intended this post to be so ridiculously about my family, but time with my children in nature brings out the best in all of us.  Our re-entry into urban life is made easy by their lengthened attention spans, focused play and imagination. Which allows me time to do my work! 

Gustave Baumann-wood cuts, each color is a separate plate

 I'm currently working on an album cover for a friend which will be done in the style of one of my favorite printmakers, Gustave Baumann.  His color palettes and textures are beautiful and I feel the grandness of nature when I see his work.  They're nostalgic and warm and everything that I love about printmaking.  The irregularities and textures within his colors make his images vibrant and beautiful. 

He is able to make the nature depicted in his images both vast and intimate at the same time.  I love this kind of contrast and hope to do the same in my work! I love his style and his acceptance of adventure as part of the creative process.   "Art...is a kind of tyrant; it pushes you around. It came to me dressed in wanderlust." - Gustave Baumann