Whose HOO Around the World (Summer Fellowship)

Owls, owls, everywhere! The last week of June I had a wonderful time doing a fellowship for the Community Art Center's Summer Spree camp. 

This year's camp theme was WIDE WORLD. Having created a whole series of linocut prints of owls, I decided to put owls at the center of my project. 

Each group of campers were assigned a list of owls particular to one region of the world. They heard folktales from cultures in that part of the world and then made relief prints of owl species from that region. We printed the owls on cloth banners and hung them all around the children's garden. So much fun! 

This was my 2nd year doing a summer fellowship at CAC. My first was last year: Big Relief! 

"Long Eared Owl" on Display at UCAL Block Party Exhibition

I feel proud and honored to be exhibiting this woodcut alongside that of many of my colleagues at the University City Arts League this month. This version of Long Eared Owl, from my 12 Owls series, is printed in oil-based black ink on paper I made myself from cotton and local plants. The Block Party exhibition will be on view through January 3rd.

"Subcommittee" by Joan Drew

Feathered mosaic
Tree beset with so many
Personalities

"Night Owl" by Yoshijiro Urushibara

Night is not just for those who appreciate darkness.

Night is also for those who appreciate a more precise and restrained application of light.

"Barn Owl" by Betsy Bowen

Betsy Bowen is one of my favorite printmakers, and I've featured her before on this blog. This image was used with her permission. If you fall in love with it, she sells the originals and reproductions at her website, here, along with many other stunning prints.

Bowen has illustrated several books including one written by Laura Erickson and titled Twelve Owls (I found out about that book after I named my own 12 Owls project.)

I feel this is a more fathomable Barn Owl than the one I posted about earlier this week. This creature leans down either to inspect or search. Though it is beautiful and clandestine, it is also an animal with basic needs and instinctual behaviors.

"Barn Owl, Southleigh Wood" by Olivia Clifton-Bligh

Image used with the permission of the artist. Check out more of Olivia Clifton-Bligh's work on her website.

The use of gold and this particular blue combined with the beautifully stylized treatment of the feathers gives this a magical and  otherworldly appearance, which seems particular appropriate for the Barn Owl. There are two families of owls, Tytonidae and Strigidae. The latter are more common owls, with a more familiar, cuddly cat-like appearance to their face. The Tytonidae, or Barn Owls, are characterized by their heart-shaped faces. While they are just as strikingly beautiful a creature, they are also more alien in their appearance (which is perhaps why the makers of the film The Labyrith chose a Barn Owl as the animal alter-ego of the Goblin King).

"Owls" by Fred Jinkins

Image used with the permission of Fred Jinkins. More work by the "Happy Old Artist" can be viewed at his website.

It's a gathering
of the utmost importance. 
A cool breeze slips by. 

"Long Eared Owls" by Andrea Rich

Image © Andrea Rich

Image used with the permission of the artist. More of Andrea Rich's woodcuts and sculptures can be found on her website.

While my 12 Owls campaign is going on (through Nov. 6) I've been now posting owl linocuts and woodcuts by other printmakers. Last time I posted a print of a short-eared owl, so it seems appropriate to now post one of long-eared owls.

Intensely they watch
From high in their canopy
Shielded by branches 

"Short-Eared Owl" by Lisa Hooper

Image used with the permission of the artist. More of Lisa Hooper's artwork can be viewed at her website.

...Just today a friend was telling me about her one unexpected encounter with a wild owl. She noted how this large and fearsome bird of prey's plumage blended so well against the background that it seemed to be just a spooky set of eyes peering out from the trees...

12 Owls Gallery

African Wood Owl

 Here are all the linocuts for the 12 Owls Project I've just completed. The original artwork as well as signed color wall calendars and black and white coloring/keepsake booklets are being offered at a discount through this Indiegogo campaign through Nov. 6. All pre-orders will be filled by the first week of December in time for the gift-giving season.

Please share this campaign through social media and to whoever you think might be interested. The best method for reaching new fans and collectors of my work is word of mouth. Thanks!

Barn Owl

Barred Owl

Bay Owl

Black Banded Owl

Burrowing Owl

Great Grey Owl

Great Horned Owl

Long Eared Owl

Screech Owl

Snow Owl

Spectacled Owl

"Night Flight" by Celia Hart

©CeliaHart

Image used with the permission of the artist. See more of Celia Hart's work at her website.

The trees bend back, rabbit and birds flee, as the owl gazes upward and rises with the wind.
All night and sky are her domain.

Hand-Colored "Spectacled Owl", "Great Horned Owl", and "Burrowing Owl"

These are the final three color owls for the 2018 owl calendar project I've been working on. Will be launching the pre-sale campaign soon!

Black and White "Spectacled Owl", "Great Horned Owl", and "Burrowing Owl"

Last three owls for the calendar. I will post the hand-colored ones tomorrow.

Hand-Colored "Snowy Owl", "Great Great Grey" and "Barred Owl"

Here are the three owls in flight that I posted yesterday with hand-coloring with watercolors.

Black and White Owls In Flight: "Barred Owl", "Great Grey", and "Snowy Owl"

Here are black and white proofs of the three owls that are in flight for the owl calendar I am working on. Hand-coloring these today and will post those images tomorrow. I especially love these in black and white because all the busy mark-making deliberately emphasizes how these predators blend in with their surroundings. I imagine that most of their prey never even see what's coming.

Hand-Colored Bay Owl, African Wood Owl, Long-Eared Owl

Here are the finished versions of the three linocuts I posted about yesterday, hand-colored with watercolors.

"Poor Richard's Owl" by Rick Allen

I am intrigued by the pairing of this particular phrase from Ben Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac with such a lively caricature of this most impressive bird of prey, the Grey Owl.

Both hunting and worrying compel us to narrow our focus while raising our sense of urgency.

More wood engravings from Kenspeckle LetterPress can be found here.

"Barn Owl" (Hand Colored Version)

Here is the first hand-colored version of my "Barn Owl" linocut. I posted the black and white proof a couple days ago here.

"Barn Owl"

6" x 6" (block) linocut

I've decided to publish an Owl Calendar for 2018. This is partially inspired by the gorgeous Molly Hashimoto bird calendar that has been hanging in my kitchen all year. Earlier this year I created two owl linocuts - Eastern Screech Owl and Black Banded Owl - and I have decided that they were a good start for a calendar. The finished product will feature the hand-colored versions.

Today I printed the first proof of the third print for the calendar - a barn owl. I'm excited to see how it will look with color later this week.

Sketchbook Sunday: Barred Owl on Handmade Paper

This year I learned to make paper. I learned about and made paper along with campers at the Community Arts Center with Summer Spree Fellow Carol Gannon. I took workshops with Cozy Bendesky at Historic Rittenhouse Town, using seeds, leaves, and flower pedals, and plants, and then did the open vats workshop.

So now I have all this random handmade paper, some of which I have plans to print on, but lots of which I have no plans for yet. And I've been really lazy about doing my Sketchbook Sundays, so the obvious solution is to start drawing on some of this lovely paper. Here's my first attempt: a barred owl in flight.