New reduction print

The story behind this scene (or what happened afterwards)
For this folio exchange, Hand, Eye, Bird, I took the literal approach (as usual). In fact this image is the first thing I thought of when I read about this folio. For me, there is no stare more intense than a predator focusing on it’s prey, and although that was not my intent (to feed a helpless, cute little chick to Dexter), it was clearly Dexter’s.

'The handbook said' • 5-color reduction linoleum print on mulberry • 10in x 16in • click image to enlarge (and read the text)

As you can read in the print, The handbook said…, I am doing just what is recommended, showing Dexter one of the chicks (out of the box full of chicks that I just brought home from the post office). I am telling Dexter: “Gentle, good boy!…Mama’s chick…gentle…good boy!….” which I’m sure he translated to “Blah, blah, blah good boy, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, good boy….” (I now realize that I was praising him for staring, “pointing” and anticipating the kill as he trembled with anticipation). He is vibrating here (as little terriers do), eyes growing wider and wider. What you don’t see in the print, is the split second after…. Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, Dexter had the chick’s head in his mouth! “NO!! Dexter!!! BAD boy!!!!” I shouted, and in the next instant, Dexter had opened his mouth and the chick’s head popped out (chick wasn’t harmed), and then Dex was cringing and trembling with fright that I’d yelled at him (which is SO Dexter). It all happened in seconds–so fast that the chick didn’t even blink an eye or register the fact that it was almost swallowed alive.

Another typical vignette of life on our farm. It is never boring when you live with terriers.

“Pig, Hog, Bacon” (the book)

Relief-printed cover (on red, book-cloth-wrapped boards). 4 3/8in x 3 3/8in x 1in. Click to enlarge.

This book was created for Monumental in Miniature Books II. Photos of all of the books are on Flickr. Every artist sent in an edition of 5 to the organizer, and soon, these (plus many, many other artists’ editions of 5) will be divided up into 5 different collections. Some of these collections will then be curated for traveling exhibitions all over the world. The rules were simply to create an edition of 5 books (or more–artist keeps any additional book) that were no larger than 5in x 4in x 1in, and could be in any printmaking medium.

Pig, Hog, Bacon is actually an edition of 13 (which means I have 8 books currently), and the story visually follows the life cycle of a feeder pig.

Accordion book unfolds flat to 42in. Click image to enlarge

It measures 4 3/8in x 3 3/8in x 1in, and is a 4-color reduction relief (linoleum) print on the one side, backed by a 1-color bacon print on the other. The cover is hard boards, wrapped in relief-printed red book cloth. Old feedsack twine is used to tie it together.

Click any image to enlarge:

In the beginning, there are piglets.

Feeder Pigs: usually weighing 50lbs, purchased by one farmer from another for the purpose of raising the pigs for slaughter.

That's a Hampshire pig

A hog weighs over 120lbs. A Market Weight Hog--like the one you see here-- weighs ideally 230-280lbs and is ready for market.

Back print is covered in bacon.

The colophon

Poster for “Beastly Prints”

A 3-person show, featuring the work of Briony Morrow-Cribbs, Patrick Smyczek, and S.V. Medaris, at the Overture this spring, 2011 (reception May 6, Gallery Night!).

We (Briony, Patrick and I) just printed this today–our screen-printed, 4-color, 25in x 17in poster! Part of the edition will be available for sale at our reception.

Printed with 4 colors only. Click to enlarge.

“Pig, Hog, Bacon” (a preview)

A new (very small) book called Pig, Hog, Bacon. Here’s a couple of inside images below. More to come.

Images are 4in. tall. 4-color reduction relief print (linoleum). Click on any image to enlarge.

Mouse writing

click to enlarge

On the dog walk this morning, rounded a corner of the path and came upon this scene. I took these pictures just to be sure I really saw this…. You know those days that you don’t get enough sleep and wonder if what you’re looking at is really there? No? Oh, ok never mind.

It was as if the critter was trying to spell something out…a secret code? All I could read was maybe “oooooo.” The track led up in this curly-q fashion all the way up to the top of the hill.

It’s so fun to see how these guys move about–with a light snow from the night before you can see their exact movements. Crazy!

And a closeup:

OK Go’s Rube Goldberg YouTube video

“This Too Shall Pass” by OK Go:

I especially liked the comment (at YouTube):
1,394 people tried this at home.
And failed.