Primal Line
and Form

August 2016

Block printing, at its most primal, is a celebration of line and form. There is a symphony that arises from leaving on the block what is most essential; everything on the surface is in the service of the whole.
Beyond the studio, there is the outer world: the world we inhabit physically. And an inner dimension: thoughts, feelings, desires. Our speech often embodies these finer elements. Both the outer and inner worlds can form a surface, like a printmaker's block, and what we decide to keep in and take out can be of immense significance.
My studio table here shows different stages of printmaking progress. The line drawing on the right is an old one, and I keep it near to remind me of joyful exploration with the most basic of art materials: the graphite pencil. 
The lino block on the left is one in progress! And the piece in the middle is the completed dragonfly piece, printed on Arches 250 gsm cover cream; it's titled "Her Transformation Rising."

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All images and text © Nicola Barsaleau. All rights reserved.