My first, ever, original relief cut imprint. "Clear Through the Trees" is an edition of seven. Two hand carved blocks; one linoleum linocut gradient sky and moon, one rubber-cut entangled tree branches, inked and pressed one after another to create this oil impression on paper.

(Any remaining are available in my shop. These blocks will not be re-printed, this is the only edition.)

Click to enlarge the art below:

This art, these imprints, were made completely analog. I used no reference photo, only my mind's eye, hoping for spring through those black, late winter branches. The carvings were done by hand, with wood and steel tools. I hand inked the plates between each impression; and I hand-burnished each paper into the carved blocks to pull ink into its fibers. This process is gloriously tactile; no machine could make this.

I hoped to capture that soft, colorful sense of anticipation, of anguished impatient hope, as winter turns to spring; dark and empty tree branches against a bright and pastel sky; the white moon framed through those stark branches. I can feel the trees longing for the sun’s warmth while the moon watches on. It’s clear through the trees. The colors of the sky's gradient hold particular meaning for me.

This is a deeply flawed set of imprints, they are hopeful, waiting. Each imprint is unique, original. The alignment is off on some, platemarks appear on others; the nature of the gradient and its colors differs slightly on each impression. I do not plan on pulling any more from the carvings as I wish to move on to wooden blocks.

This is the very beginning of an obsession I have been nursing along since last autumn. This chance encounter is only my first, and I hope to make many more woodcuts in the future-- these will be interesting to look back on one day.

This edition is shown in my April 2024 show and tell video here:
https://youtu.be/GkYCSn_VRrE