Architecture of Nature woodcut prints by Deborah Weiss. Clockwise from top-left: Calligraphic, Palm, Vine and Cascade.
I am so excited to welcome artist Deborah Weiss to Ashes & Milk whom created the above collection of graphically eloquent woodcut prints called the Architecture of Nature. Through relief carving and a distinctive print technique, Deborah pieces together deconstructed silhouettes of botanical imagery onto Nepalese paper.
Deborah in her Connecticut Studio composing ‘Architecture of Nature – Vine.’
Nikko: Can you tell me a little about your process of creating a woodblock print and how you come up with your ideas?
Deborah: I have a degree in graphic design and art history. -That said the textile studio was my second home in college. Also, textiles to this day remain an unending source of inspiration. I found my way to printmaking about 6 years ago when I began spending time at the Center for Contemporary Printmaking in Norwalk, Connecticut.
The printmaking world is vast, traditional techniques and new digital media offers a limitless opportunity for artists. However, I became enamored of the woodcut print. About 5 years ago I began to commit my time and energy to solely exploring the woodcut print. For me it is a technique which is boundless and fascinating. Although I have had the opportunity to work with a couple of established woodcut printmakers I consider myself for the most part self taught. It is through endless experimentation that I arrive at a body of work. I thoroughly enjoy the carving process and print all of my own work. Unlike the traditional edition – I use and reuse my carved blocks – reinventing them and printing them in different ways.
The exquisite detail of Deborah’s hand-carved print block.
Deborah: I work in a very non traditional way – my initial concept is based on the carved block not the finished print. When I begin to carve I am thinking about form or imagery that inspires me. When the block has been carved I begin to explore the possibilities as I print it in numerous different ways. -I can rotate the block, overprint several layers and in the case of the Architecture of Nature series I began to print only selected sections of the carved block. When I had numerous selected areas of the block printed I began to reassemble them. I “rebuilt” the plant/flower form in a way that is recognizable yet fractured. The title “Architecture of Nature” seemed like the appropriate title to this body of work as I do feel like I am building a natural form block/piece by piece.
[ You can see the Architecture of Nature collection by Deborah Weiss here. ]
[ For those of you in the Connecticut area, you can personally experience the artwork of Deborah Weiss at ArtSpace located at 555 Asylum Avenue in Hartford. ]
