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| Ladybeetle on Blossom, 8" x 8" linocut by Ele Willoughby, 2026 |
The 5th prompt for #PrintmakerSolstice2526 was odd. I decided to veer from my series of women in STEM prints. This was partially because I couldn't think of a good mathematician or scientist choice for the theme that I had not already portrayed, and partially because describing someone as "odd" is not necessarily flattering. Also, one portrait a week is also a fast pace, what with the amount of labour involved carving and printing lino blocks.
So, I thought I would use some of the blocks I made for the Invertefest Anthology. For odd, I chose the seven-spotted ladybeetle (or ladybird or lady bug) on an apple blossom. Both the 7 spots and the 5 petals match are odd numbers of course.
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| Alfalfa Leafcutting Bee, 9" x 11" linocut by Ele Willoughby, 2026 |
A second print from blocks I made for the Invertefest Anthology is my alfalfa leafcutting bee, cutting a leaf. The alfalfa leafcutting bee (Megachile rotundata) is a solitary bee originally from Europe which has been spread to all continents but Antartica for agriculture. In North America it has become feral and widespread. A prolific pollinator (but not a honey-maker) of alfalfa, amongst other food crops, this little bee cuts telltale half-moon shaped pieces out of leaves with which to line her nest. This hand-printed linocut print is made on 9" x 11" Japanese paper.
Both prints can now be found in my shop.
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