Loons and Snowy Owls, wildlife in black and white

The loon, linocut on Japanese paper, 9.5" x 12", by Ele Willoughby 2020

Between getting pneumonia and the school strikes, I feel like I've not had as much time as I would like so far in 2020 and I am behind where I would like to be. On the other hand I have several projects on the go! I have plans to make art with more varied media this year. I'm starting with some textiles but also working on some more 3D works and more electronics. Got some collaborations in the works too. I'm starting with some black and white animals and exploring how to combine different black and white prints.

Snowy Owl, linocut on Japanese paper, 11" x 14" by Ele Willoughby 2020

The black and white animals will do double duty on my quilt in progress. I thought I would try something (moreorless) monochromatic. I'm learning that black and white can be busier than the most colourful piece I've made and that combining these patterns is new challenge.

That's totally a skunk

A determined skunk marches through the snow in this lino block print in black on white Japanese kozo (or mulberry) paper. Each print is 12.5 inches by 8 inches (or 31.8 cm by 20.3 cm). There are 8 prints in the edition.

While most famous for their malodorous defense mechanism, the black and white striped skunk is actually rather cute. So, I'm adding it to my collection of black and white block printed animals.



This is an actually conversation I had, inspired by my "discarded proofs of prints as wrapping paper" scheme.

R: Oh, did I tell you I love your narwhals print?
M: You mean the pygmy right whale and the two seals?
R: Yes, and this is a great badger.
M: Dude, that's totally a skunk.

These things can be important to know. Those in Europe may not truly appreciate the pungent consequences of mistaking a skunk for a badger (though, I don't suggest messing with a badger either)*. N's cats like to taunt the local skunk, so they are not allowed out if the skunk has been seen. Unfortunately, one summer night they closed only the screen door. The vengeful skunk sprayed their house. N's teenage children were sent home from school the next day, because they stank, merely from being in the same building. Can you imagine being a teenager sent home from school for stinking?! Skunks are quite common here, even in the city. When I was small, we had one who lived below the back porch.

I've been translating all my Etsy listings into French, for days. It's funny to note that while in school I learned that a skunk was a moufette but in Québec it's often called la bête puante (or the stinking beast)! Apparently in the US a skunk is sometimes called a polecate, which I don't understand.

*I can hear the stinking badger jokes now.

more and more tapirs

making tapirs

Today, I'm making wee, little, lino block printed stuffed tapirs in sets of two: parent and baby.

Panda Family

This is my linocut portrait of a harried mama giant panda and two unruly cubs. They are magnificent, if funny, creatures, whose expressions make them easy to personify. They remind me of people I know. This print is made in black block printing ink, on white Japanese kozo (or mulberry) paper, 10.5 inches by 12.5 inches (27 cm by cm by 31.8 cm), in an edition of six.



I looked at a lot of photos of pandas, and I must say, they are most improbable. Sort of riddiculously cute, and by appearance at least, lazy. Most photos show them semi-prone, munching. Apparently their heads are so round because of their bamboo-diet. But they actually do have much more of a 'teddy bear' shape anatomy than any of the North American bears I know. Perhaps that, and their colouring, explains their popularity.

it's a tapir, baby

I know what you're thinking. Wow, there's no toping the undeniable cuteness of the stupendous Malayan tapir, with its massive tuxedo-coloured core and its unexpected proboscis. Well, there was only one thing I could possibly do. Obviously, the only thing cuter than a Malayan tapir, is a baby Malayan tapir.



Unlike the saddle-back adults, the babies have a delightful pattern of what spots and stripes, and like most baby mammals, come complete with big round eyes, and disproportionately big feet.

This lino block print is one of an edition of 12 printed on Japanese kozo, or mulberry paper 21 cm by 20 cm (8.3 inches by 7.9 inches).

Like an aardvark crossed with an elephant, wearing a tuxedo.

There are four types of tapir; this linocut is of a Malayan tapir. He looks very dapper, if improbable, in his black and white coat. Like an aardvark crossed with an elephant, wearing a tuxedo.

The Malayan Tapir (Tapirus indicus), also called the Asian Tapir, is the largest of the four species of tapir and the only one native to Asia. The Malayan Tapir was once found throughout the tropical lowland rainforests of Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, and Vietnam. Sadly, like other tapirs, it is now endangered due to deforestation. These were always one of my favorite animals to visit at the zoo and hope that they not only survive, but thrive and flourish in the future.

This lino block print is one of an edition of 8 printed on Japanese kozo, or mulberry paper 23 cm by 25 cm (9.0 inches by 9.8 inches).

Crow

So, I made a crow linocut. I actually made this before I went away to England. Our lovely hosts in Fredericton collect crow prints* so I was inspired to take on the crow as subject. They are amazing animals, which made it more challenging. I think really to capture a crow, I'd have to do a whole series of prints. So, think of this one as the flying crow. We saw lots of crows in the maritimes, to I asked RJH to photograph some for me. This print is based on a crow he photographed in Peggy's Cove.





I also made a proof with chine collé papers for the eye and feet:


I was sort of torn whether accuracy of colour was more important or whether the graphic nature of black on white made for a more interesting print. I'm going to frame this in the frame my brother made for me.**

Printmaking in the summer here in Toronto can be problematic due to humidity. It really hampers the ink viscosity. I kept this first edition small, but I'll likely print a second edition when the weather is better. There is also one proof which was ahem, embellished by Minouette. She added black pawprints to my original. I'm not sure what to do with that. I'm considering selling it at a big discount.

*Yay! It's always great when the appropriate thank you gift is obvious. For instance, I was really flummoxed by what to get my emergency cat-sitter because if I give her more linocuts, she'll have to start wallpapering her ceiling with them.

**I LOVE handmade gifts. Just sayin'

Zebras: Chevy's and Burchell's

This is a first edition lino block print of two zebras. The one on the left is known as Chevy's zebra and the one on the right is known as Burchell's. These are carved on a single block, and printed in black water-based ink on Japanese kozo, or mulberry paper. The sheets are 14 inches wide and 8 inches tall (35.6 cm by 20.3 cm).

Zebras are such an obvious animal to print - so graphic. They have differing anatomies though. As you can see, their manes, tails and striping depends on variety. I put them back to back to highlight this. Eventually, I will get to Z on my alphabet quilt...