Balloons

This is my first artwork of 2012. I wanted to continue the series of prints with collaged papers, like the 'Unicorn amongst umbrellas' and the sailing ships, and I had the idea of hot air balloons. So, I sought out images, paricularly of vintage balloons in the late 18th and early 19th century. Some of the pioneers like the Montgolfier brothers, built the most spectacular and astounding vehicles. I love that they deemed it necessary to produce elaborately decorated balloons. Many of the early ones had sails and baskets shaped like ships, in order to sail the skies.



I inked my lino block in a gradient of colours to produce the 'key' print of he sky at sunset on Japanese kozo (or mulberry paper) approximately 12 inches by 13 inches (30.5 cm by 33 cm). I printed the balloons within the block on variety of Japanese washi paper (kozo, chiyogami and katazome-shi patterned paper) and vintage sheet music, and collaged them. I am making a series of these multimedia; each one is unique. This is first in the series.

Giant Pacific Octopus screenprint

My friend Faunalia and I are taking a screenprinting course. It's a nice way to try out a variety of methods. Our first class, we used paper stencils. Though this is the method with which I've made most of my screenprints, mine was a complete disaster. I managed to destroy my stencil on my first attempt at pulling a print by over-doing it and getting ink everywhere. Failure is a harsh teacher sometimes, but I need to remember I am there to learn, and I did learn something. I'm happy to say my second print is much more what I had in mind.



This is my screenprint of a Giant Pacific Octopus. It's large (the sheet is 50.5 cm by 36 cm or 19.9 inches by 14.2 inches). It's printed in a dark raspberry colour on white paper. I made it using screen drawing fluid and screen filler, which allowed me to paint directly onto the screen, so it has a rather spontaneous feel. This is one of an edition of 9 prints. I was inspired by seeing some of these amazing creatures off the west coast of Vancouver Island. Sometimes we work with remotely operated vehicles (basically, submersible robots) which allow us to see what, or who is on the seafloor.



Enteroctopus dofleini, also known as the Giant Pacific Octopus or North Pacific Giant Octopus, may be the largest octopus on Earth. They have been weighed at as much as 71 kg (156.5 lbs) and measured with arm-spans exceeding 6.1 m (20 ft) ! Though more typically, adults usually weigh around 15 kg (33 lbs), with an arm span of up to 4.3 m (14 ft). They are quite astounding creatures.

My former neighbour was a scuba diving instructor who had a job at certain BC tourist trap, where visitors were able to descend into a building with windows on the shallow ocean floor, where there was a small aquarium collection of creatures. More than anything, my neighbour dreaded the giant Pacific octopus, which he felt was mischievious to a frightening degree. He swore that the octopus pulled pranks. Often, the tourists would complain that there was no octopus visible in the window. So, my former neighbour D would have to enter the pen and coax the octopus into view. He said it would hide above the window, just out of sight. After the octopus tired of this game, it invented a new one. D would swim into the pen, only to find that the octopus had hidden above the door, swam out as he entered, and the latched the door behind him, locking D in the pen until he could alert his co-workers.

Unicorns & Umbrellas

So, the first three Unicorns Amongst Umbrellas are either sold, or framed on my wall... thus, I decided to continue with a fourth.

Carved in linoleum, and printed on variety of Japanese washi paper (kozo, or mulberry and chiyogami and katazome-shi patterned paper) is a unicorn, strangely amongst a welter of lovely umbrellas. This piece employs the techniques of printmaking and collage. I am making a series of these multimedia; each one is unique. This is forth in the series.
Dimensions are approximately 12.5 inches by 18.5 inches (32 cm by 47 cm).

Also, I've been making some bookplates!



My previous bookplates were all octopus-and-books, for some reason.

Little Boat, Big Ocean

In case any of you were wondering, "When is that minouette ever going list her tradition Japanese-syle moku hanga woodblock print for sale?" the answer is now.

If you never saw or have forgotten previous posts about this, here's my summary:
'I made this woodblock print made in the traditional Japanese moku hanga style on beautiful handmade hosho paper. I carved four blocks, one for each colour: yellow, blue, violet and charcoal gray. It depicts a folded paper boat containing an unseen fisher, on the ocean, which in turn contains the unsuspected giant octopus. I'm playing with scale, colour, line and legends.

As a scientist who does science at sea, I've learned to remember we are in but a small boat on the big ocean.

This is a first edition print of only 4. Each print is about 14 inches by 11 inches (36 cm x 28 cm).'

Also, my shop has been undergoing a complete make-over, as I've been editing all listings. I've replaced many photos with bright, more detailed scans (using my new scanner). If you have a look, let me know what you think. Thanks!

Ex Libris octopus

Ex Libris octopus
Originally uploaded by the.minouette

I've been thinking about making some more bookplates. Octopi like books, but so do other creatures.

I haven't been creating much, but I'm slowly trying to finish the quilt. The reverse is made up of squares. I am getting there.

Nautilus & Mermaid Pillow

New pillow! Nautilus printed on silk with some lovely contemporary fabrics of a suitably nautical bent, um... or faux-bois, because you cannot have too much faux-bois. 12.5" x 12.5 or 31.8 cm by 36.8 cm.







It's all about the tentacles, and the contrast with luxurious fabrics.