Tea Pots and Other Recent Prints

 

                                            Green Tea Chemistry linocut by Ele Willoughby

I thought I should add a tea chemistry linocut to go with the coffee linocut, which includes the caffeine molecule. Of course, tea chemistry is quite complex! I asked on Twitter, thinking I might have some tea loving scientist followers with good suggestions and I wasn't disappointed. Not only was I given some good feedback about which chemicals to feature, but also the suggestion of including the chromotography, as a means of telling the fuller chemical story.

There's a tea pot, two cups of tea and a tea plant (Camellia sinensis) on a tray, and in the steam, you can see some of the organic chemicals found in green tea. Up to 27% of the composition of green tea can be a member of the flavonoids called catechins like the molecule illustrated on the right. The stimulating effect of green tea is of course related to caffeine (the molecule in the middle) but, unlike say coffee, green tea also has an amino acid in tea called L-Theanine (the molecule on within the tea pot handle). L-Theanine has a direct effect on the brain, relaxing it without making you drowsy and can help with focus and mood; it's also largely responsible for taste. Since the chemistry of green tea is complex, and I can't show all the molecules involved, at the base of the tray is a chromatogram to illustate the L-Theanine (largest peak) and other amino acids in the green tea. 

With tea and teapots on the brain, I started thinking about a suggestion for another "imaginary friend" of science (my collection of charismatic thought experiments like Maxwell's Demon or Schroedinger's cat): Russell's Teapot. 

 Russell's Teapot by Ele Willoughby

The alledged china teapot, in orbit between Earth and Mars is an analogy by philosopher Bertrand Russell (1872–1970) to make the case that the philosophic burden of proof lies upon a person making unfalsifiable claims, rather than shifting the burden of disproof to others. The print is made by hand on lovely 8" x 9" (20.3 cm x 22.9 cm) Japanese Obonai paper with a feathery sheen.

The Earth appears in blue in the corner. The China teapot itself has a blue flower pattern, and is shown magnified. Mars is in red with two tiny moons. At the bottom are the symbols for the solar system: Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, and the extra teapot, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

 

I also made a couple of Snowy Owl light boxes, which include my snowy owl linocut and colour changing LEDs to simulate the aurora.

While, we've been on a lockdown here in Toronto, and the schools are closed, so I'm spending a lot of time every day fascillitating online school for my 7 year old, I have also been trying to do all of the Printer Solstice prompts (one a week since the winter solstice).

Humpback linocut for prompt "under pressure".

 

A New Hope linocut schematically shows how mRNA vaccines against COVID-19, train the body to make spike protein, which our immune system then learns to combat.

 

Blep linocut, for "in good taste" is thinking creatively about taste and tongues. 

Europa Express linocut for the prompt "passport"

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.

Québec, snowy owl and yellow birch

My latest in the provincial series shows the map Québec, its provincial bird, the snowy owl and its tree, the yellow birch. The block was inked 'à la poupée' (with different colours, Payne's gray, gold, black and yellow, in different areas) and printed by hand on lovely Japanese kozo (or mulberry) paper. Each print is 23.5 cm by 31.8 cm (9.25" by 12.5"). The print is one of an edition of eight.

The snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) is found throughout the circumpolar regions. The nest in arctic regions (including the northermost tip of Québec), but range throughout much of Canada when they are not breeding. Many Canadians will be nostalgic for the Inuit ookpik*. The yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis) is a yellow-bronze birch found from the Maritimes through southern Québec and Ontario into Manitoba and south to the US northeast.

I've had the great priviledge of having seen much of this country and having travelled from coast to coast. (I am still hoping to visit the third coast). Québec is the third province in which I've lived, if only briefly. I've visited Québec many many times since I was a small child. I've had the opportunity to explore Gaspé, north of the river, and even sail the mighty St. Lawrence itself. La belle province is dear to me and I would love to explore it further.

I could have chosen to include the provincial flower, the blue flag (Iris versicolor) - a choice which obviously looks like a fleur de lys and sounds like it is literally describing the provicial flag. However, it's an iris with a complex shape and coloration which really wouldn't translate well to a block print. The snowy owl and birch were a more logical pair.

*

An Ookpik is nothing but hair.
If you shave him, he isn't there.

He's never locked in the zoo.
He lives in a warm igloo.

He can whistle and dance on the walls.
He can dance on Niagara Falls.

He has nothing at all on his mind.
If you scratch him, he wags his behind.

He dances from morning to night.
Then he blinks. That turns out the light.
-Dennis Lee, 'Alligator Pie'