Mini Print International - Asia Pacific

I've just realized that I was selected as an Exhibition Finalist for the Mini Print International - Asia Pacific! I created the Winged Walrus specifically, with this exhibit in mind, but submited other "mini prints" (10 cm by 10 cm print area - roughly 4 inches square for Imperial unit hold-outs - on 18 cm by 18 cm paper). The others are the Hand-Held Harpy, T. Rex with Flowers and The Bumblebee. You can find information on their planned exhibits on their Mini Print International - Asia Pacific Facebook page. They had to move to a larger venue and are planning the Mini Print International Awards and exhibit at Melbourne's premiere contemporary exhibition space No Vacancy Gallery (QV) April 2-16th, 2012. They plan later dates in Sydney and Hong Kong.

All finalists will receive catalogues of the exhibit, but if anyone happens to be in Melbourne, I'd love to see photos of the work in the gallery (and the same is true of subsequent exhibits in Sydney and Hong Kong - I'll update you here about future venues).

Winged Walrus

I wanted to make a linocut which would qualify for a mini-print competition. The printed area must only be 10 cm by 10 cm (3.9 inches to 3.9 inches) on a 18 cm by 18 cm (7.1 inches by 7.1 inches) sheet. So, I returned to an idea I've played with before: the winged walrus.



The walrus is printed on Japanese kozo (or mulberry) paper with collaged or chine collé wings pale yellow Japanese tama paper (a lightweight watermark tissue). There are 15 prints in this first edition.

I like the idea of a massive walrus supported by delicate butterfly wings. Here are some of the ways I've interpreted this before:

Walrus dreams of dinner...

I made a new pillow:

This is the front with a patchwork of my "Winter Walrus" lino block, printed in brown and blue on striped white-on-white canvas, with a sushi print cotton, corduroy in lime and blue fabric.

The reverse shows a blue whale lino block print on lavender cotton, green cotton print and grey pin-striped fabric, with the minouette label block printed on a goldfish-print cotton (care of Reynardin - thanks R.!).



And in a new and creative entry in the "Injuries Which Only Happen to minouette" file, I managed to cut myself while photographing this pillow. Yes, I know. You have never heard of someone injuring themselves while photographing a pillow. This is how it's done: I wanted more light, so I detached my angle-lamp from my craft table and held it while photographing. Then I propped it up to use two hands on the camera. Then it fell over, shattering the lightbulb. I unplugged it and picked up the pieces. Then I noticed the blood. Clearly my fear of electrocution is stronger than my foresight about gravity and the dangers of cut glass. I'm telling you, not everyone can injure themselves with such creativity and regularity as I. It's an acquired skill, but I can't recommend it.