Happy Chinese New Year!

This is a one of a kind dragon is printed in environmentally-friendly water-based block-printing ink on handmade red Chinese paper, with gold blossoms. The sheet is 11.75" (30 cm) wide by 14" (35.6 cm) tall.

The dragon is a near-universal figure in world mythologies and has quite complex symbolism. In China, the dragon is more benign than in most Western legends, and the powerful creature is the fifth in the 12-year zodiac cycle. Dragons with five claws are reserved for the Emperor- this is a three-clawed dragon, speaking the character "long" for dragon.

I hope the Year of the Dragon treats you well! Gong hei fat choy, as they say here in Toronto (as there are many different transliteration of Chinese characters into English, for many different dialects). Congratulations and be prosperous!

Year of the Dragon

For those on this side of the Pacific, and more specifically, here in Toronto (and elsewhere in Ontario), you can see a great, international collection of prints celebrating the Year of the Dragon, including my linocut above. Venues include: PROOF Studio Gallery (Distillery District, Toronto),OCADU (Ontario College of Art & Design University), Ottawa School of Art and Muskoka Art Place Gallery. The exhibit will premier at PROOF, January 26 - February 12, 2012, with the Opening 2-5 PM, Saturday January 28!

PROOF Studio Gallery, Studio 104, Case Goods Warehouse, Bldg. 74,
55 Mill Street, Distillery District Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5A 3C4
phone: 416 504 6761

If you are a printmaker, they will accept submissions up to January 25th so there is still some time to get involved.

Let me be the first to wish you 'Gung hee fatt choi, fung bao diu loi' ("Congratulations and be prosperous, now give me a red envelope!" ;)