My New Website

I am so happy to report I have completed creating my new website. It is www.wswillis.com. The process was so easy and whenever I hit a snag, my "guy" at Photobiz was able to magically make it go away!  I have a guy!

I am really not a techie person. I believe it is important to try to keep up with the changing world and the technology that keeps evolving.  But I am far from comfortable with it. So I have spent over a week's time pulling images, updating my resume, and all the other decisions I needed to make about how I wanted it to look.  I am eternally grateful to have had Diana Hartley's assistance in funtionality and helping me think it all through.  I guess I have a "gal" too!  

So please check out my new website and tell me what you think. I hope you find it easy to navigate. I learned about Photobiz from Sam Dahl, who created an easy to update website for us at Five15 Arts Gallery.  Check it out too, at five15arts.com

Last Night at Five15 Arts Gallery

The five new members of the Five15 Arts Gallery have a group show exhibiting this month.  We are Brendan Ore, Marc Marlowe, Marlys Kubicek, Sarah O'Donoghue and myself.  Last night was the Third Friday Reception and the turnout was great.  It is wonderful seeing our friends and collectors come by to see what's new and support our new venture in this cooperative gallery.  It was also fun meeting Sarah O'Donoghue who drove up from Tucson last night.  She's our newest member and will be showing her work exclusively in December.  It was also nice to hang with Brendan and get to know him a little better.  He drove in from Yuma for the evening. 

Mike O'Connor and Catherine Ruane

Marlys Kubicek, Doug Kirkman, Sarah Kriehn, Rosalie Kirkman

I will at the gallery from 1:00 to 5:00 today, if you want to stop by or hang out for awhile.  It's a beautiful day for art viewing!

Brendan Ore and parents

Sarah O'Donoghue and Matt

REGISTRATION is now open!

I am teaching two PRINTMAKING classes this Fall at the Phoenix Center for the Arts:

8 Saturdays

9 AM to 12 PM

September 17 – November 12

$171

WHAT A RELIEF!

Forget linoleum!  Discover new and wonderful relief printmaking surfaces:  Gomuban, Borco Board and Sintra.  They cut easier than traditional lino and each have their charm.  Explore these new materials and expand your mark-making tool box.

6 Mondays

10 AM to 2 PM

September 19 to October 24

$170

BEGINNING SOLARPLATE ETCHING

Turn those photos into artistic masterpieces!  Learn how take a photo you have taken and turn it into a fine art etching.  You will learn the solarplate process and how to put the artist's "hand" into your image. 

Here is a link to register for my classes.

PHOENIX CENTER FOR THE ARTS

1202 N. Third St. Phoenix, AZ 85004

(602) 262-4627

Fall Printmaking Classes at the Phoenix Center for the Arts

REGISTRATION OPENS AUGUST 22^ND 2011

I am teaching two PRINTMAKING classes this Fall at the Phoenix Center for the Arts:

8 Saturdays

9 AM to 12 PM

September 17 – November 12

WHAT A RELIEF!

Forget linoleum!  Discover new and wonderful relief printmaking surfaces:  Gomuban, Borco Board and Sintra.  They cut easier than traditional lino and each have their charm.  Explore these new materials and expand your mark-making tool box.

6 Mondays

10 AM to 2 PM

September 19 to October 24

BEGINNING SOLARPLATE ETCHING

Turn those photos into artistic masterpieces!  Learn how take a photo you have taken and turn it into a fine art etching.  You will learn the solarplate process and how to put the artist's "hand" into your image. 

I haven’t seen the catalog yet but both classes should be under or at $200.  Online registration is not yet available but I will post when it is ready.

PHOENIX CENTER FOR THE ARTS

1202 N. Third St. Phoenix, AZ 85004

(602) 262-4627

Seeing Stars

What do Deborah Oropallo, Hung Liu, Lewis de Soto, Eleanor Coppola, Sibylle Szaggars and I all have in common?  We are among the 24 artists invited to participate in the exhibition "Discrepancy:  living between war and peace" which will open Friday, August 5th at the Napa Valley Museum in Yountsville, CA.  I am pinching myself for being included in a show with them.  Plus other California artists I have met during my frequent visits to the Napa Valley - Sharon Anderson, Helen Wilson, Rob Keller, Sue Bradford, Anne Trinca and Alondra Contreras.  I am so excited by this opportunity.  Curated by Nancy Willis, the call asked artists:

to create a visual response to the discrepancy between being emotionally         connected/disconnected to events from which they are geographically distanced.   It is an opportunity for artists that typically do not address political and/or emotionally charged events directly in their work to investigate these events on a personal level that will ultimately be part of a public dialogue. In particular, we are looking to present a view of daily life from the territory between war and peace... Discrepancy is centered on three major events; the World Trade Center bombings and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

 Not my typical work, no.  But a challenge that immediately got my juices going.  I considered the wars and the events of September 11th and imagined what I would want to say about them.  

Ten, One Thousand

Ten, One Thousand

In the end I felt the most connected to my memory from the World Trade Center of people falling from the buildings.  After discussing it with Nancy, who encouraged me to search for information on the internet, I discovered many of the images that were censored in the US of the people who fell or jumped.  It was a difficult but important period for me, the researching the images, the stories and the facts of what happened that day.  And in the end my print seeks to recognize their bravery and bring light to their story.   At least two hundred people jumped or fell that day.  Less than a dozen fell from the South Tower which was hit second and stood for  56 minutes.  The North Tower, hit first, stood for 102 minutes.  People fell from all 4 sides, from right after the plane hit to just as the tower was falling.  No one survived from the floors where people jumped.  No one could save them.  It was a lack of oxygen and extreme heat that drove them to the windows.  

It is hard to read about the conditions and not put yourself in their position.  Observers have stated that those who chose to jump were silent as they fell. The fall lasted 10 seconds.  Not fast enough to cause unconsiousness in the fall.  I have such a fear of high, open spaces that I can't imagine making this choice.   Skydivers have told me that 10 seconds is a long time but it seems a short time when that is all that is left.  They died instantly.  People in the South Tower seeing people jumping from the North Tower immediately began evacuating.  Before the second plane hit 1400 had already left the building.  So in the end they saved many lives by their act of courage.  And as one blogger put it, they chose to die by wind, not by fire.


DISCREPANCY:  living between war and peace
Also included in the exhibition will be artwork made by military personnel in a therapeutic program after returning home of Iraq and Afghanistan.  The Pathway Home facility is located near the VA Home in Yountville.  From their website:   "The Pathway Program is a Residential Recovery program specifically created for, and dedicated to serve, our Nation’s “New Warriors”—those of any age who have served our Nation’s Global War on Terror in areas of the world such as Afghanistan and Iraq."
Another innovative aspect of the exhibition will be art writers, who will view the installed exhibit and write essays to help put in cultural and art historical context the work presented in Discrepancy.

I am honored to be in this exhibition and hope you will have a chance to see it.  The show has been extended to October 30th. 

Solarplate Workshop Deli June 20-25 2011 and Open Studio in July/Aug

"I've Got You"

THE SOLARPLATE WORKSHOP DELI AT BILANCIA

This is a reminder that there is still space available for the Solarplate Workshop Deli at my studio, Bilancia, in Phoenix. Class size is small and there will be lots to learn in a friendly and encouraging environment. Come for a day or two or five...From $100-400. I refer you to a detailed blogpost from March here with more details about the workshop. Please be aware I have changed the order of menu items, reversing working from a drawing to Monday and from photos on Tuesday.

Contact me at wendy.willis.art@gmail.com to reserve your space soon.

Takach Press

OPEN STUDIO THIS SUMMER

With Marlys away for 7-8 weeks, I am offering open studio time for those of you who need access to a press. From $25-40 for 4 hours, depending on how much assistance you will need, plus materials for the following dates:

 

FRIDAY July 8th

SATURDAY July 9th

SUNDAY July 10^th
MONDAY July 11th

 

FRIDAY July 15th

SATURDAY July 16th

SUNDAY July 17^th

MONDAY July 18th

 

FRIDAY July 22nd

SATURDAY July 23rd

SUNDAY July 24th

MONDAY July 25^th

FRIDAY August 12th

SATURDAY August 13th

SUNDAY August 14^th

MONDAY August 15th

Availability may change.  Contact me to schedule a session at wendy.willis.art@gmail.com.

From St Louis

Diana Hartley and I are in St. Louis for the Southern Graphics Council conference - a heaven for printmakers!  Several other Arizona Printmaking Group members are here - Audrey Van Kirk, Linda Haas and we ran into Leslie Parsons just as she arrived at the hotel.  Haven't seen Joe Marshall yet but may run into him today. 

We went to the opening party last night at the Washington University Art Museum which has several print shows including a wonderful exhibition of Elizabeth Peyton prints.  If I were a painter I would want to paint like her.  We ran into Dan Welden there and got a big hug and more cudos for our (22.5 foot long) print.  He asked where is it hung and we told where to look for it(Bixby Hall, 2nd Floor).  We will see it today ourselves for the first time.

We took the shuttle back at the hotel; when I stepped off the bus I heard someone calling my name and  there was the beautiful shining face of Ms Melanie Yazzie.  One's heart can't feel anymore full when in her presence.  Someone in the elevator later said she was the absolute center of printmaking (in this country).  I think so too.

So we are off to a good start!

Weeklong Solarplate Workshop Deli at Bilancia, June 20-25 2011

I have finally worked out the details for the weeklong Solarplate workshop that has been percolating for over a year.  It is set up to focus on a particular topic per day so that all attendees can concentrate without distraction.  I believe all will learn from each other as we pursue each topic.  Since it is at our home studio, Bilancia, we can only take 8 participants, so it will be an intimate community of printmakers.  My favorite people!  I am calling the event a workshop deli - here is a sample of what will be served:

Select the parts and pieces that interest you to make a 1 to 5 day sandwich of delicious solarplate activities.  Each day will concentrate on a specific topic to achieve successful solarplate prints.  Whether working from a light box or exposing in the sun, you will be given the ingredients to creating a great print.

SUNDAY – OVERVIEW/DEMO  2-4:30pm

This is a preview day, mandatory for the newcomer or old-timer who needs to see the process in action.  Not hands on, but today’s session will open the door to many of the possibilities solarplate can perform. 

MONDAY – THE TRANSPARENCY  10-4:00pm

The key to successful prints is a good transparency.  This session will cover making transparencies from a copy machine and computer printer.  We will have a computer (HP laptop) with photoshop, and a printer (HP)available to make transparencies in the studio.  Size matters, how black does it need to be, and which products work in my printer will be subjects of the day.  No tweaking or experimenting can make up for a bad transparency.  You will learn to identify what works and what doesn’t.  For those who don’t have printers available, a side trip to Kinko’s will cover the necessities of copier created transparencies.

TUESDAY – DRAWING  10-4:00pm

The real art of solarplate comes when the artist’s hand is clearly seen.  This session will cover drawing directly on a transparency – one sided frosted mylar or on a transparency with an image you wish to modify, enhance or reduce; and creating a frosted glass surface on which you can draw.  You will learn which tools create great blacks, like stabilo pencils and a wonderfully weird tusche you will love.

WEDNESDAY – RELIEF  10-4:00pm

Getting one’s brain around “what’s black is white” is the goal today.  Solarplates are great for relief printing and this session will cover creating plates from transparency - and working directly on the plate.  Look Ma, no transparency!  Also covered will be tips on modifying images with photoshop filters which will enhance your success.  Working directly on the plate can result in either relief or intaglio, depending on your timing.  The variety of artistic effects will be expanded in this session.

THURSDAY – MIXED MEDIA  10-4:00pm

Combining relief and intaglio or combining two or more plates are the goals for this session.  Having created  your plates doesn’t end the creative process.  What else can you do, how far can you go, what if you tried this…This session will help you grow beyond the basics and help you learn to think outside of what is.  Chine colle, alternative papers and mixing it up will be encouraged.

FRIDAY – FREE PRINT  10-4:00pm

Take the day to print up a fury.  Etch that last plate you wanted to squeeze in, continue the work you didn’t get to in a previous session.  And show off the work you made with a critique of the week’s effort.

Contact me for pricing and registration information.

Printmaking Classes in April and May

I am teaching 7 and 8 week classes in Solarplate Etching and Reduction Linocut at the Phoenix Center for the Arts starting in April.  Registration is open now.  Click here for a link to the online registration site.

SOLARPLATE ETCHING
April 9 - May 24 (7 weeks/$185)
Saturdays from 9 am to Noon

REDUCTION LINOCUT - Phoenix
April 4 - May 23 (8 weeks/$200)
Mondays from 9 am - 1 pm 
$200
  
Phoenix Center for the Arts
1202 N. Third St.
Phoenix, AZ 85004
(602) 262-4627


Call me at 602 750 3845 if you have any questions or concerns, or problems registering.

CATCHING UP

Jo Andersen, Marika Szabo and Marlys

Joe Marshall touching up his relief plate

ALL WORK AND NO PLAY?
It has been too long since I have posted!
MK and I have been spending lots of time on the Southern Graphics Council conference project we are curating for the Arizona Print Group.  Dan Welden donated solarplates to our 26 members last year to do a group project.  We envisioned all now 30 members' prints collaged together in one long print joined by a common theme and a horizontal line running through each print (at varying orientations).  The theme we chose was Reality/Distortion to fit in with the conference theme of Equilibrium.  We submitted the proposal to SGC and were accepted as one of 11 exchanges which will be on view during the conference March 16-19 2011 in St Louis.  Since many of the print group members had little to no experience with solarplates we have been having some really fun studio sessions helping them achieve their visions.  We had two sessions in Tucson hosted by the generous and talented Jo Andersen and have had several sessions at our studio, Bilancia.  It has cemented the vision Marlys and I have of a working print studio with collaborations and teaching...sigh.  Happy sigh!

THANKSGIVING IN BISBEE

Copper Queen Hotel

Heather Green

We also got out of town for a quickie trip to Tucson and Bisbee for Thanksgiving, staying at La Paloma and the Copper Queen.  We had the wonderful CQ Thanksgiving dinner - what a treat!  Delicious and so reasonably priced.  The day after Thanksgiving, we stopped in on Heather Green in her new studio/gallery and hit many of the great little shops on Main Street.  I learned a lot about turquoise from the jewelers there and regret there isn't any being mined any longer.  I had never been to Bisbee before but hope to return for what might be a new Tradition every November. 

MESA CONTEMPORARY ARTS NEW 2011 CALENDAR AND CURRENT EXHIBITIONS
Two new exhibitions opened Friday night, coinciding with the unveiling of the new fundraising calendar.  Each calendar has 12 original prints and sells for $200.  29 artists participated, including me (see earlier post here.)  It's really easy way to start art collecting.  And the work is quite good. 

"Grand Tour" by Corinne Geertsen

MK and I really loved the new exhibitions - "Nice Words", with Utah artist Brian Kershisnik - great paintings that were easy to look at but then you discover little surprises and bits of humor...and an exhibition of digitally manipulated photos by Arizona artist, Corinne Geertsen.  Some of her photographs made me laugh out loud; some were just beautiful.  Great transfixing of old family photos in wondrous new settings. 

Last Call for Classes at Phoenix Center

I spoke with the good folks at the Phoenix Center and I still need a few more solarplate and  reduction linocut students for the classes to make.  If you have been procrastinating, sign up soon.  Reduction Linocut starts October 2nd (9 to noon) and Solarplate starts October 4th 6-8:30pm, and both run for 6 weeks.  Click here for the class link.

Saturday Reduction Linocut Classes

Saturday Morning REDUCTION LINOCUT

I will be teaching a 6 week reduction linocut workshop at the Phoenix Center for the Arts beginning Saturday, October 2nd from 9 am to noon.  Registration is open now until the end of August.  Learn how to make the complicated simple as you print 4 colors from one plate. 

Monday Night SOLARPLATE ETCHING
Beginning Monday, October 4th I will be teaching a 6 week solarplate etching workshop from 6 pm to 8:30 pm. Beginners are welcome or come brush up on the process if you've been working in other media. 

The Phoenix Center is located at 1202 N. 3rd St, Phoenix AZ 85004.   Register online or call 602 262-4627.  Classes are limited to 7 students.


NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY FIFTH BIENNIAL PRINT EXHIBITION
I had a print juried in to the NAU Biennial this year.  The exhibition is in the NAU Art Museum in Old Main, a great old building and wonderful place to see some fabulous printmaking.  The exhibition opens August 24th and goes until September 25th.  They are having a reception on Thursday, September 2nd from 5 to 7 pm and I will be there.  I can't wait to see the other work in this show.  And I am happy to be escaping the heat of Phoenix for a couple days!

SB1070 Exhibit on CNN

La Ruta/The Route

You never know what will happen.  In June 2009 I created a print for the Passport Required print exchange, a project I coordinated for the Arizona Print Group.  I submitted my print, La Ruta/The Route, for the "SB1070 - An Artist's Point of View" exhibition at ALAC as I wrote about in previous posts.  Well, CNN picked up the story of the exhibition and as a result is showing 9 pieces from the show on their website, including mine and Marlys's.  Check it out here. 

Artists were invited to submit work on either side of the issue.  When I looked more closely, on my second visit to the gallery, there weren't really any pieces in support of SB1070.  Marlys' print was the most balanced as it considered both sides of the immigration problem. 

Dolce, Annie, Roberto, Daniel

At the second reception, the day after SB1070 went into effect, Annie Loyd introduced me to two kids about whom the Dream Act was envisioned.  Children whose parents brought them illegally into the US as very small children, who learned the language, excelled at school, and now are faced with obstacles to attending college.   Imagine if you lived your first 16 or 17 years here and then learn you can't continue your education or get a good job because of something beyond your control.  To learn more about the Dream Act click here.

 I appreciate all the supportive comments I have gotten since the CNN piece came out.  Thank you all.

New Chapter - Teaching

I am starting a new chapter in my art life.  Teaching.  After the two day workshop in Reno, I came back to Phoenix and began teaching Reduction Linocut at the Phoenix Center for the Arts.  Tomorrow I will begin teaching Solarplate Etching at our studio.  I am excited to be teaching two media in which I have worked the most with since I have begun my printmaking journey.  Marlys will be teaching general printmaking at Phoenix College in the fall and we hope our classes will feed into each other.  It would be great to grow a strong printmaking program there.  I will be offering Reduction Linocut on Saturdays beginning in October for 6 weeks at the Phoenix Center; and Solarplate Etching on Monday nights also in October for 6 weeks at the Phoenix Center.  Let me know if you are interested and I will notify you when registration opens.

First Friday, May 2010

ANOTHER GALLERY
We had a great turnout for last night's First Friday event.  Several new artists were showing work and it was fun getting to meet them and commiserate about artist life.  (Ok, so we also talked about friends and family...the universal language.)  It was especially fun to get to know Sandra Ferris Goldin, who painted the beautiful black and white paintings hanging over the table. Nicolai Sinu's Japanese style watercolors are powerful and delicate...I really enjoyed meeting him. Joan Yen is a fan of his work too and stopped by to show support.

I was happy to see my old buddy John Siefert, from my other life as a City of Phoenix employee for 23 years.  I retired in 2002 when times were good.  It is hard to see what the economy has done to our City and to the good folks who still try to provide the services we need.

Saturday was lightly attended.  It was nice hanging out with Larry and Ellie and Andrea Rusing.  I will miss seeing them monthly over the summer but hope to be well occupied teaching Solarplate Etching and Reduction Linocut at the Phoenix Center for the Arts.
Registration is open until 5/31.  Click here for more information.

New Print/Register this Saturday for Summer Classes

FROM ALL DIRECTIONS
I finally finished the edition for the print exchange.  Shipped them off today. I have never done so much pre-printing before and feel I learned a lot about getting to the image in my head.  It surprised me a little, how hard it was, but I am really glad it worked out the way it did.  This is my 12th print exchange.  I accept invitations to be in them, or ask to be in them, because of who the organizer is - someone I respect or would like to work with; or because of the subject matter.   I consider how much time I have to create a piece...because I can't just knock off a simple print.  Four or five color linocuts are more the norm.  I have committed to another PE due in November, Your Days Are Numbered, and I already know what my image will be and that it will be a reduction linocut.

This piece would not have been completed so easily on time without the assistance of my friend, Diana Hartley.  It would have taken me 3 times longer without her help.

OTHER BLOGS I LOVE
I haven't quite mastered the blog world and how to set stuff up exactly as I would like - yet.  But there is a blog I hold up as my model.  Sherrie York is a very talented Colorado printmaker who does amazing drawings from nature.  She writes so well, interesting mixes of "this is the print I am working on" and "this is happening in my life" and general philosophy or instruction.  I have never met her but feel like she's living an honorable life and her blogging about it inspires me.  Here is a link to it, called Brush and Baren.

Another blog I love is written by Sharon Anderson, a San Francisco artist who has branched out from painting to art management services.  Her blog, Create Your Time, has a Friday feature she recently started where she asks working artists how they make time to actually create art.  The first artist is my favorite, my sister Nancy Willis.  Here is a link to her Time to Create feature in Create Your Time.

SUMMER PRINTMAKING CLASSES AT THE PHOENIX CENTER
I am teaching my first solo classes at the Phoenix Center for the Arts this summer.  Registration opens Saturday May 1st at 10:30 am.  Here is  link the online registration page.  Put in May 1, 2010 and 31 Dec 2010 in the date range and use the keyword Printmaking.  You will see the details for my 6 week Solarplate Etching class which starts 7/13 and my 8 week Reduction Linocut class which starts 6/30.