Currently showing until May 27 in The Chaffee Art Center in Rutland, Vermont are several spring themed works including Propagating Ficus, Sprout, and Comfort Mug
Winter Work
It’s been such a snownado of events, here’s a recap of the latest!
Last show of the winter season is a debut of my first dry point etching, Roses. Currently showing at the Chaffee Art Center up until April 8, 2022.
New Press in my home studio! It’s a Takach! Story with photos coming soon!
Currently working on a new CMY series! So far, Sprout and Invasive Species are up and able to view in the gallery.
Working small on my micro woodcut, Sprout.
The Holy Art
Thrilled to have my work in London at The Factory with The Holy Art Gallery this month and into February!
London based gallery, exhibiting artwork in the UK and abroad.
Two Rivers Printmaking Studio
Spent some time creating these experimental drypoint etchings with Lynn Newcomb at Two Rivers Printmaking Studio in White River Junction, Vermont.
Drypoint is such a great printmaking technique. In just one pull, I was able to achieve depth and dramatic tones because more time is spent manipulating the ink on the plate. Looking forward to creating more work at Two Rivers and making more drypoint etchings!
Drypoint Etching from copper plate and plexiglass
drypoint etching print from plexiglass on BFK Rives
drypoint etching from copper plate on BFK Rives
Las Lagunas Gallery
Propagating Ficus now showing at Las Laguna Art Gallery in Laguna Beach, California
Propagating Ficus by Dawn Leone
Click the image above to learn more about Propagating Ficus.
Las Laguna Art Gallery
577 South CoastHighway, Suite A1
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
December 2 to December 31, 2021
“Las Laguna Art Gallery is pleased to present 2021 Botanical Art and Illustration Group Exhibition.
Selected from several hundred submissions this show features stand out works from artists spanning the globe. Works in this show features flowers, trees, leaves, cactus, and succulents.
The variety of mediums nearly matches the many variety of botanical. “
Gallery News
Excited to have a number of works showing in galleries across four states this month through January. Each gallery icon below is clickable and will bring you to their website. Most of these galleries create an online viewings of their shows which makes it extra easy for art lovers to view work from home. However, screen shows are not as effective as viewing in person, so if you’re in the area of Pittsburg,PA, Norwalk,CT, Rutland, VT or Westchester, NY, please check them out. These galleries are all unique galleries and perfect places to wander into this season.
Vestige Concept Gallery. Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.
Chaffee Art Center. Rutland, Vermont
Norwalk, Connecticut
Mamaroneck Artist Guild. Larchmont, New York
Gum Arabic Printmaking
Fall inspired mono-prints Gnarly Maple and Maple Crunch are on display now at the Center for Contemporary Printmaking’s Monothon Auction 2021.
These prints look a lot like watercolor paintings because essentially that’s what they are underneath it all! The gum arabic printing process is created by using a matrix coated in gum arabic solution, then marks ie watercolor painting is moved onto paper. The end result is a print of the watercolor painting, however the original painting is no longer available on the matrix because it now on the paper, thus making it a mono print, or one singular print.
Images are clickable and bring to you CCP’s Monothon Auction - please check out the other artists in the show too!
Maple Crunch, Monotype, 19”x24”
Gnarly Maple, Monotype, 9” x 20”
Yellow Roses
Each numbered, signed, and titled on A4 size Awagami Paper and inked in Caligo.
A free-spirited everblooming rose bush flaunts her yellow blossoms. Fallen rose petals scatter in my garden, while new buds begin to flourish.
Roses emerge and dissolve in Yellow Roses through blending effects in reduction carving methods and properties of a limited monochrome palette in process yellow.
Working in a small batch of only four, this limited-edition woodcut has four inked layers: process yellow tint, process yellow, process yellow shade, and black. Uniquely to this print each impression results in a slightly lighter version than its prior, owing to the final black layer processed as a ghost print. While printed in a traditional reduction method, each print is unique due to the interaction of color between the final ghost black layer and prior yellow layers.
Propagating Ficus
Layer 1 - Process Yellow & White
Layer 2- Process Yellow
Layer 3- Process Yellow & Black
Layer 4- Ghost Print in Black.
Layers of my latest woodcut reduction print, Propagating Ficus.
Propagating Ficus was created with a hand drawn sketch of a ficus I am propagating for my sister’s new apartment. It was created in a 4 layer monochrome limited palette of process yellow, white, and black.
Fundraiser Auction
FUNdraising at Mamaroneck Artist Guild to benefit the new space and keep the arts alive!
Bidding starts at $50 beginning August 3-27
Use the button below for more information! Click the image to scroll through slides.
Summer Prints
getting started on a few reduction wood blocks
Testing 1.2.3.
testing layers
testing drill possibilites.
testing results- hand vs press
Cyanotype Favorites
Trials in Cyanotype
cyanotype botanicals by Dawn Leone
Read MoreCyanotype Beginnings
The cyanotype process is appealing to my work because like woodblock printmaking, the final results are revealed through natural elements in collaboration with the artist’s hand. I picked up a few new cyanotype tricks during a recent virtual workshop presented by CCP. Since the workshop, I’ve been experimenting with best practices to understand the process and control the medium for future work.
Cyanotypes start in a dark room with an application of ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide. When exposed to UV light, there is a reaction. Blocked exposure result variated negative space according to opacity and contact.
results from one of my first cyanotype experiments with pepper slices from my garden
Once exposure is complete, the print is rinsed in a bath. Watch video-lapse below as blueprint develops.
Award for Black Sands Beach, Reynisfjara
Happy to announce my work, Black Sands Beach Reynisfjara has been recognized by juror Camilla Cook in Mamaroneck Artist Guild Annual Award Show 2020. Congrats to all the artists at MAG! Proud to be part of such a talented group of professional artists!
Black Sands Beach, Reynisfjara - 24x87”- Woodcut
Biennial and Biennale
Driftscape was selected to be in two bi-annual exhibitions this summer /fall- The Southern Printmaking Biennale IX International in Georgia and the Center for Contemporary Printmaking 7th Biennial Footprint 2020 in Connecticut.
Juror Wes Beeler reviewed 400 pieces and of those 35 were selected for the exhibition. The exhibition is located at the Universiry of North Georgia in Dahlonega and will be up August 21, 2020 - September 21, 2020.
Juror Jane Kinsman reviewed 319 print submissions and selected 95 for the exhibition. The exhibition can be viewed by appointement through November 22, 2020.
““The Center for Contemporary Printmaking’s Footprint International Competition 2020, is an opportunity for the presentation of current trends and innovations in contemporary printmaking within the bounds of the one square foot (12” x 12”) configuration. The square format was uncommon in art until the advent of abstraction and presents distinct challenges of composition and expression. Within these precise limits, artists must confront a space and create visual order and formal structure. This year’s juror, Jane Kinsman, Distinguished Adjunct Curator, previously Senior Curator of International Prints, Drawings and Illustrated Books, National Gallery of Australia, reviewed 319 print submissions from 180 artists representing eighteen countries. Kinsman selected 95 works from 91 artists representing 21 states and 13 countries.””
Printing Reynisfjara with Big Ink's Big Tuna Press
Highlights from the printmaking event at Center for Contemporary Printmaking with Lyell Castonguay and Carand Burnet of BIG INK . Click the IGTV post below to watch.
Shop Page
Introducing my new ‘SHOP’ page.
Thank you for looking, sharing, and supporting!
Work in progress for BIG INK at CCP
The team at Big Ink specializes in large scale woodblock printmaking (over 24x36) hosting one-day printing events with black ink and a giant press.
After completing Stratatella, Glace Waves, and Calving I wanted to keep challenging the scale of my work, so I began planning for a black on white project for Big Ink. Most of my prior print work was focused on multi process and layers of color, so it was an interesting transition to fit my design goals into a single process. I determined the wood block size by the interior dimensions of my truck with the seats down. It came out to be a 24x 87 cherry ply ordered from home depot.
The composition was configured into a panorama style landscape of black sands beach known as Reynisfjall area near Vik, Iceland. It is a dramatic place with volcanic rock columns piercing the ocean (Reynisdrangar). Black stones and sand created from volcanic basalt create the beach and the steep mountain in its background. I carved this block from a sketch I drew up after looking at my photos from my stay in Vik. It is such a dramatic place, having a dramatic piece of wood using only black and white is an exciting way to express the mood of Reynisfjara Beach.
While carving, I wanted to keep it whimsical and dramatic so once I had the sketch I focused on texture and line. My goal was to keep the woodgrain’s texture in the foreground/ sandy area, however when using a press woodgrain is usually lost. Thanks to Big Ink I was shown a few tricks to keep wood grain, so I experimented with these new techniques on this block. Fingers crossed the grain stays in the foreground! See the videos for the woodgrain trick and for full process.
(more on this project coming in August 2020)