Linocut, 7 x 15cm approx. After the test print I noticed she has a nosebleed. Maybe this is a long lost part of that Lincolnshire folk tale about roses drinking blood.
Midsummer 2020
Author: berrydaines
Printmaker
Spiral
I’ve knitted a lot of hats. They disappear when needed. I thought the family cyclist should have a bright hat for any smidsy moments. The neon orange yarn I bought in the 1980s would be too painful alone, so pairing it with black stripes might be better. There again, a spiral could be interesting…
The Maths for this is easy in theory, moving each colour over by one stitch on every row. In practice I’ve had to stop and think occasionally. Knitting in the round usually involves spiralling upward, rather than the to & fro of two needles. This time, I have to remember to slip the first stitch of the colour, then pick it up on the return journey. There are obviously other methods but this is ok for the moment.
Archives
Sorting out the room that could be a studio. Found an old sketchbook. I remember sitting in the garden drawing these sheets.
When I was a teenager, a swarm of bees appeared at the end of the garden. The neighbours were very nervous but the bees were only interested in themselves. A beekeeper arrived to collect the swarm. They seemed very pleased to see him, crawling all over his white suit. I had been happily taking photos from underneath the cloud of bees. I wouldn’t have ventured so close to them if I’d known they interacted with humans like that.
Whether…
I enjoyed cutting a little raincloud lino block. For once, patchy inking helped the image to shine!
Cardigan
Which unfinished project have I been attending to, you ask? The Novel, obviously! While editing the numerous versions, I’ve been knitting a cardigan. It’s been unravelled and cast on again a few times but maybe the pattern makes sense at last…
I drew the pattern on squared paper, because I couldn’t follow the written version. Then I had to add colours to give a sense of which row etc.
Knitting chart with tea stains
Can’t see the leaves for the stitches(?)
Can’t see the wood for the…
Daffodils
Every year this poor pot loses another coil. A bit of his ear has gone.
Lincoln Imp
The Lincoln Imp is a small devilish creature who was sent from the underworld to cause havoc. In theory, to put an end to this destruction, an angel turned the imp to stone. The imp has been watching from his position on an arch inside Lincoln cathedral for a few hundred years. Visitors spend a long time hunting for him so I won’t say which arch…
Last October I noticed some plans for a Lincoln Imp Trail. A design for a large impish creature was unveiled. Its facial features were too small and it had an unfortunately positioned leg which was regarded as phallic by some observers.
I emailed the imp makers to suggest they looked closer at the real imp’s face. Maybe they could reconsider their design? They thanked me for my feedback but claimed their imps were not based on any specific imp(!) It must be a coincidence that their imp has been designed to perch with hands resting on one leg. Sitting in that position fits a character who peeks out from an arch of greenery, artistic license would allow some movement.
Recently the full size imps have appeared in the city. The tale of the hilarious phallic statues has reached the national press. Not all publicity is good – but maybe a shameful council that plans to close Lincoln’s Usher Gallery will realise that people really do need to be more visually literate.
A Wild in Art spokesperson said: “The mischievous response on social media is in the spirit of the imp and shows that people are looking forward to this event”.
“Once decorated the sculptures, which are based on Lincoln’s iconic imp will make a vibrant, colourful and fun art trail celebrating the city.”
Now they’re saying it’s based on a specific imp, will they admit it lacks any mischievous spirit? It’s dispiriting to think that sculpting skills were so much livelier in previous centuries. My own stonemason ancestors must be whirling in their tombs.
Full Cold Moon
Linocut on Japanese paper, 12 x 12 cm.
Full cold moon; a time when we’re naturally accelerated, energy is flowing and things will naturally come to a conclusion. Time to consider that ridiculous ten year project which we can now let go of.
Today’s full moon coincides with a general election. There was a double rainbow in the sky when I went out to vote.
Banner
Protest banners should be light enough to carry while walking along, but heavy enough to stay upright and readable. This week’s ripstop on net banner is for the Hart Must Go! event.
It has a blue deer, symbolic of the local Tory MP. A hart is a deer, lacking the ‘e’ of an organ that pumps blood. The blue deer is being chased away by some red foxes. Local MP enjoys bloodsports so that’s a relevant theme. The general election is in December so this banner looks slightly festive.
But it’s too hard to understand! I know, I know, it shouldn’t need an explanation.
