Three Month left

So, the time is ticking, in three month (and a few days) my show at the Manhattan Graphics Center will go up. - Pretty scary, specially because we got new/big jobs in - at my day job. I will have to carve out days or even hours to work on my art. I am thinking positive ... it will get done and be ready for the opening. I might have to rethink the amount of new work, but we will see about that. Okay, send positive vibes my way ... I'll keep you posted!

Happy Holidays

Hi everybody, I wish you all Happy Holidays and a wonderful New Year. May all your wishes come true in the new year.

In the new year I will have to concentrate on my solo show in April at the Manhattan Graphics Center. I will keep you all posted on the progress I am making. I really look forward doing it and I also have ideas for new work ... which of course has to be done first ... but I have the ideas in my head and ready to come out for the "whole world" to see.

But for now enjoy the holidays, have a productive printmaking year 2010 and ... Frohe Weihnachten und einen guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr.

New Canaan - Print Americas 2009

Silvermine Arts Guild

In front of my artwork

Me, Bob and Nancy Woodward

We went with my parents and my partner Bob to New Canaan to see the Print Americas Show. It was my first time there and I am very much impressed by the professional management and handling of the artwork. Nancy, who is the gallery assistant of the gallery, greeted my very friendly at the door, and after she heard my name, she immediately knew who I am and where my work was hanging. "I am surprised that your work did not fly from the wall - I love your work" was her comment.

Of course that gave me a great feeling of appreciation ... a self confidence boost. I am very happy that we took the trip, enjoying the show and wonderful weather in a beautiful setting.

My work at the "Silvermine Guild Art Center"

Here is my latest show I am excepted to, the "Print Americas" at the "Silvermine Guild Art Center" in New Canaan. The package is on the way and I am very excited to be a part of it.The show is a juried Print Triennial and can be seen from November 11 – December 23, 2009, opening reception is going to be on November 22, from 2–4pm.

The address is: 1037 Silvermine Road, New Canaan, CT 06840.

http://www.silvermineart.org

Come by and have a look.

Solo Show at the MGC - April 2010

So, now it's time to talk about my upcoming show at the MGC (Manhattan Graphics Center) in New York. I will show recent and "brand new" work in April 2010 in the centers gallery space. This is my second solo show at the MGC. The first one was, I think, in 2005 ... I have to check, but I am pretty sure.

The exact date for the show as well as the opening will be announced as soon as I know them.

I am very excited about the show, and I am planning on having prints in ways I haven't had them before, technique wise. The topic will be one I am working on for a while now. Lots of trees!

I have some surprises planned.

The preparation is starting now and I have so much to do, ... lets see what I come up with. It is going to be interesting.

LAPS Show Los Angeles

I am in the LAPS show in Los Angeles. If you are there and have time, step by and have a look. The show runs from October 29th, 2009 to January 3rd, 2010 - the public reception is on Sunday November 1st, from 2–5pm.

Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery
Barnsdall Park
4800 Hollywood Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90027

Gallery hours:
Thursday to Sunday: 12:00 noon to 5:00pm
First Friday of the Month: 12:00 noon to 9:00pm

www.laprintmaker.com

Bring your friends and family

The long road to LA

The show at LAPS starts, and I had to send in my work. Boy UPS give me a run for my money. I did send my package UPS ground from a UPS store, and for a while the package was lost in "space", it couldn't be found online with the tracking number and then it was posted as send to my home address instead the LA address. - Because of that I did send out another package to LA with another frame ... and believe it or not, the first sent out package arrived in LA ... luckily, Sooooo, I spend more money I wanted to, but I am happy my work arrived and I did the deadline ... twice.

Accepted Work

Hi there, the print above is accepted the "The Print Americas 2009" in New Canaan" CT. I am very pleased about my chances to show my work in different juried shows. It was my best year. I hope it is going on like this, I am working hard to create - create - create!!!!!!

More soon!

Summer time = Printing time

So, in 2 weeks the Manhattan Graphics Center will close for the summer. From July 20 to mid September I will be able to go to the studio and work/print. It is one of the perks of being a Key-Holder/Monitor in the MGC, we can work whenever and how long you want in the studio and we don't have to pay for rental. – I really look forward to that. My job as a graphic designer is currently also pretty quiet, so I hope to go to the studio quiet a bit and enjoy the space.

I am always surprised that not a lot of Key-Holders take advantage of the opportunity to use the space more.

Silvermine Guild - Print Competition

Hi there,

I just got the news that the Silvermine Guild in New Canaan, CT is having a print competition. Here is the link to the site: http://www.silvermineart.org/gallery/call_for_entries.cfm

Print Americas

Click here to download a prospectus.

Cycle: Triennial Exhibition

Start Date: 11/22/2009

End Date: 12/23/2009

Juror: Jacob Lewis, Director, Pace Prints Chelsea

Media: Printmaking

Entry Deadline: Friday, August 21

Restrictions: Any printmaker in the Canada, Latin America or US

Entry Fee: $30 per 3 entries

Awards: $1000 best in show

I had one of my works in 2006 in their show and I will try this year again.

::: Danger :::

So, here it is, my contribution to the Art House Coop Print Exchange. Tomorrow I will send the 22 prints out to Atlanta, and what can I say, I am good in time, I have another month to send it.

The topic was "Danger", and there is definitely something going on in my print, the guy is afraid of something, something dangerous!!! You can decide what it could be, let me know what you think it is. 

Art House Coop - Print Exchange

So, I finished my print for the Print Exchange - Art House Coop, Atlanta, GA. I had to print an edition of 22 prints, paper size 11" x 15". - That was quite some work to do, but it is done. And I am happy about my print, which I will upload soon here to my Blog. I have to scan and prepare it. The deadline for this exchange is August 1st, so if you have time and energy, ... participate! Here is their website: http://www.arthousecoop.com/

The costs are $14 plus material and postage. - I like it to see, hold and feel work from other artists around the country/world.

Norwalk, CT - Miniprint 2009 opening

Hi hi, last week I went to Norwalk, CT to see the opening of the Miniprint 2009 show at the Center for Contemporary Printmaking. The whole day it was raining and not to inviting. But when I arrived at the show, everything changed. What a beautiful show and presentation.

I am one of the lucky one to be included in the show (with one of my tree trunk aquatints) and I was in great company.

All prints were hung in a height of 5 feet like a border around the rooms ... and all had matting. They did a beautiful job. Also it was nice to see what people can fit on a 4 square inch print ... amazing. You should go to their web site and see the show ... or take a day trip to Norwalk!

http://www.contemprints.org/

Printmaking Updates

Yesterday I went to visit Viviana, my gallerist, in Delhi, NY, and she chose 12 of my etchings to be included in her Gallery (www.daagallery.com). It was a very successful visit for me. She is a great person and so supporting, even in this difficult economic times, when people need longer to buy art or they don't even buy art. Money is tight, for the collectors as well as for the artists. Viviana will show the etchings unframed and unmatted to keep the price down - again, for the collector as well as for the artist.

What else is going on ... I am taking part in another print exchange, the www.printzerostudios.com/ exchange. I look forward to that. The dead line is May 15th, and I already which print I will send to them, ... I just have to print it 15 times!

Next project is the www.arthousecoop.com exchange ... the topic is "DANGER" and finally I have the imagery in my head and I can start working on the plate, luckily I have a bit more time for that.

You see, I am taking part on a couple of exchanges, first it seems to be a good exposure, because the prints go to different places to be shown (what is always good ... and you never know, the right person sees the show and who knows what comes out of it!), and also I see what people do in other places (sometimes around the globe).

LAPS 20th National Exhibition (L.A.)

My Drypoint "Magic Falls" has be accepted to the 20th National Exhibition of the Los Angeles Printmaking Society. The juror, Peter Frank selected 191 works from 1725 entries. - Not bad! I am very happy about being part of their show. 

The show dates are from October 30th – December 29th 2009, at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, 4800 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90027.

The work is a Drypoint and I worked quite a while on it, I would say around 2,5 month before I was able to print it for the first time. So it is a great reward for me to be recognized and shown at their exhibition.

Sketchbook Project 3 - at the 3rd Ward in Brooklyn

Friday, March 13th the Sketchbook Project 3 arrived in Brooklyn at the 3rd Ward. What an event, it was crowded like crazy and hard to get to the sketchbooks. I had lots of fun browsing through the different books. I couldn't find mine in this bulk of ca. 2700 books. But nevertheless it was worth seeing it.

Life Broadcast of the Sketchbook opening

Friday was the life broadcast of the Sketchbook opening. It was a cool event and I was fun seeing the people at the opening browsing through the big amount of the sketchbooks. While watching the people there was a life chat going on, so I was chatting with other artists. 

I think that everybody had fun with it and I hope they will repeat it.

Rome, GA Art Coterie

The print you see here is my Aquatint + Hardground "Vertical Birches", size is 12"x12", and it was accepted by the Rome, Georgia Art Coterie for their 7th National Juried Exhibition. I am very happy for being on of the "chosen" one. Now I have to frame and send it out.

The shows dates are: March 31st - May 1st, 2009.

Print Exchange - Art House Coop Atlanta

Hi everybody, there is a Print Exchange at the "Art House Coop" in Atlanta. Here is the link: www.arthousecoop.com/projects/printexchange

Here is a short description of the exchange, it cost $14.00 to take part and the title is "Danger". So be inventive and interpret it as you wish ... bring "Danger" to your plates.

You send in an edition of 22 prints, one will go to the permanent collection of the Art House Coop, one goes to the show in the Art House Gallery starting on August 28th, 2009 and you get 20 prints from other artists send back to you!

Doesn't sound bad, right?! Okay be a part of it!

INK SPOT Oregon

Here it is, fresh from the press. This is my contribution to the Print-Exchange "Ink Spot, Oregon". 

I made two version, one in brown and the other in black. You see here the brown one, but the black will go to the Print-Exchange. 

I am very excited about the print, it came out as I envisioned it ... trees, but in a very graphical way. If you look from further away, it looks like lines, from close up you see tree trunks.

Owl and Crow

This is one of my 2 color/plate Aquatints. It has a magical feeling to it. This work is a couple of years old but still one of my favorite etchings.

I used 2 zinc plates, which were the same size and printed first the orange plate and second the black plate. The mixture of orange and black gave me a wide variety of browns.

Japanese Woodblock

Here is my first "Japanese Woodblock" ... it was lots of fun creating it. The image is created with two reduction blocks. One for the background and one for the frame and trees. All together I had nine passes per print in order to create the smoky effect of the background. 

I really enjoyed learning the technique and enjoy the possibility to do the whole process at home. No press is needed, just some special tools which I still have to get.

What's new?!

There are couple of competitions I am going to send work to. There will be the "Ink Spot" in Oregon and the Miniature Print Competition at the Center for Contemporary Printmaking in Norwalk, CT. The plates (Aquatints) are prepared, I just have to print them ... that's all!

I will post the prints when they are done!

What is going on?

Hi there,

here is an update for a show I am involved in. 

I just sent out my "Sketchbook Project 3" submission to the ART HOUSE Coop in Atlanta. It is my first submission to them and I am very excited about it.

The topic is: Everyone we know! – and I took this to a global level, I asked friends and family around the world to send me their name, age, city and country, as well as first names of people they know. In gave everybody who responded a spread in my sketchbook, which I designed. Have a look at one of my pages from René + Heike

http://arthousecoop.com/users/Mattke/portfolio/3416

My goal in this project is to show that we are one world and we need to respect each other, we just need to be open minded ... there are so many different people around the world and with all this technology, which brings us closer and closer together ... be nice to each other!

Yes we can!!!!

Here is my first blog

Hi there,

I just started my own blog. Let's see how it is going to go. - Sooooooo, don't be afraid and comment my future posts!

Welcome

Matthias