Dubuque Museum of Art Exhibits Kelen Spoons

See these Spoons in person!

Dubuque Museum of Art

2nd Craft Invitational

June 27-October 11, 2020

701 Locust Street

Dubuque, Iowa

1-563-557-1851

I forgot about checking measurements 

& photographing these

until the night before I was to deliver them

so you'll see  dust and a few cat hairs.

"What's in your Head comes out your Hands" #1

above,

and #2, below...

are for sale in the Dubuque Museum of Art Store.

http://dbqart.org/

Fall Art Tour 2014

This year's Fall Art Tour will find my etching press squared up and working!

It happened in early summer.

I bought it new blankets, new ink and tarlatons.

Since my collagraphy class proposal was accepted at the Peninsula School of Art,

I had to remind myself how to print!

I got out the Art of Etching by E.S. Lumsden, the book I learned from at the Chicago Art Institute,

and read and practiced the printing chapters.

I got some hints and advice from a printer at Takach Paper, and another from McClains.

I went through lots of papers, and finally settled on a couple which worked wonderfully for my plates.

I printed...printed...printed...printed...printed...printed...printed...

and finally, I saw my abilities not only returned, but better than before.

NOW I could teach that collagraphy class, no problem.

I was armed, and ready for any kind of problems students magically present. 

SO....

After completing jobs promised to others,

and surviving the Peninsula School of Art's Guenzel Gallery Print Fair,

I've got a little time before welcoming the curious into my studio, #26,

October 17th through the 19th.   

Linda Kelen Draws BurgerGuy for Weber's Big Book of Burgers by Jamie Purviance

  It's out!!  It's available!! 

Jamie Purviance's recipes and my BurgerGuy!!

I've got to give big credit to Peter of Blogger Tips and Tricks

where I found the instructions for posting a gif animation.  (Hmm...he's not doing his somersaults for me....not sure why. Click on him, see if he'll do it for you)

I'll be replacing this BurgerGuy 
with another 
having an up-to-date email address.

Weber's Big Book of Burgers: The Ultimate Guide to Grilling Backyard Classic

Repurposed Switch WallPlate for Habitat Salvage Art Show

I'm donating this double switch wallplate,

which comes with four screws,

and fits a double set of switches like a glove! 

The Habitat Restore Salvage Art Show

Opening Reception:  April 11th, 5PM -9PM

ARTISAN Gallery

April 11th through June 1st, 2014

6858 Paoli Road

Paoli, Wisconsin

A benefit for the Habitat for Humanity of Dane County

More information at:  www.restoredane.org

Fall Art Tour . . . 2013

Fall Art Tour!
October 18, 19, 20...2013 and coming up fast.
I'm #19!

Right now, today, this drawing table is the scene of linoleum block proof printing,
the making of frames for some of these prints,
the drawing up of my Grant winning Rocket Ring project,
and my favorite place for whiteline woodblock printing.

I cut blocks for letterpressed Wedding Invitations and all the collateral pieces
which peaked my interest in this printing process,
so I kept cutting, which will result in some small notebooks, and cards....
just to see what they would look like.
You'll see them too,
and the wedding invitation set...
and their similarity to White Line woodblock printmaking...
and how it all fits together for me.



The nine Red Herrings will all be present in force
and are ready for new homes,
along with some arting I rarely get out, but know it's time to move on, so I'll grit my teeth and release them.

I'm still determined to get the entire studio concrete floor stained, but for the moment I'm preoccupied with other curiosities.

Printmaking Show at Plymouth Arts Center

I am one of 24 printmakers in the:

Plymouth Arts Center
Total Print Show,
October 4-November 29th, 2013
Plymouth, Wisconsin.
 
This looks to be a strong show
with FOUR of my prints:
My whiteline prints "I live here", and "Mill Creek",
along with...
"the Religionator" and "Some Mice are not Meek"...these two I'll find and post for you...
will be up THERE for the Fall Art Tour.

I might be able to have a second print of the latest one completed by that weekend.

Learning Letterpress

SO, I've been cutting on linoleum blocks lately.
After Cherry wood, it feels like I'm cutting into old chewing gum.
I made a couple prints last night just to see if what I've been cutting will actually print.
The FRAMED Trout is now at CrossRoads CoffeeHouse
and the notebooks and cards will be done by Fall Art Tour time. 
The Bicycle one is a tester, just to see if I could.
A larger block of MORE bicycles which I tried to get done for the DairylandDare
has three other blocks cut for color.
I made a few prints with my woodblock ink.
I like printing wood better, but it will be interesting to see how these print on a letterpress.
Stay tuned.
More later.

Whiteline prints after teaching a class of whiteline printmaking

There was something about teaching that whiteline class

that got me working a little differently on my own blocks...

it's good.

 I like to leave the completed print on the block until the next morning,
when I wake up, with a coffee...and take a new look at it.
It's always a nice surprize to see it there....needing nothing more from me.
And then when it's flattened....
OH, my...it's  like some magical transition into something else...
it really stands on it's own...
and this one's really nice.
12.5" x 14" wide...Mill Creek at Coon Rock Road.....where the LongHorns Weren't



8.5" wide x 6' tall ................................A LongHorn

7" wide x 9.5 " tall...........KnotRat

the Peninsula School WhiteLine Woodblock Printmaking Workshop

I got so involved in this Peninsula School of Art workshop...

we really got moving, covering a lot of ground...

I  never thought about documenting the step by step

so I could later say, "here, look...this is what we did."

Well, I got some to show a little bit...

mostly, I was amazed at what we accomplished...

and what all I learned from them...

which was the real surprize.

Here they are" Joan, Anne, Sue, Anne,Donna & Donna.

Peninsula classrooms are simply great.

 

Joan had done more linoleum cutting than wood, so the pine I brought was like cutting through butter.

I wish I had the presence of mind to photograph of ALL the final prints everyone did.
Once they were all flattened, they took on a real presence....
yeh, wish I could have slowed me down...
get me arting, and I fire up, tending to forget some of the non-arting things that I should be doing.

Donna did a great duck besides this landscape:

Sue and Anne cut the same scene into earlier blocks...which of course I didn't take snaps of....

j

 

Donna was fearless.

I wish I got a picture of Anne's last block,
on the large pine I brought....
complex....we ran out of time,
so she would be completing it on her own.
It's going to be a wonderful piece.
Anne has official Japanese woodblock printmaking under her belt, so it was interesting to see how she took to this process.
(I was envious of her working orderlines)



OH...and on the last day, Joan saw to it that we got to have a Cherry Pie.....geez.......

Yes...me.  
This was great.  
I want to do it again.  

Thanks, Anne, Anne, Donna, Donna, Joan, and Susan...you were a great class.
You really got a lot done...I think you learned a lot.
You caught on well,  you kept your knives sharp....your prints were wonderful.
 I hope you print those blocks again...and keep going.  
Cut and print another....you felt that thrill that grows as the print develops...............
it gets better.  
Keep me posted!