Black-crowned Night Heron

Black-crowned Night Heron, originally uploaded by pejnolan.

My husband and I went on a trip into Chicago today. We are getting pretty knowledgeable about public transportation options and decided to use the water taxi to and from Navy Pier.

I like using the boats because it feels cooler down by the water and I can get some interesting shots of the buildings from a different perspective than the street. 

As we stepped off the boat on the way back, we spotted an endangered Black-crested Night Heron on a pylon right next to the Michigan Avenue bridge. He wasn't shy at all and didn't might be getting very close to take photos. As long as I stayed on the stair well, he was fine, but I tried getting even closer by shooting through a wire fence. He knew that wasn't wear most people are and he took flight. As he did so, he navigated around all the boats on the river.

We went to the McCormick Bridgehouse Museum. We were lucky because today the museum was free! It shows the gears, motors and history of the bridge.

That's All Folks!

The anticipation of printing builds

tree fungus is carved with tengucho removed., originally uploaded by pejnolan.

Usually I will carve, print, and package a single block at a time. I'm going about the process a bit differently because this time I'll be carving a number of blocks all at once.

Since I moved into my apartment, space is at a premium. I am only able to set up one work station. That station will be rotating between the stages of woodblock printing. Already I like this better. I get to enjoy the clean, un-inked blocks a bit longer. 

Every time a block is created, it starts from an idea. The idea develops into a drawing and continues to change a grow until the block is carved, the it leaps onto the washi as its own fully developed person as it is printed. Instead of only having a single "child," this process will allow me to have a "family" of prints.

Each print will be unique, but the same for the editions and the editions will mirror the colors of one another.

If you would like to see these finished prints, come to Art of the Land in Harvard, IL this September 21–22, or visit Plum Bottom Pottery in Egg Harbor, WI later in the year. (Plum Bottom has a website where you can view my work for sale under the "Featured Artist" tab.)