Shannon Fennell Artist

I am enjoying printing so much I was researching ways to do it at home... using manual methods.  I found gel printing - but you only get one print at a time as far as I can tell. It looks like an interesting way to make prints though so I might give it a try. I watched videos of artists demonstrating printing manually.... looks tiring and I'm not sure my hands would hold up well (I have a bit of arthritis in my hands.) As I sold my glass kiln a couple weeks ago, it felt like I could probably afford to get a small press... they don't cost anywhere close to what I got for my kiln, I sold it for 30% more than I paid for it! (We still have a kiln, mine was the overflow kiln.) My big concern was space... there isn't anywhere to put press at home. And I didn't want to turn a crank or wheel - I'm finding that hard physically. I was checking out options online (as one does) and found a type of press that I could set-up on a dresser or table. They do come in all paper sizes....

I went in to the Print Studio this morning to see how my second collagraphic plate would do. It appeared dry so I inked it up.   I will NEVER used dried pressed tulips again in printing! On Friday they made a mess on a monographic print. Today the varnish actually peeled right off the leaf as I was working the ink. It didn't rip off so I repositioned it and luckily it stayed in place as I pulled five prints off.  When I was finished the run I sealed the plate again, this time with straw-hat varnish. I'll give it another go next week. I mixed up Process Magenta and Process Yellow ink on the plate and really love the colour combo. Most likely will use them again. While I thought I had scrimmed the ink adequately on the plate and removed excess... there was a bit of an issue... Helen wasn't impressed. I had carefully laid it on newsprint and it was covered in adequate tissue paper... but my god.  A bit got on the blankets - soak through two layers. Honestly, I did not t...

I was really happy to be able to spend three days last week continuing to learn about the different forms of printing. I spent all of Friday in the Printing Studio alone with Helen. It is really nice to have conversations about general things while you work, not just be constantly asking for assistance and information. I finished my second collagraphic plate during the week and hope to print with it tomorrow - the yacht varnish takes a long time to dry so I hope it will be set enough to print. This one was done with cardboard and plant materials only. This is after applying the varnish: Friday I spent more time on monoprinting. I was using the extender in all the inks I was using and I really do prefer the finish and how it lasts - I get many more ghosts prints when I use the extender than when I don't. Another benefit of being the only one working in the studio is that I can spread out! I didn't take individual photos of each pressing as I was spending a lot of time messing ab...

I spent four days in Amsterdam the first week of April. My main purpose was to see the Vermeer Exhibit at the Rijksmuseum. And while I was there I also went to the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk Museum, the Moco Museum and the Rembrandt House Museum... and went on a canal cruise. The weather was fantastic and I walked everywhere. I think I must have walked at least 10km a day - from the train station to my hotel; from my hotel to the museums and back; and walking around the museums all day. Unfortunately, most of the photos I took are not very good - combination of my poor vision, dim lighting in the galleries, no flash photography permitted, and probably a slight shake holding the camera. I'm pretty disappointed - I used to be able to take excellent photos, even in bad light. But I used to be able to SEE the display screen on my camera. I figure about 3/4 of the photos are crap. The photos outdoors all turned out - enough light for me, and the camera, to see. I spent the entire da...