The Studio in 2023

So far „Giving Diversity a Home!“ was a motto. From now it will become a whole series of art work and thus, at long last, throw the bridge between me being both a printmaking artist and a biologist. We have set up our own garden here from scratch on a half hectar plot that has been a meadow for decades, mowed several times a year to feed cattle. Species diversity has increased ever since we started gardening in summer 2016. In the new series there will be artist‘s books and prints, and all want to be of assistance to boost species diversity in gardens. There are countless private gardens, big and small, all over Germany and beyond. And in each one of them there is something that can be done to help species diversity.

“Giving Diversity a Home!” the first three artist’s books

There are a good number of plants, ornamental or for picking a harvest from, that can be beneficial for species and, at the same time, are easy to grow. The new series of prints and books will introduce them. The new books will be printed on eco-friendly paper Loenneberga groen, produced with 100% green energy at Lessebo papermill in Sweden.

The first volume is about the quince and comes hot off the press for this year‘s Cultural Weeks on LandArt-Route 5.

“Giving Diversity a Home”! – Printing-for-all: the poster “Homegrown Fruit”

In early July our old barn turns itself into that bespoke gallery space again, it has been last year for the wayzgoose already. Next to the little book on the quince more new works are presented.

In the series „Manarah“ issue 5 by the title „Quod tibi hoc alteri“ has been completed recently and is all about the Golden Rule. It is a journey through time starting with the cave paintings from 35.000 years ago into the here-and-now. It tells the story of our thinking about our humaneness and how we go about it in every day life. Illustrations are two lino etchings. The etching on the front cover is a horse resembling the ice-age cave paintings, the one on the back cover is Carrbridge. Both are symbols for art building the bridge between and thus connecting humans over space and time.

Artist’s book “Quod tibi hoc alteri” – lino etching

Later in July Almuth comes to stay at the studio as a journey-woman. It is her third placement. For her project she wants to make a small series of poetry booklets. Apart from working with metal type and printing this will give her an opportunity to experiment with different folding techniques, which in turn will have effect on how to place and fix set type in the pressbed for printing. A good exercise. Even though she will be staying the whole of two weeks this is a lot of work. The day before she will pack and leave, we are visited by Michael and Eike. The two of them come to produce a podcast and some photos to go with it on Almuth‘s letterpress journey. The podcast is part of the series „Craft meets Culture“ which is being produced as a joint project of the rural districts of Herford and Minden-Luebbecke.

Almuth working at the guillotine, Annette and Eike (left to right) – Photo: Michael Trappmann

During the wayzgoose a number of visitors offer some of their unused old furniture as a very welcome addition for the seating area in the barn. One large dining table with six upholstered chairs, two small cocktail chairs sporting a dominant shade of green and one sofa make the charming gallery-barn their new home. And one high cabinet wishes to be placed in the printroom and can be fitted in without much reshuffling. It seems to have been designed to hold large size wood type, used for printing posters.

For the end of the season the barn becomes a gallery one more time in October, and hereafter the press will be wrapped up for hibernating. The two brand new booklets in the series can be presented: one on corn cockle and one on the medlar. And since Christmas is only weeks away, a new edition of Christmas labels for presents has been printed.

Published in 2023:

„The Secret of the Sea“ Broadsheet, woodcut for FPBA deLuxe Portfolio 44

„The Library“ insert for Manarah5 and extra broadsheet for FPBA deLuxe Portfolio

„Quod tibi hoc alteri“, artist‘s book, Manarah 5, lino etching

„Die Quitte“, artist‘s book, colour linocut

„Die Kornrade“, artist‘s book, colour linocut

„Die Mispel“, artist‘s book, colour linocut

Contact

The series „Giving Diversity a Home!“ is being presented as project at kreatorsklub Roemerturm Paper. It is described as an example what ecofriendly Loenneberga paper can be used for.