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Mokuhanga today can be made in so many ways. So many inspirations, so many people creating beautiful pieces from all over the world.
Coming to you from Obihiro, Hokkaido, I have been traveling around Japan for over a month. Coming back to Japan is always an inspiring act and it is already like a second home to me.
What brought me back to Japan this time around was the 2024 International Mokuhanga Conference held in Echizen City, Fukui, Japan. Meeting with so many mokuhanga artists, carvers, and printers inspired me and makes me want to be a better artist and to make a better podcast.
On this episode of The Unfinished Print I speak with one of the mokuhanga artists who also attended the 2024 IMC. Jason Fujiwara. Jason lives and works in Tokyo, Japan where he creates his mokuhanga. Jason and I speak together about how he approaches his work, his inspirations, the idea of cultural identity in his prints , his time at the 2024 International Mokuhanga Conference, and Jason even asks me some questions.
Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at [email protected]
Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.
Artists works follow after the note if available. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are given if known. Print publishers are given if known.
Jason Fujiwara - website, Instagram
Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) - born in Edo, Hiroshige is famous for his landscape series of that burgeoning city. The most famous series being, One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (1856-1859), and the landcape series, Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō (1833-1834). His work highlights bokashi, and bright colours. More info about his work can be found, here.
Ōiso: from the series The Tōkaidō Road - The Fifty-three Stations (1851-52)
Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) - is one of the most famous Japanese artists to have ever lived. Hokusai was an illustrator, painter and woodblock print designer. His work can be found on paper, wood, silk, and screen. His woodblock print design for Under The Wave off Kanagawa (ca. 1830-32) is beyond famous. His work, his manga, his woodblocks, his paintings, influence artists from all over the world.
Poem by Sangi Hitoshi : the series One Hundred Poems Explained by the Nurse (n.d.)
David Bull - is a Canadian woodblock printmaker, and educator who lives and works in Japan. His love of mokuhanga has almost singlehandedly promoted the art form around the world. His company, Mokuhankan, has a brick and mortar store in Asakusa, Tōkyō, and online, here.
The Forest In Summer: From the Series "My Solitudes." (2007-9)
Ema Shin - Based in Melbourne, Australia, Ema Shin hails from Niigata, Japan. She pursued her education in printmaking at Tama Art University in Tokyo. Currently, her work spans across various mediums including papier-mâché, embroidery, tapestry weaving, bookmaking, urauchi, collage, and mokuhanga. For more information, visit here.
Soft Alchemy (Fertile Heart) Woven tapestry, cotton, wool, 21" x 31" x 2.3", Matthew Stanton photography. (2019) Terry McKenna - is a mokuhanga printmaker and teacher residing in Karuizawa, Japan. He received guidance in the art form from Richard Steiner, a prominent mokuhanga printmaker based in Kyoto. Terry established the Karuizawa Mokuhanga School, a renowned residency dedicated to mokuhanga education. For further details about Terry and his school, here. Additionally, you can read Terry's interview with The Unfinished Print, here and Richard Steiner's interview here. Beauty (2010) mokume - is a woodblock printing technique where, by using heavy pressure on wood which contains a heavy grain, the artist can reveal the grain in their work. Below is a fine example of mokume technique by Osamu Sugiyama: 10 Views of Mt. Fuji - Moonlight over Shinobino Moor (13"x16.9") bokashi - is a mokuhanga technique, where the pigment fades from a heavy colour to a softer, broad colour. Made famous by prints designed by Hokusai and Hiroshige, this technique is, for me, the most popular technique utilized by mokuhanga printmakers. There are various types: Ichimoji-bokashi or straight line graduation, used in the above mentioned Hiroshige and Hokusai prints. Ichimoji-mura-bokashi or straight line gradation with uneven edge. Ō-bokashi or wide gradation, Ate-nashi-bokashi or gradation without definition. Futa-iro-bokashi or two tone gradation, and ita-bokashi or softer-edge gradation, where the block is cut in a specific way to achieve this style of gradation. All of these styles of bokashi technique take practice and skill but are very much doable. Below is a fine example of bokashi by Paul Binnie: Flowers of a Hundred Years: Bubble Era [of 1990] (18.5"x13") (2024) ukiyo-e - is a form of multi-color woodblock print and painting primarily associated with Japan's Edo Period (1603-1867). Originating in the 17th century with prints featuring only a few colors, it evolved into a sophisticated system of production and technique by the Meiji Period (1868-1912). However, with the emergence of photography and other printmaking methods, traditional ukiyo-e production ceased by the late 19th century, leaving behind a rich legacy in Japanese art history. Procreate - is a popular digital art app designed exclusively for iPad and iPhone. It offers a wide range of tools and features that allow artists to create digital illustrations, paintings, and designs with ease. Some of its key features include a variety of brushes, layers, blending modes, and advanced editing options. Procreate has gained popularity among digital artists due to its intuitive interface, powerful capabilities, and ability to produce high-quality artwork. A2 - is a paper size part of the ISO 216 standard and is commonly used for posters, architectural drawings, and other large format prints. Its dimensions are 594 x 420 millimeters or approximately 23.4 x 16.5 inches. Pansion paper - is a medium-heavy kozo paper, varying in size and weight and is predominantly used in printmaking. Ralph Kiggell (1960-2022) : was a highly influential figure in our world of mokuhanga printmaking. Originally from England, Ralph resided and practiced his art in Thailand. Renowned for his innovative approach, Ralph pushed the boundaries of mokuhanga through his creation of exceptionally large pieces, intricate jigsaw carving techniques, and vibrant color palettes. He also played a pivotal role in promoting mokuhanga globally through his involvement with the International Mokuhanga Conference. His legacy will be deeply felt and cherished by the mokuhanga community. You can explore Ralph's work, here. You can read his obituary in The Guardian here and his interview with The Unfinished Print, here. White Orchid (n.d.) Keiko Kobayashi - is a mokuhanga printmaker and administrator of the International Mokuhanga Conference. She lives and works in Tokyo, Japan. More information can be found, here. 花喰い(6) 蝋梅に四十雀 (2024) 4"x4" nengajō - (年賀状) what began as a way for Japanese nobility to communicate with faraway friends and family during the New Year festive period, has become a way for all people to send New Year greetings to their own friends and family. More info, here. Kay Watanabe - is an artist located in Brisbane, Australia. Her creative endeavors span across various mediums, including mokuhanga and other printmaking techniques, painting, drawing, and photography. For further details about Kay and her artistic journey, visit here. Heaven And Earth (2019) etching on paper Roslyn Keane - is a mokuhanga printmaker and baren designer situated in Sydney, Australia. Her artistic creations lean towards abstraction and often feature large-scale pieces crafted using a diverse range of techniques. For additional insights into Roslyn's work, her KBB barens, and her The Stables Print Studio, visit, here. Transition (2019/20) © Popular Wheat Productionsopening and closing credit - eating in an izakaya in Himeji, Japan with friends recorded live in 2024.
logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny
Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :)
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If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know.
***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***
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When creating mokuhanga, one requires time – time to prepare, time to plan, and time to explore. The essence of the work emerges from this delicate balance of managing one's time and integrating life within mokuhanga. In this episode of 'The Unfinished Print,' I have the pleasure of speaking with printmaker Wuon-Gean Ho. Wuon-Gean approaches her mokuhanga with a keen focus on work-life balance, emphasizing creation not at the expense of life but as a means to enrich and enhance it. Join me as we delve into Wuon Gean's unique perspective on mokuhanga, how it skillfully blends with her other printmaking endeavors, learning under Akira Kurosaki, her educational experiences and we delve into her philosophies on living a life infused with art. Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at [email protected]
Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.
Artists works follow after the note if available. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are given if known. Print publishers are given if known.
Wuon-Gean Ho - website
JET Programme - a teaching programme created in 1978, which is sponsored by the Japanese government, and various Japanese ministries. This organization brings people from around the world to teach English to Japanese students in grade school, junior high, and high schools throughout the country. More info, here.
Tate Modern - located in London, UK, and stands as one of the world's largest and most renowned contemporary art museums. It houses an extensive collection of international modern and contemporary art from around the world. The museum is known for its innovative exhibitions that showcase works by both established and emerging artists. Additionally, Tate Modern offers a variety of educational programs, workshops, and events designed to engage visitors of all ages and backgrounds.
Kyoto Seika University - situated in Kyoto, Japan, is a leading private university specializing in art and design education. The university offers undergraduate and graduate programs in various fields of art and design, including painting, sculpture, graphic design, and manga. Known for its rigorous academic curriculum, Kyoto Seika University emphasizes practical skills and creative expression. The institution has a rich history and tradition of nurturing talented artists and designers, with a strong focus on fostering creativity and innovation among its students.
Akira Kurosaki 黒崎彰 (1937-2019) - was one of the most influential woodblock print artists of the modern era. His work, while seemingly abstract, moved people with its vibrant colour and powerful composition. He was a teacher and invented the “Disc Baren,” which is a great baren to begin your mokuhanga journey with. At the 2021 Mokuhanga Conference in Nara, Japan there was a tribute exhibit of his life works. Azusa Gallery has a nice selection of his work, here.
bokashi - is a mokuhanga technique, where the pigment fades from a heavy colour to a softer, broad colour. Made famous by prints designed by Hokusai and Hiroshige, this technique is, for me, the most popular technique utilized by mokuhanga printmakers. There are various types: Ichimoji-bokashi or straight line graduation, used in the above mentioned Hiroshige and Hokusai prints. Ichimoji-mura-bokashi or straight line gradation with uneven edge. Ō-bokashi or wide gradation, Ate-nashi-bokashi or gradation without definition. Futa-iro-bokashi or two tone gradation, and ita-bokashi or softer-edge gradation, where the block is cut in a specific way to achieve this style of gradation. All of these styles of bokashi technique take practice and skill but are very much doable.
Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) - is one of the most, if not the most, famous Japanese artist ever known. He designed woodblock prints, as well as creating his own paintings, screens, scrolls, and commissioned art in Buddhist temples throughout Japan. More info, here. The British Museum has a lot of info, here.
Devon - is a city located in the southwest of England, and is renowned for its stunning natural beauty, diverse landscapes, and rich cultural heritage. Rugged coastlines adorned with sandy and picturesque villages, Devon offers a wealth of attractions for visitors and locals alike. You can find more info on Devon tourism, here.
Fabriano paper - is a high-quality paper produced by the Fabriano paper mill in Fabriano, Italy. It is renowned for its exceptional durability, texture, and archival quality, making it a favorite among artists, printmakers, and conservators worldwide. Fabriano paper comes in various weights, textures, and finishes. It is prized for its ability to withstand repeated erasing, scraping, and wet media applications while retaining its integrity and beauty.
Camellia oil - also known as tea seed oil, is a versatile vegetable oil extracted from the seeds of the Camellia oleifera or Camellia sinensis plant, which are the same species from which tea leaves are harvested. Originating in East Asia, particularly China and Japan, camellia oil has been used for centuries for culinary, cosmetic, and medicinal purposes. In mokuhanga it has been used to oil the baren when printing, making a smooth printing surface.
Copperplate oil - is a substance used in the intaglio technique such as copperplate engraving or etching. This specialized oil, typically comprising linseed oil and resin, serves multiple purposes throughout the printmaking process. Initially applied to copper plates, it functions as a protective layer, guarding against oxidation while enhancing the quality of engraved or etched lines by promoting smoother, more consistent marks. Copperplate oil aids in achieving tonal effects and to the longevity of the final prints. It also serves as an effective agent for cleaning plates post-etching, ensuring the preservation of engraved details while removing excess ink.
Ian Phillips - is a woodblock printmaker based in the UK. He works in water based printing, with the landscape of the sea as his main inspiration. More info of Ian's work can be found, here.
tabi hanga - is the collaborative printing method which Wuon-Gean describes in her episode.
© Popular Wheat Productionsopening and closing musical credit - Audrey by Dave Brubeck from the album Brubeck Time released in 1955 on Columbia Records.
logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny
Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :)
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If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know.
***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***
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Several years ago, a book caught my eye, called "Lu Xun’s Legacy". Published by the Muban Educational Trust, a non-profit dedicated to the preservation of woodblock art in China and located in London, England, it opened my eyes to Chinese woodblock prints. Reading the book, I realized how little I knew about printmaking, woodblock or otherwise, from China. All I really knew was that Japanese woodblock has roots within Chinese printmaking and I was curious as to how that transpired.
Today, I speak with Senior Research Fellow at the Muban Educational Trust, David Barker. David’s interests lie in the history and techniques of Chinese printmaking, having written a book on the subject in 2005 called "Tradition and Techniques in Contemporary Chinese Printmaking".
David speaks to me about the history of printmaking in China, its techniques, and process. David discusses his time in the country, how prints evolved from the pre-modern (Tang and Ming Dynasties, for instance) into more modern times. We discuss Lu Xun, and the history of purchasing and selling prints in China, and where printmaking in China is today.
Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at [email protected]Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.
Artists works follow after the note if available. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are given if known. Print publishers are given if known.
Muban Educational Trust : website
Lu Xun (1881-1936) : was a seminal figure in modern Chinese literature, renowned for his impactful short stories and essays that exposed the societal and political issues of his era. Born in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, his works, including "The True Story of Ah Q" and "Diary of a Madman," critically examined the struggles of ordinary people and the shortcomings of traditional Chinese society. A staunch advocate for cultural and political reform, Lu Xun's writings continue to inspire and resonate with readers, solidifying his legacy as one of the most influential writers in 20th-century Chinese literature.
Goldsmiths College: A renowned public research university in London known for its arts, design, and humanities programs.
etching: A printmaking technique where an image is created by using acid to etch lines or textures onto a metal plate.
lithography: A printing process where images are transferred onto a surface using a flat plate or stone.
St. Francis Xavier (1506-1552): was a Roman Catholic missionary who played a significant role in spreading Christianity in Asia, particularly in Japan and India, during the 16th century.
Shimabara Rebellion: was a 17th-century uprising in Japan led by Christian peasants against oppressive feudal lords and the prohibition of Christianity.
Cultural Revolution: A socio-political movement in China initiated by Mao Zedong in the 1960s aimed at purging "counter-revolutionary" elements and promoting Maoist ideology.
Mao Zedong (1893-1976) - was the founder of the People's Republic of China and a key figure in Chinese communist history.
Open Door Policy: A U.S. policy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries advocating for free trade and equal economic access to China among foreign powers.
Gang of Four: A political faction led by Mao Zedong's wife, Jiang Qing, during the Cultural Revolution, known for its radical and controversial policies.
Anne Farrer PhD: is the Senior Research Fellow at the MET with a BA in Chinese and a PhD in late Ming woodblock illustration from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. She has served in various roles at the Ashmolean Museum and the British Museum, focusing on Chinese painting, prints, and Central Asian collections. Currently, she is the Programme Director for the MA in East Asian Art at Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London and also works with the Muban Educational Trust. Dr. Farrer's exhibitions and publications span topics such as Chinese art from the Silk Route, traditional and contemporary Chinese printmaking, and she has a particular research interest in woodblock printing from seventeenth and eighteenth-century China.
Tang Dynasty: An influential dynasty in Chinese history known for its cultural and economic prosperity during the 7th to 10th centuries.
Ching Dynasty: Also known as the Qing Dynasty, the last imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912.
Ming Dynasty: preceding the Qing Dynasty, known for its cultural renaissance and maritime exploration during the 14th to 17th centuries.
gouache: is a water-based paint known for its opaque and vibrant colours. Made from pigment, water, and gum arabic as a binder, it offers artists versatility in creating both translucent washes and opaque layers. Gouache can be reactivated with water and comes in a range of colors, making it a popular choice for various painting techniques.
Gauguin in the South Pacific: refers to the artistic period of Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) when he lived and worked in the South Pacific islands, producing vibrant and exotic paintings.
kentō - is the registration system used by printmakers in order to line up the colour woodblocks with your key block, or outline block, carved first.
Ten Bamboo Studio: was a renowned Chinese printing studio established during the Qing Dynasty. Founded by Hu Zhengyan, it produced exquisite woodblock-printed books known for intricate designs and high-quality craftsmanship. These publications covered literature, poetry, painting, and calligraphy, showcasing meticulous detail and vibrant colors. Today, works from the Ten Bamboo Studio are treasured cultural artifacts admired globally for their beauty and historical significance.
The Ding Workshops: was a renowned studio in China specializing in traditional woodblock printing. For generations, the Ding family mastered the art of printmaking, producing high-quality prints that often depicted landscapes, figures, and daily life scenes with intricate details and rich colors. Their prints were highly sought after and played a significant role in preserving and promoting Chinese artistic heritage.
Postmodernism in China: a cultural and artistic movement in China that emerged after the Cultural Revolution, characterized by a mix of traditional and contemporary influences.
Christer von der Burg : founded the Han Shan Tang bookshop in 1978 in London, specializing in East Asian arts and culture books. Recognizing the underappreciation of Chinese prints compared to Japanese prints, he established the Muban Foundation in 1997 to promote Chinese printing knowledge. Over a decade, he amassed a collection of over 8,000 Chinese prints, now housed with the Muban Educational Trust. Retiring from the book business in 2000, Christer remains active, building one of the world's largest collections of antique Chinese prints, particularly from Suzhou. His passion has revitalized interest in Chinese woodblock printing, educating both artists and collectors on its significance, evident in today's rising print values at Chinese auctions.
Cleveland Museum: The Cleveland Museum of Art, a major art museum located in Cleveland, Ohio, known for its diverse collection spanning various cultures and time periods.
British Museum: A world-renowned museum in London, housing a vast collection of art and artifacts from around the world.
The Ashmolean Museum: in Oxford, England, one of the oldest public museums in the world, known for its extensive collection of art and archaeology.
The Dresden Museum of Art: is renowned for its diverse collection of artworks from various periods and styles. Founded in the 19th century, it features masterpieces by artists like Raphael and Rembrandt. The museum's elegant architecture and rotating exhibitions attract art enthusiasts worldwide, making it a cultural hub in Dresden.
Crown Point Press: A prestigious printmaking studio and publisher based in San Francisco, known for collaborating with renowned artists.
oban: A traditional Japanese print size, approximately 10 x 15 inches, often used for Japanese style woodblock prints.
Huizhou :located in Guangdong Province, China, is a city steeped in rich history and cultural heritage. Once a significant center of trade and commerce during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Huizhou today blends its storied past with modern development. The city offers a mix of historical sites, natural parks, and cultural landmarks, making it a diverse and appealing destination. With its coastal location, Huizhou also attracts beachgoers and outdoor enthusiasts. Furthermore, its thriving economy, particularly in industries like electronics and petrochemicals, highlights its importance as a dynamic hub in southern China.
Beijing: The capital city of China, known for its historic landmarks like the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, as well as its modern development.
Tianjin: is situated in northeastern China, is a bustling metropolis renowned for its historical significance, vibrant culture, and modern development. As a major port city and economic hub, Tianjin blends traditional Chinese architecture and heritage sites with contemporary skyscrapers and bustling commercial districts. The city boasts a rich cultural scene, featuring theaters, museums, and galleries, as well as a diverse culinary landscape reflecting its cosmopolitan character. With its strategic location and rapid urbanization, Tianjin continues to thrive as a key player in China's economy and as a dynamic center for business, culture, and innovation.
Yunnan Province - is a diverse and culturally rich province in southwest China, known for its stunning landscapes, ethnic minorities, and traditional crafts.Matteo Ricci (1552-1610) was an Italian Jesuit priest and missionary who played a key role in early interactions between China and the West during the Ming Dynasty. Ricci learned Chinese, adopted local customs, and impressed Chinese intellectuals with his knowledge of Western science and technology. He collaborated with Chinese scholar Xu Guangqi to translate Western texts into Chinese, promoting cultural exchange. Despite challenges from both Chinese officials and European Jesuits, Ricci's efforts laid the foundation for future East-West interactions and understanding.
Manchu : are an ethnic group primarily originating from the northeastern region of China, historically known as Manchuria. In the 17th century, under the leadership of the Aisin Gioro clan, the Manchu established the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China from 1644 to 1912. Initially a nomadic and tribal people, the Manchu gradually adopted Chinese culture, language, and governance systems as they integrated into the broader Chinese civilization. Despite their eventual assimilation, the Manchu maintained a distinct identity, characterized by their unique language, customs, and traditions. Today, the descendants of the Manchu continue to uphold their cultural heritage and identity, contributing to the rich tapestry of ethnic diversity within China.
© Popular Wheat Productionsopening and closing musical credit - Car Hiss By My Window by The Doors from the album L.A. Woman released in 1971 by Elektra Records.
logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny
Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :)
Слава Українi
If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know.
***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***
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Embarking on the journey into the world of mokuhanga, each of us starts with a unique desire. It begins with early prints, guided by exploration, and the innate desire to create something—anything—all viewed through the prism of mokuhanga, shaping our voices in this captivating journey.
In this episode of the Unfinished Print, I speak with the burgeoning mokuhanga printmaker Jack Moranetz. We discuss how he got involved in the art form, his early prints, his visit to Japan and meeting David Bull, collaborations, and how he approaches his printmaking.
Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at [email protected]Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.
Artists works follow after the note if available. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are given if known. Print publishers are given if known.
Jack Moranetz - website, YouTube, Etsy
Awagami - is arguably the largest paper making company in Japan at the moment. With a large International name, Awagami sponsors, and promotes its paper all over the world. More information can be found on its website, here.
Dick Blick Art Supplies - is an art supply store with various brick and mortar stores throughout the United States, as well as online. Founded in 1911 by Dick Blick in Galesburg, Illinois, BLICK, as it’s more commonly known, sells various types of art supplies, much like Jerry’s Artarama. More info, here.
linocut - is a printmaking technique in which a design is carved into a sheet of linoleum with specialized cutting tools. The carved linoleum surface is then inked, and paper is pressed onto it to create a print. Linocut is a relief printing method, similar to woodcut, but it uses linoleum instead of wood as the printing surface. Linocut is popular for its versatility and is used in both fine art and craft applications.
Michael's Art Supplies - is a big box art supply store located throughout North America. More info can be found, here.
brayer - is a roller with a handle used to apply ink to a printing surface. It typically consists of a cylindrical rubber roller attached to a handle. Printmakers use the brayer to evenly distribute ink over the surface of a printing block, such as linoleum or wood, before pressing it onto paper or another substrate. The brayer ensures a smooth and uniform ink coverage, allowing for clear and consistent impressions during the printing process. Artists can control the amount of ink applied by rolling the brayer over an ink slab or palette before transferring it to the printing surface. Brayers are an essential tool in various printmaking techniques, including linocut, woodcut, and monotype.
Bender - is a fictional character in the animated television series "Futurama," created by Matt Groening. Bender is a robot with a humanoid appearance and a distinctive metal body. He is known for his irreverent and sarcastic personality, as well as his love for bending girders and other metal objects. He serves as one of the main characters in the series.
David Bull - is a Canadian woodblock printmaker, and educator who lives and works in Japan. His love of mokuhanga has almost singlehandedly promoted the art form around the world. His company, Mokuhankan, has a brick and mortar store in Asakusa, Tōkyō, and online, here.
Chapter 9 - The Seacoast In Winter, from the My Solitudes series (2007)
Twitch - is a widely-used live streaming platform, initially focused on video game streaming and e-sports, but later expanding to include diverse content like music and art. Acquired by Amazon in 2014, Twitch allows users to broadcast live video content, interact with viewers through a real-time chat feature, and offers features such as e-motes and subscriptions. Streamers create communities around their content, and viewers can engage by subscribing to channels for exclusive benefits. Twitch has become a prominent platform for live content creation, fostering a sense of community among its users.
sumi - is a rich black stick or liquid used by artists, calligraphers, and traditional Japanese horimono tattoo artists. Sumi is made from the soot of burnt lamp oil. Sumi is used predominantly in key blocks in traditional mokuhanga and to mix pigments. Pigment Tōkyō conducts a great interview with their chief of pigments, Kei Iwaizumi, about sumi ink, here.
shina - is a type of Japanese plywood used in mokuhanga. Not all shina is made equally, buyer beware.
McClains Woodblock Print Supply Co. - based in Portland, Oregon, McClain's is the go-to supplier of woodblock print tools in the United States. Their website can be found here. The Unfinished Print interview with Daniel Jasa of McClain's can be found here.
Disk Baren - crafted by Akira Kurosaki (1937-2019), is a plastic baren which features a replaceable disc with small surface bumps that ensure uniform pressure application across the paper during the printing process.
murasaki baren - is a mid-range mokuhanga baren. “murasaki” meaning “purple” , come in two types of weight (medium and heavy), and two types of sizes (10cm and 12cm). They are a reasonably priced baren.
bokashi - is a mokuhanga technique, where the pigment fades from a heavy colour to a softer, broad colour. Made famous by prints designed by Hokusai and Hiroshige, this technique is, for me, the most popular technique utilized by mokuhanga printmakers. There are various types: Ichimoji-bokashi or straight line graduation, used in the above mentioned Hiroshige and Hokusai prints. Ichimoji-mura-bokashi or straight line gradation with uneven edge. Ō-bokashi or wide gradation, Ate-nashi-bokashi or gradation without definition. Futa-iro-bokashi or two tone gradation, and ita-bokashi or softer-edge gradation, where the block is cut in a specific way to achieve this style of gradation. All of these styles of bokashi technique take practice and skill but are very much doable.
Laura Boswell ARE - is a renowned British printmaker recognized for her expertise in linocut and woodblock printing. Her artistic repertoire includes creating intricate and detailed prints inspired by nature, landscapes, and everyday life. Notably, Boswell is known for her adept use of a bold and vibrant color palette in her prints. Beyond her artistic pursuits, she shares her knowledge by teaching printmaking techniques, conducting workshops, and authoring instructional books on the subject. Her commitment to both creating and educating adds depth to her contributions in the field of printmaking. More info can be found on her website, here. Her interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here.
Long Grasses up by Westerdale 18"x 7"
Kitsune Prints - is a mokuhanga printmaking studio located in Monsano, Italy. More info can be found, here.
Atelier Sentō - is an art collective located in Biarritz, France. They design images for companies, bookstores, publishers, and mokuhanga. The print that Jack refers to is a print called, The Unseen World: After The Rain, a print published by Shinji Tsuchimochi and the publisher Miyakadori. More info about Atelier Sentō can be found, here. The print mentioned can be purchased from Mokuhankan, here.
11" x 8" (2021)
Karen Pittman - is a mokuhanga printmaker based in Austin, Texas. She continues to make beautiful mokuhanga, and explores the craft through her blog Vivid Laboratories. Karen's interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here.
Katherine's Mora River 9" x 6.75" (2023)
Daryl Howard - is a mokuhanga printmaker base in Austin, Texas. She apprenticed with Hodaka Yoshida (1926-1995). Her work has been shown around the world. More information about Daryl can be found, here. Daryl's interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here.
an eternal teardrop...descending from love 15"x20" (2019)
Ocooch Hardwoods - is a wood supplier based in Wisconsin. More info can be found, here.
Jackson's Art - is a brick and mortar and online art supply store located in London, England founded in 2000. More info can be found, here.
© Popular Wheat Productionsopening and closing musical credit - Television Funeral by Mononegatives (2023)
logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny
Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :)
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If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know.
***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***
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On this episode I have the pleasure of speaking with Hiroki Morinoue, an artist who resides and creates on the Big Island in Hawai'i. Together, we delve into his personal journey with mokuhanga, reflecting on his experiences at MI Lab, exploring his unique color palette, and gaining insights into his meticulous process in crafting mokuhanga prints. Additionally, we uncover Hiroki’s life in Hawai'i, his ventures, and his relationships with prominent galleries such as Studio 7 Fine Arts, print studio’s like Shark’s Ink, and the arts center at Anderson Ranch.
Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at [email protected]
Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.
Artists works follow after the note if available. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are given if known. Print publishers are given if known.
Hiroki Morinoue -
Pure Water (2001) 18.5"x38.5"
High Tide (2012) 22"x30"
Earth Cycle (2007) 37.5"x37"
MI Lab - is a mokuhanga artists residency located in Kawaguchi-ko, near Mount Fuji. More info can be found, here. Keiko Hara - is an artist and Professor of Art Emerita at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. She is a painter, and printmaker in various relief mediums, such as mokuhanga. Verse R - black and white (2017) 13"x11" Jaqueline Gribbin - is a printmaker who focuses on mokuhanga and intaglio printing techniques. She lives and works in Humpty Doo, New Territory, Australia. Kisaragi (2012) 18.9" x 25" pochoir - is a stencilling technique used in printmaking and decorative arts. The term "pochoir" is French for "stencil." In this method, a design is created by cutting or punching holes in a sheet of paper or other material, and then paint or ink is applied through the openings onto a surface below. Pochoir allows for precise and intricate patterns, making it particularly popular in the creation of fine art prints, illustrations, and decorative designs. It has been historically employed in various art movements, including Art Nouveau and Art Deco. More info, here. Helen Frankenthaler (1928–2011) was a prominent American abstract expressionist painter known for her role in the Color Field painting movement. Her innovative technique involved staining unprimed canvas with thinned oil paint, creating a distinctive luminous effect. "Mountains and Sea" (1952) is a notable example of her influential work. Frankenthaler's contributions have left a lasting impact on postwar American art. Frankenthaler began to make woodcut prints in 1973 and was influenced by Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858). More info about her prints can be found at the Frankenthaler Foundation, here. Tale of Genji V (1998) 42"x47" Donkey Mill Art Center - is a community art center located in Holualoa, Hawaii. It serves as a hub for various artistic activities, workshops, and events, fostering creative expression and engagement with the arts. The center often offers classes and programs in a variety of artistic disciplines, including painting, ceramics, printmaking, and more. More info, here. Mauna Kea - is the highest peak in the Hawaiian Islands, located on the Big Island. A dormant volcano, it stands at 13,796 feet (4,205 meters) above sea level. The mountain holds cultural significance for Native Hawaiians and is home to unique ecosystems. Mauna Loa - is an active shield volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii, standing at 13,678 feet (4,169 meters) above sea level. It is the Earth's most massive subaerial volcano, known for frequent non-explosive eruptions and its broad, gently sloping shape. The volcano holds scientific and cultural significance and is closely monitored due to its potential impact on nearby communities.Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill - occurred in 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico. It was one of the largest environmental disasters in history. The spill resulted from the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling rig, releasing millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf. The incident had severe ecological and economic consequences, impacting marine life, coastal ecosystems, and local economies along the Gulf Coast.
Thai mulberry paper - also known as "saa paper" or "kozo paper," is a traditional handmade paper originating from Thailand. It is crafted from the bark of the mulberry tree, specifically the Broussonetia papyrifera tree.
Shark's Ink - established in 1976 as Shark’s Lithography Ltd, the studio has partnered with over 160 distinguished artists from the United States and Europe. These artists, known for their strong personal visions, engage in ongoing collaborations, often returning for multiple projects. The resulting prints, marked by inventive techniques, encompass a wide range of artistic approaches. The studio employs various processes, including lithography, monotype, metal leaf, chine collé, embossing, collage, and innovative methods for woodblocks and relief prints, including three-dimensional lithographs. More info, here.
nori - is a type of paste made from starch. It is used when making mokuhanga. You can make nori from any type of material made from starch. For instance, paste can be made with tapioca, rice, corn, even potato. You can purchase nori pretty much anywhere but making it is more environmentally friendly. Laura Boswell has a great recipe, here.
embossing - refers to a technique where the paper is pressed into the carved woodblocks, creating a raised or textured effect on the printed surface. This technique adds a three-dimensional quality to the print by making certain areas of the paper slightly elevated.
Gotō Hidehiko (b.1953) - is a mokuhanga printmaker and tool maker based in Japan. He makes and teaches seminars about the construction of the mokuhanga tool, the baren.
Window (2011) 15"x12"
gomazuri - is a mokuhanga technique where slight pressure is used with pigments too make a “spotty” image, what look like sesame seeds. It can add depth to your prints.
Saitō Kiyoshi (1907-1997) - was a Japanese woodblock printmaker and artist who worked in the sōsaku hanga style of mokuhanga. HIs fame outside of Japan was fairly comprehensive with his peak fame being in the 1950’s and 1960’s. For a comprehensive book on his life and times, Saitō Kiyoshi: Graphic Awakening published by The John & Mable Ringling Museum is an excellent source. Can be found, here. Lecture by Dr. Paget about Saitō can be found, here. My interview with Professor Paget can be found, here.
Winter in Aizu (1969) 18"x23.5"
Richard Notkin - is an American ceramic artist known for his pottery and distinctive style that often incorporates political and social commentary. Notkin has gained recognition for his work in the field of ceramics, particularly his teapots.
Meltdown of Reason: Helena MT. (1987) stoneware and porcelain. 10.5"x5.5"x4.5"
Mayumi Oda - is a Buddhist teacher and artist based in Hawai’i. Her artwork has gained international recognition, having traveled worldwide. In addition to her artistic pursuits, Mayumi is an environmental activist and resides and works at Ginger Hill Farm, an eco-retreat on the Big Island of Hawai’i. Explore more about Mayumi Oda’s work, here.
Hands of Compassion (1986) screen print 37"x25"
Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009) - was a renowned American realist painter, known for his detailed and emotive depictions of the rural American landscape. Born in Pennsylvania, he spent much of his life capturing the subtleties of nature, particularly in the Brandywine Valley and coastal Maine.
Christina's World (1948) 32 1/4 x 47 3/4" © Popular Wheat Productionsopening and closing musical credit - The September Of My Years (1965) from the album The September Of My Years released on Reprise Records.
logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny
Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :)
Слава Українi
If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know.
***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***
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In this episode of The Unfinished Print, I speak with Henry Smith, Professor Emeritus in the Dept. of East Asian Languages & Cultures at Columbia University. Together we delve into the scientific aspects of Meiji woodblock prints, exploring the trajectory of Nishiki-e during the late Edo and Meiji eras. Additionally, we examine the significance of cochineal and naphthol dyes, and scrutinize particle sizes. Henry's scholarly contributions include groundbreaking articles on subjects such as Hokusai and the Blue Revolution, with the introduction of Prussian Blue to the Japanese woodblock aesthetic during the mid to late Edo Period.
Join me in discovering how Henry's passion drew him into the enchanting world of Meiji woodblock prints, as we navigate the influence of Western collectors in Meiji Japan, exemplified by figures like English s urgeon William Anderson. Henry helps me in understanding the rich palette and the science behind Meiji prints, shaped by the infusion of imported dyes and pigments.
Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at [email protected]
Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.
Artists works follow after the note if available. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are given if known. Publishers are given if known.
The funeral procession of Meiji Emperor at Nijubashi designed by Yasuda Hanpo (1889-1947)
Columbia Academic Commons
Professor Henry Smith's article on the Japanese Student movement, here.
Peter Gluck - is an American architect who has won multiple awards and has designed buildings all over the world. He is the principal of GLUCK+, an architecture firm based in New York City.
Professor Carol Gluck - is a Special Research Scholar and George Sansom Professor Emerita of History, Department of History at Columbia University. She has written multiple books and articles on Japanese history.
Jane Jacobs (1916-2006) - an American-Canadian journalist, activist who had written extensively on the life and death of North American cities such as New York City, and Toronto. Her book The Death And Life Of Great American Cities, is considered a classic in urban planning for the modern city and its subsequent decline.
Robert Venturi (1925-2018) - was an American architect and theorist known for his contributions to postmodern architecture. He, along with his partner and wife Denise Scott Brown, played a key role in shaping architectural discourse in the late 20th century. Venturi challenged the modernist principles that dominated architecture at the time, advocating for a more inclusive and eclectic approach. His book, Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture (1966) was where he critiqued the rigidity of modernist architecture and championed a more diverse and contextual approach to architecture.
Metabolism (Japan) - The Metabolism movement was characterized by a group of young Japanese architects and designers who sought to address the challenges of rapid urbanization and rebuilding after World War II. Key principles and concepts of Metabolism in Japanese architecture are megastructures, prefabrication and modularity, biology and organic growth, and technological innovation. One special notable example of Metabolist architecture was the now demolished Kisho Kurokawa's Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tōkyō.
Shinjuku: The Phenomenal City - was the exhibition Henry Smith discussed in this episode. It was exhibited December 16, 1975 to March 7, 1976 at the Museum of Modern Art, New York City. More info, here.
a+u magazine - also known as architecture and urbanism magazine, is a Japanese/English architecture magazine first published in 1971. More info, here.
Kōji Taki (1928-2011) - was a Japanese author, architectural critic, editor, and key figure in the Metabolist movement. He played a significant role in shaping the discourse of contemporary architecture in Japan and was instrumental in promoting the ideas of the Metabolists.
Kappabashi - located in Tōkyō's Asakusa district, is a renowned destination for kitchenware and restaurant supplies. The street is lined with stores offering a diverse range of products, including traditional Japanese knives, sushi-making equipment, and unique culinary gadgets. Kappabashi is especially popular for its sampuru shops, where visitors can buy realistic food replicas commonly displayed outside restaurants. The area features a mix of large retailers and specialty stores, creating a charming atmosphere with its traditional Japanese architecture. It's easily accessible from Tawaramachi Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line.
fūkei hanga - are landscape images. These paintings and prints represent the natural world such as mountains, rivers, waterfalls. You can find these types of prints from the golden age of nishiki-e to shin-hanga, to today.
Sunset at Tomonotsu (1940, 9"x14") by Tsuchiya Koitsu (1879-1942) and published by Watanabe.
Mitaka - is a city located in the western part of Tōkyō, Japan. A very pretty and quiet part of the city it is famous for the Ghibli Museum, and Inokashira Park.
100 Views of Edo (名所江戸百景) - is a series of nishiki-e prints designed by Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858). It was published between 1856 and 1859 and consists of 118 or 119 prints, each depicting various scenes of Edo (Tōkyō). The prints show the beauty, diversity, and everyday life of Edo, capturing different seasons, landscapes, landmarks, and activities. Hiroshige's use of color, composition, and atmospheric effects contributes to the series' enduring popularity. The scenes range from bustling urban areas and landscapes to rural views, often incorporating elements of nature and traditional Japanese culture.
Suruga-chō (1885)
Thirty Six Views of Mount Fuji - one of Hokusai's most iconic series, known for its various depictions of Mount Fuji in different seasons, weather conditions, and different vantage points. The series includes "The Great Wave off Kanagawa." Published between 1830-1832 the series portrays Mount Fuji in different perspectives, everyday life, as well as the special importance of Mount Fuji in Edo culture. The series had a large impact on Western artists and thinkers, including the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists.
Umezawa Hamlet-fields in Sagami Province (1830-31)
Santa Barbara Museum of Art - is an art museum located in Santa Barbara, California, USA. Its collection contains art works from all over the world, focusing on paintings, sculpture, and paper works. More info, here.
Kobayashi Kiyochika (1847-1915) - was a painter and woodblock print designer famous for his war prints on the First Sino-Japanese War (July 25, 1894- April 17, 1895). Kiyochika captured the transitional period in Japanese history as the country underwent rapid modernization and Westernization during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Onoguchi Tokuji Destroying The Gate at Jinzhoucheng (1895
14 3/4" x 28 9/16") published by Daikokuya.
Utagawa School - was a school of print designers starting with Utagawa Toyoharu (1735-1814). He employed one point perspective (vanishing point) in his print designs, being influenced by Western perspective. The influence of the Utagawa school goes far in Japanese print history and one of its most successful. This schools print designs of kabuki portraits, beautiful women (bijin-ga), and landscapes are excellent. Some famous names attributed to the Utagawa school are Utamaro (1753-1806), Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1865), and Ando Hiroshige (1797-1858). A fine description of this school can be found, here at Artelino.
Newly Published Picture of the Battle of Jiuzan-shan in China (9 3/16" x 13 1/8") attributed to Utagawa Toyoharu
Okumura Masanobu (1686-1784) - was a Japanese nishiki-e artist and print designer who lived during the Edo period. He is credited with pioneering the use of full-color printing and is considered one of the early masters of the art form. Okumura Masanobu was known for his contributions to bijin-ga and yakusha-e (actor prints). He played a role in the development of nishiki-e as a popular art form. More information can be found at Viewing Japanese Prints, here.
Large Perspective Picture of Evening Cool by Ryōgoku Bridge (ca. 1748) hand coloured
Sumida River - is a major river that flows through Tōkyō, Japan. It plays a significant role in the history, culture, and landscape of the city. The Sumida River flows for approximately 27 kilometers (about 17 miles) through Tokyo, originating from Kita City and flowing into Tōkyō Bay. It passes through several wards, including Kita, Adachi, Sumida, Taito, Koto, and Chuo. The river has been portrayed in nishiki-e prints for generations, along with its bridges.
Kobayashi Kiyochika the Sumida River at Night (9.76"x14" - est. 1881)
Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861) - is considered one of the last “masters” of the ukiyo-e genre of Japanese woodblock printmaking. His designs range from landscapes, samurai and Chinese military heroes, as well as using various formats for his designs such as diptychs and triptychs.
Yamayoshi Genba no jō Chikafusa (14 5/16" x 9 15/16" - 1848/49) published by Sumiyoshiya
Ike no Taiga (1723-1776) - was a Japanese painter of the mid-Edo period, known for his skill in the Nanga style, which was influenced by Chinese literati painting. He is best remembered for his role in promoting a cross-cultural exchange of ideas between Japan and China in the realm of art and aesthetics during the Edo Period.
Landscape with Pavilion (1750)
Akita ranga painting - a style of Japanese painting that emerged in the late Edo period, particularly during the 19th century, in the region of Akita in northern Japan. The term "ranga" literally translates to "Dutch painting" and reflects the influence of European painting styles, particularly Dutch and Western techniques, which were introduced to Japan through trade with the Dutch during the Edo Period. More info, here.
Satake Shozan (1748-1785) - Pine Tree and Parakeet (68.11" x 22.83") est 1700's, painting.
Shinobazu Pond - is a large pond located within Ueno Park in Tōkyō, Japan. Ueno Park is a spacious public park that is home to several museums, a zoo, temples, and beautiful green spaces. Shinobazu Pond is one of the central features of Ueno Park, and it is renowned for its scenic beauty and historical significance.
hanmoto system - is the Edo Period (1603-1868) collaboration system of making woodblock prints in Japan. The system was about using, carvers, printers, and craftsmen by various print publishers in order to produce woodblock prints. The system consisted of the following professions; publisher, artist, carver, and printer.
William Anderson (1842–1900) was an English surgeon and collector with a significant impact on the appreciation and understanding of Japanese art in the late 19th century. Anderson became a passionate collector of Japanese art, amassing a vast and diverse collection that included nishiki-e, ceramics, textiles, and other traditional artworks. His collection grew to be one of the most significant and comprehensive of its time. His bequest laid the foundation for the development of Japanese art studies in the West, influencing subsequent generations of scholars, collectors, and enthusiasts.
ezōshiya - is a type of Japanese bookstore that specializes in selling "ehon" or picture books. Ehon are valued not only for their storytelling but also for the quality of illustrations. These books played a role in promoting visual literacy and appreciation of art in Japan. Nishiki-e had been sold at these book stores during the Edo Period.
Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1865) is widely regarded as one of the most significant woodblock print designers in Japanese history. His diverse portfolio includes prints ranging from landscapes and books to erotica and sumo. Kunisada worked during the vibrant era of nishiki-e alongside notable artists such as Andō Hiroshige (1797-1858), Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849), and the aforementioned Kuniyoshi. This period represents a rich and abundant chapter in Japanese woodblock print history.
Ichikawa Danjurō VIII as Hanzaemon published by Tamaya Sōsuke (1852) 13 9/16" x 9 3/16"
cochineal - known as yōko in Japanese, is a red dye taken from the dried bodies of female cochineal insects. These insects are native to Central and South America, where they feed on the sap of prickly pear cacti. Cochineal has been used for centuries as a natural dye, valued for its vibrant red color. An article about synthetic pigments and cochineal in Japanese woodblock prints and co-written by Henry Smith can be found, here.
William Sturgis Bigelow (1850-1926) - was an avid collector of Japanese art. His extensive travels to Japan from 1882 to 1889, coupled with a close friendship with Ernest Fenollosa, enabled him to amass a remarkable collection. Bigelow's acquisitions played a pivotal role in promoting Japanese art in the Western world.
World Of The Meiji Print - is a book published by Weatherhill in 1991 and written by Julia Meech-Pekarik. It describes how nishiki-e developed and evolved during the Meiji period.
Roger Keyes (1942-2020) - was a distinguished scholar of Japanese woodblock prints. His expertise was showcased in his 1982 dissertation, a comprehensive study of Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892). Additionally, Keyes authored the book 'Ehon: The Artists and the Book in Japan' in 2006, further solidifying his significant contributions to the understanding of Japanese printmaking.
Amy Reigle Newland - is a Japanese print scholar who has written various articles and books upon the subject. One of my favourite books by Newland is her book about Toyohara Kunichika, Time Present and Past: Images of A Forgotten Master (1999).
Bruce Coats - is Professor of Art History and the Humanities at Scripps College, Claremont, California. He has contributed to several books on Japanese woodblock prints, one of my favourites is Chikanobu: Modernity and Nostalgia in Japanese Prints (2006).
James A Michener (1907-1997) - was a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, scholar, and esteemed academic known for his extensive contributions to various literary genres. Beyond his celebrated literary achievements, Michener also delved into the world of Japanese prints, demonstrating a multifaceted curiosity and intellectual versatility. His exploration of Japanese prints added another layer to his diverse body of work, reflecting a deep appreciation for Japanese art and culture.
Honolulu Academy of Arts - founded in 1922 by Anna Rice Cooke, evolved into the Honolulu Museum of Art (HoMA) in 2012. Rice-Cooke's vision for a multicultural art space led to its creation, with an endowment and land donated by the Cooke family. The museum's architectural style blends Hawaiian, Chinese, and Spanish influences. Over the years, HoMA expanded, adding educational wings, a cafe, and more, while its permanent collection grew to over 50,000 pieces. In 2011, The Contemporary Museum merged with HoMA, unifying as the Honolulu Museum of Art. More info, here.
shinbun nishiki-e - the Meiji Restoration of 1868 marked a pivotal moment in Japan's history, prompting significant societal upheavals. Tōkyō, formerly Edo, became the new centre of Imperial Japan, and by 1871, the traditional feudal class system had been abolished, accompanied by compulsory education laws. This era of profound change spurred creative responses to economic challenges. Starting in the summer of 1874, innovative individuals introduced shimbun nishikie, vibrant single-sheet woodblock prints that served as colorful souvenirs. These prints, produced until 1876, were not just visually striking but also narratively engaging, recounting news articles in a format ideal for oral storytelling. Renowned artists like Ochiai Yoshiiku and Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, both students of the celebrated Utagawa Kuniyoshi, played a key role in illustrating these captivating snapshots of an evolving Japan. An excellent article on shinbun nishiki-e can be found here, from All About Japan.
Fighting Off A Wolf by Sadanobu II (1848-1940) from the Nichinichi Shinbun (9 1/2" x 6 3/4")
Satsuma Rebellion - occurring in 1877, was a last stand against the modernization policies of the Meiji government by disaffected samurai from the Satsuma domain. Led by Saigō Takamori (1828-1877), a key figure in the Meiji Restoration. The rebellion sought to restore imperial power and resist the centralization efforts of the government. The conflict ended in a decisive government victory at the Battle of Shiroyama, where Saigō met his end, marking one of the final samurai-led uprisings in Japan's history.
Suzuki Harunobu (1725-1770) -pioneered the art of nishiki-e, becoming the first to craft multi-color woodblock prints. Renowned for his exquisite designs, Harunobu's subjects often revolved around the portrayal of beautiful women, shunga (erotic art), and classical poetry. His innovative techniques and thematic choices significantly influenced the genre during the Edo period in Japan.
Lovers Walking In The Snow (1764-1772) (11 1/4"x8 1/8")
Emperor Meiji born Mutsuhito (1852 – 1912), was the 122nd Emperor of Japan, reigning from 1867 until his death in 1912. His reign, known as the Meiji Era, marked a transformative period in Japanese history. The Meiji Restoration of 1868 saw the end of the Tokugawa shogunate and the restoration of imperial rule, with Emperor Meiji playing a central role in Japan's modernization and westernization efforts. During his era, Japan underwent significant political, social, and economic reforms, propelling the country into the ranks of major world powers. Emperor Meiji's reign is often associated with Japan's rapid modernization and emergence onto the global stage.
sōsaku-hanga - also known as creative prints, is a printmaking style primarily, though not exclusively, characterized by prints created by a single artist. Originating in early twentieth-century Japan, alongside the shin-hanga movement, this style emphasizes the artist's direct involvement in the entire printmaking process — from design and carving to printing. While the designs, especially in the early stages, may appear rudimentary, the concept of artists producing their own prints marked a significant departure from the traditional model where a select group of carvers, printers, and publishers collaborated in the creation of woodblock prints.
shin hanga - is a style of Japanese woodblock printmaking that emerged in the early 20th century, marking the end of the nishiki-e period. Originating around 1915 under the direction of Watanabe Shōzaburō (1885-1962), the art form responded to the foreign demand for "traditional" Japanese imagery. Shin hanga artists focused on motifs like castles, bridges, famous landscapes, and bamboo forests. The style was initiated when Watanabe discovered Austrian artist Fritz Capelari (1884-1950) and commissioned him to design prints for Watanabe's budding printing house. This collaboration led to the evolution of shin hanga into a distinctive new style of Japanese woodblock printing. The shin hanga movement thrived until its inevitable decline after the Second World War (1939-1945).
fan print (uchiwa-e) - are crafted in the form of flat, oval fans using materials such as rice paper or silk. These prints are designed to be functional fans, allowing for practical use while showcasing artistic designs.
Amy Poster - is the curator emerita of Asian Art at the Brooklyn Museum.
aizuri-e - are woodblock prints made entirely with shades of blue. This style gained popularity during the Edo Period.
Keisai Eisen (1790-1848) - was a nishiki-e print designer and author during the Edo Period. His print designs are famous for beautiful women and large head prints (ōkubi-e).
surimono (date unknown - Edo Period)
Hiraga Gennai (1729-1779/80) - was a versatile Japanese polymath and rōnin during the Edo period. His diverse talents spanned pharmacology, rangaku (Dutch learning), medicine, literature, painting, and invention. Notable creations include the erekiteru (electrostatic generator), kankanpu (asbestos cloth). Gennai authored satirical works such as Fūryū Shidōken den (1763) and Nenashigusa (1763), along with essays like On Farting and A Lousy Journey of Love. He also wrote guidebooks on male prostitutes, including the Kiku no en (1764) and San no asa (1768). Employing various pen names like Kyūkei and Fūrai Sanjin, he is most recognized by the name Hiraga Gennai.
Yokohama-e -refers to a genre of Japanese woodblock prints depicting scenes from Yokohama, a pivotal port city during the late Edo and Meiji periods. These prints showcase the influx of international influences, featuring foreign ships, traders, and cultural exchanges. Yokohama-e captures the dynamic transformation of Japan as it opened to the world, portraying a vivid visual narrative of the city's bustling trade and encounters between Japanese and Western cultures.
View of Foreigners' Houses on the Beach Street Seen From Yokohama Port (ca. 1873) by Hiroshige III (1842-1894)
Sadahide Utagawa (1807-1878/79) - was a designer of nishiki-e during the late Edo and early Meiji Periods. He trained under Utagawa Kunisada and depicted medieval Japanese scenes, collaborating on the 53 Stations of the Tōkaidō, and prints related to Yokohama-e.
Battle of Ōei (ca.1848)
Sir William Henry Perkin (1838–1907) was a British chemist who is renowned for his accidental discovery of the first synthetic dye, known as mauveine or mauve. This significant breakthrough occurred in 1856 when Perkin was attempting to synthesize quinine, a treatment for malaria, from coal tar derivatives. Instead, he obtained a purple-colored substance while working with aniline, leading to the creation of the vibrant purple dye.
napthols - are special dyes used in making colourful fabrics on handlooms. They get their name from a specific part in their makeup called an azo group. These dyes are known for making colors really bright and long-lasting on fabrics. They help create fabrics in lots of different colors, like orange, brown, yellow, scarlet, golden yellow, black, red, violet, and more.
orpiment - sekiō in Japanese, is a bright yellow to orange-yellow mineral composed of arsenic trisulfide (As2S3). It has been historically used as a pigment in painting and for other decorative purposes due to its vibrant color. Often found in association with realgar, another arsenic sulfide mineral, orpiment has also been employed in traditional medicine and alchemy. However, its toxic nature limits such applications, and it's crucial to note that handling orpiment, especially in powdered form, poses health risks due to the presence of arsenic.
Marco Leona PhD - is the David H. Koch Scientist at Large at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He has written several articles on Spectroscopy and art.
Estée Lauder (1906-2004) - was a pioneering American businesswoman and the co-founder of the renowned cosmetics company Estée Lauder Companies. Alongside her husband Joseph Lauder, she established the company in 1946, starting with a few skincare products she developed herself. Estée Lauder's hands-on approach to marketing and emphasis on quality turned her brand into a symbol of luxury. Initially selling to friends, she built a global beauty empire with a diverse product line including skincare, makeup, and fragrances. Today, the Estée Lauder Companies remain influential in the beauty industry, with a portfolio of well-known brands. Estée Lauder's legacy is marked by her significant contributions to the cosmetics world and her establishment of an enduring and iconic beauty brand.
The Adachi Institute of Woodblock Prints - is a print studio located in Tōkyō. Established in 1994 in order to promote and preserve the colour woodblock print of Japan. More information, in English and in Japanese.
The 47 Rōnin of Akō - were a group of samurai who sought revenge for the unjust death of their master, Lord Asano Naganori, in 1701. After Asano was forced to commit seppuku (a form of ritual suicide), his loyal retainers, the 47 Ronin, meticulously planned and executed the revenge, successfully avenging their lord's honor. The story is a celebrated example of bushido (samurai code) and loyalty in Japanese history and folklore.
smalt - is a deep blue pigment that has been historically used in art and ceramics. It is composed of finely powdered glass, often colored with cobalt oxide to achieve its distinctive blue hue. Smalt was popular during the Renaissance and Baroque periods as a substitute for expensive blue pigments like lapis lazuli. Artists would mix smalt with binders to create blue paint for their artworks. Smalt has some drawbacks, including a tendency to fade over time and a vulnerability to darkening when exposed to certain environmental conditions.
Keiji Shinohara - is a Japanese mokuhanga printmaker who apprenticed under Uesugi Keiichiro in Ōsaka. He is the artist-in-residence at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. More info about Keiji can be found here, and here.
Yamado-ike from the series Eight Views of Hirakata (2006) 11"x15":
gum arabic - is a sap from two types of Acacia tree. In art it is used as a binder for pigments which creates viscosity (depending on how much or little is applied to your pigments) for your watercolours and oils. Rachel Levitas has a fine description on how she uses gum arabic in her work, here.
Bakumatsu Period - refers to the final years of the Edo period, specifically from the mid-19th century to the early 1860s. The term "Bakumatsu" can be translated as "end of the shogunate." This era was characterized by significant political, social, and economic changes that eventually led to the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate and the restoration of imperial rule in the Meiji period.
Bunsei Period - was a period in Japanese history which lasted from April 1818 - December 1830 CE
© Popular Wheat Productionsopening and closing musical credit - The Shadow of Your Smile by Dominic Farinacci, G@ Records (2023)
logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny
Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :)
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***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***
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When it comes to the idea of longevity, my guest on this episode of The Unfinished Print has just that: the hard work and sacrifice to make a career in making mokuhanga, bringing the art form to people worldwide. Today I speak with mokuhanga printmaker, graphic designer, and writer, Tuula Moilanen. Currently living in Finland, Tuula has made mokuhanga for almost 40 years and has been an essential part of the worldwide mokuhanga community, teaching, instructing and overseeing the art form’s growth. Tuula speaks about her twenty years in Japan, her teachers, and how she views her mokuhanga. We discuss creating work, social media, and the philosophy of art.
Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at [email protected]
Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.
Artists works follow after the note if available. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are given if known. Publishers are given if known.
Tuula Moilanen - website
Tetsuya Noda -is a respected printmaker and artist who works with photography, mokuhanga, and serigraphy (silkscreen). Was head of the printmaking department at the National Fine Arts and Music University in Tōkyō until 2006. More info can be found here.
Diary: Nov. 7th ‘68 (#1) 31 15/16" × 31" (1963-1976)
Akira Kurosaki 黒崎彰 (1937-2019) - was one of the most influential woodblock print artists of the modern era. His work, while seemingly abstract, moved people with its vibrant colour and powerful composition. He was a teacher and invented the “Disc Baren,” which is a great baren to begin your mokuhanga journey with. At the 2021 Mokuhanga Conference in Nara, Japan there was a tribute exhibit of his life works. Azusa Gallery has a nice selection of his work, here.
Meeting of Comets (1980) 5.7"x 3.9" Kyoto Seika University - is a private university based in Kyōto, Japan. It is a university focused on art and scholarship. More info, here. nagashizuki - is a style of paper making in Japan. This way of making paper creates a strong, translucent paper good for multiple uses. For a more detailed analysis of creating this type of washi check out Awagami's description, here. shodo -is the name attributed to calligraphy in the Japanese style, which involves writing characters using a brush and ink.
mokulito - a type of lithography which incorporated woodblock. Artist Danielle Creenaune uses mokulito in her work. She has a fine detailed explanation on its uses, here. shina - is a type of Japanese plywood used in mokuhanga. Not all shina is made equally, buyer beware. Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861) - is considered one of the last “masters” of the ukiyo-e genre of Japanese woodblock printmaking. His designs range from landscapes, samurai and Chinese military heroes, as well as using various formats for his designs such as diptychs and triptychs. Taira Kiyomori from the series Meiko hyaku yuden 名高百勇傳 published by Izumiya Ichibei Keizo Sato - is a mokuhanga printmaker who owns and operates a shop in Kyoto making reproductions of ukiyo-e prints. He has demonstrated at the International Mokuhanga Conference, in 2011. Has been associated with the Adachi Foundation of Woodblock Print Preservation. takuhon - is a style of printmaking one in which the pigments are rubbed into the washi with a type of pad. Printmaking At Newcastle University on YouTube has a fine video about the process, here. hyōgu - is a traditional Japanese process of mounting calligraphy and paper works such as paintings. intaglio printing - is a printing method, also called etching, using metal plates such as zinc, and copper, creating “recessed” areas which are printed with ink on the surface of these "recesses.” More info, here. The MET has info, here. European woodcuts - woodcuts began in Europe in 1400; the woodcut/woodblock tradition has long been in Western Europe. These prints gained prominence during the late Middle Ages (500-14/1500 AD) and the Renaissance (14th Century - 17th Century AD), spreading visual information from religious iconography to political propaganda. Some famous artists we know today are Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528) and Titian (? - 1576). © Popular Wheat Productionsopening and closing musical credit - Put It Down by Otis McDonald, John Patittuci, and Mike Chiavarro, from their single Put It Down released on TrackTribe (2023)
logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny
Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :)
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***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***
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It’s been said before, yet I feel it’s worth repeating that when making mokuhanga, you don’t make it alone. So many people influence us that it may be difficult to pinpoint who or what impacts our creative lives the most. In this episode of the Unfinished Print I speak with mokuhanga printmaker Hellory. Based in Italy, Hellory makes multi-colour mokuhanga with luxury techniques. She learned these techniques from her mentor, Giovanni Berio Ligustro. We discuss the intertwined artistic lives of Hellory and Ligustro. What learning from a mentor was like, what studying and assisting her teacher did for her work, and Hellory shares with me how she creates her mokuhanga using deluxe techniques such as gold leaf, mica, embossing, glassing and more.
Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at [email protected]
Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.
Artists works follow after the note. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are given if known.
Hellory - website
Giovanni Berio Ligustro (1924-2015) - website
© Popular Wheat Productionsopening and closing musical credit - Bobcaygeon by The Tragically Hip. Released on their Phantom Power album in 1998 on Universal Records.
logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny
Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :)
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If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know.
***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***
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As a collector of mokuhanga, I am constantly exploring the reasons behind my love of collecting mokuhanga and why I make it and educate myself about it; it seems to be layered, even for my modest collection. So it is always fascinating to speak to someone who has been collecting for many years, with a deep understanding of why they collect and how they do. I speak with mokuhanga collector Darrel C. Karl about his collection of prints, paintings and scrolls. It's one to admire. Collecting for years now, Darrel was kind enough to speak to me about his collection, how he began it, his love of preparatory drawings, collecting ukiyo-e, shin hanga, and we discussed in length his blogs, Eastern Impressions and Modern Japanese Theatre Art Prints.
Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at [email protected]
Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.
Artists works follow after the note. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are given if known.
Darrel C. Karl - Eastern Impressions & Modern Japanese Theatre Art Prints.
Hashiguchi Goyō (1880-1921) - a woodblock print designer who also worked, albeit shortly, with Watanabe Shōzaburō. In his short life Goyō designed some of the most iconic woodblock prints ever made. “Kamisuki” 1920, and “Woman Applying Powder” 1918.
Woman Applying Make-up (Hand Mirror) 1970's/80's reprint
Ishikawa Toraji (1875-1964) -trained initially as a painter, having travelled to Europe and The States early in his professional life. Painted primarily landscapes while exhibiting at the fine art exhibitions in Japan Bunten and Teiten. Famous for designing Ten Types of Female Nudes from 1934-35. He finished his career as a painter and educator.
Morning from Ten Types of Female Nudes (1934)
Charles W. Bartlett (1860-1940) - was a British painter, watercolorist and printmaker. Travelling the world in 1913, Bartlett ended up in Japan two years later. Having entered Japan, Bartlett already had a reputation as an artist. Bartlett's wife, Kate, had struck up a friendship with printmaker and watercolorist Elizabeth Keith. Watanabe Shōzaburō was acutely aware of foreign artists coming to Japan, having worked with Fritz Capelari and Helen Hyde. Watanabe published 38 designs with Charles Bartlett. Bartlett's themes were predominantly of his travels.
Udaipur (1916) 8" x 11"
Paul Binnie - is a Scottish painter and mokuhanga printmaker based in San Diego, USA. Having lived and worked in Japan in the 1990s, studying with printmaker Seki Kenji whilst there, Paul has successfully continued to make mokuhanga and his paintings to this day. You can find Paul's work at Scholten Gallery in Manhattan, and Saru Gallery in The Netherlands.
Butterly Bow (2005) 15" x 11"
Yamakawa Shuhō (1898-1944) - was a Nihon-ga painter and printmaker. His prints were published by Watanabe Shōzaburō and he created the Blue Collar Society in 1939 with Itō Shinsui. Made famous for his bijin-ga prints.
Dusk (1928) 14.3" x 9.5"
Red Collar (1928)
Otojirō Kawakami (1864-1911) - was a Japanese actor and comedian. His wife was geisha, and actress Sadayako (Sada Yakko).
Impressions - is a biannual magazine published by The Japanese Art Society of America.
Andon - is a biannual magazine published by The Society of Japanese Art.
Gallaudet University - is a private federally charted university located in Washington D.C., USA for the deaf and hard of hearing. More info can be found here.
National Museum of Asian Art - is a museum within the Smithsonian group museums and was the first fine art museum by The Smithsonian in 1923. More info can be found, here.
Vincent Hack (1913-2001) - was an American printmaker and Colonel in the United States Army. He produced mokuhanga from ca. 1950-1960. He studied in the Yoshida atelier while living in Tokyo. More information about VIncent Hack can be found in Eastern Impressions, here.
Chinese beauty and Dragon (not dated)
Elizabeth Keith (1887-1956) - was a Scottish born printmaker, watercolorist, and painter. She travelled extensively before living in Japan from 1915-1924. In 1917 she was introduced to print published Watanabe Shōzaburō and by 1919 after some work with Watanabe's skilled artisans Keith started to see some of her designs printed. Over 100 prints were published of Keith's designs. More information can be found, here.
Little Pavillion, Coal Oil, Peking (1935)
Lillian May Miller (1895-1943) - was a Japan born American printmaker. Studying under painter Kanō Tomonobu (1853-1912). Miller began carving and printing her own prints by 1925 having studied under Nishimura Kumakichi.
Rain Blossoms (1928) 10" x 15"
Nöel Nouët (1885-1969) - was a French painter, illustrator and designer who designed prints for Doi Hangaten between 1935 and 1938 when Nouët was teaching in Shizuoka City, Shizuoka, Japan.
Haruna Lake (1938)
Helen Hyde (1868-1919) - was an American etcher, and printmaker who studied in Japan with artists such as Emil Orlik (1870-1932). Hyde was influenced by French Japonisme and lived in Japan from 1903-1913.
A Japanese Madonna (1900) 14.5" x 3"
Kataoka Gadō V (1910-1993) - was a Kabuki actor who specialized in female roles or onnagata in Japanese. He became Kitaoka Nizaemon XIV posthumously.
Natori Shunsen (1886-1960) - was a Nihon-ga painter and woodblock print designer who worked with Watanabe Shōzaburō. Shunsen's prints focused on kabuki actors, mainly ōkubi-e , large head prints.
Ichikawa Ennosuke as Kakudayu (1928) 15" x 10"
Kabuki-za - is the main theatre in Tōkyō which shows kabuki performances. It was opened in 1889 and has been rebuilt several times in its history.
Kabuki Costume - is a book written by Ruth M. Shaver with illustrations by Sōma Akira and Ōta Gakkō (1892-1975). It is an in-depth book about the costuming in kabuki theatre. It was published by Charles E. Tuttle in 1966.
Ōta Gakkō - was an artist and designer who also designed woodblock prints in the 1950's.
Ichikawa Jukai III (1886-1971) as Shirai Gonpachi from Figures of the Modern Stage: no. 3 (1954)
Tsuruya Kōkei - is a mokuhanga artist who lives and works in Tokyo, Japan. His prints have focused on kabuki actors; in the 1980s, he was commissioned to produce kabuki portraits by the Kabuki-za theatre in Tokyo. Recently, he has focused on cats and the masters of mokuhanga such as Hokusai (1760-1849). He printed on very thin gampi paper.
Five Styles of Banzai-Ukiyoe / Katsushika Hokusai (2017)
Yamamura Toyonari (1885-1942) - also known as Kōka, is a painter, and print designer known for his theatrical prints, actor prints, landscapes and beautiful women. He studied under printmaker Ogata Gekkō (1859-1920). Toyonari worked with carvers and printers to create his prints such as those at Watanabe's studio and also printed and carved his own prints.
February/Winter Sky (1924) 16.35" x 10.5"
Sekino Jun'ichirō (1914-1988) - was a mokuhanga printmaker who helped establish the sōsaku hanga, creative print movement in Japan. His themes were of landscapes, animals and the abstract. Sekino exhibited and became a member with Nihon Hanga Kyōkai and studied with Ōnchi Kōshirō (1891-1955) and Maekawa Senpan (1888-1960).
Woman In A Snowy Village (1946) 13" x 10"
Bertha Lum (1869-1954) - was born in Iowa. Having begun travelling to Japan in 1903, Bertha Lum noticed the decline of the Japanese woodblock print in Japan in the early 20th Century, deciding to take up the medium. Lum began making woodblock prints after learning in Japan from an unknown teacher during her first trip to Japan.
Japan, Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904), and China influenced Bertha Lum's prints. Lum's work focused on these themes through an American lens.
Winter (1909) 8" x 14"
Waseda University - is a private research university located in Tōkyō, Japan. It was established in 1882. Waseda has one of the largest woodblock print databases in the world, and are free to use. More information can be found, here.
Scholten Japanese Art - is a mokuhanga-focused art gallery in midtown Manhattan. René Scholten, an avid collector of the Japanese print, founded it. You can find more info here. Katherine Martin is the managing director of Scholten Japanese Art. Katherine has written extensively for the gallery and conducted lectures about Japanese prints. Her interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here.
Utagawa Kunisada III (1848–1920) - was a ukiyo-e print designer from the Utagawa school of mokuhanga. Kunisada III's print designs were designed during the transformation of the Edo Period (1603-1868) into the Meiji Period (1868-1912) of Japanese history, where his prints showed the technological, architectural and historical changes in Japan's history.
Kataoka Jūzō I as Hanako from the play Yakko Dōjōji at the Kabuki-za (1906).
chūban - 10.4” x 7.5”
senjafuda - are the votive slips Claire brings up in her interview. These were hand printed slips pasted by the worshipper onto the Buddhist temple of their choosing. These slips had many different subjects such as ghosts, Buddhist deities, and written characters. Japan Experience has bit of history of senjafuda, here. Shintomi-za -built in 1660 and also known as the Morita-za was a kabuki theatre located in the Kobiki-chō area of Tokyo, today the Ginza District. It was famous for taking risks with its productions. Meiji-za - was a kabuki-specific theatre built in 1873 and underwent several name changes until finally being named the Meiji-za in 1893. The theatre continues to this day. Imperial Theatre - is the first Western theatre to be built in Japan in 1911 and is located in Marunouchi, Chiyoda, Tokyo. It continues to show Western operas and plays. The John F. Kennedy Center For The Performing Arts - was built in 1971, and named after the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy. The theatre is located in Washington D.C. and hosts many different types of theatre, dance, orchestras and music. More information can be found, here. The Subscription List - also known as Kanjichō in Japanese, is a kabuki play derived from the noh play Ataka. The modern version of this play was first staged in 1840. It is performed as the 18 Famous Plays as performed by the Danjurō family of actors. The Subscription List designed by Toyohara Kunichika (1835-1900) Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861) - is considered one of the last “masters” of the ukiyo-e genre of Japanese woodblock printmaking. His designs range from landscapes, samurai and Chinese military heroes, as well as using various formats for his designs such as diptychs and triptychs. Waseda University - is a private research university located in Tōkyō, Japan. It was established in 1882. Waseda has one of the largest woodblock print databases in the world, and are free to use. More information can be found, here. Yoshida Hiroshi (1876-1950) - a watercolorist, oil painter, and woodblock printmaker. Is associated with the resurgence of the woodblock print in Japan, and in the West. It was his early relationship with Watanabe Shōzaburō, having his first seven prints printed by the Shōzaburō atelier. This experience made Hiroshi believe that he could hire his own carvers and printers and produce woodblock prints, which he did in 1925. Kiso River (1927) Toyohara Chikanobu (1838-1912) - was a painter and designer of mokuhanga. He was a samurai during the final years of the Tokugawa shogunate rule in Japan. As Chikanobu began to look more to art as a living, he studied under Utagawa Kuniyoshi where he learned Western painting and drawing techniques. He also studied under Utagawa Kunisada and Toyohara Kunichika. His print designs were of many different types of themes but Chikanobu is well known for his war prints (sensō-e), kabuki theatre prints, current events and beautiful women. Enpo- Jidai Kagami (1897) 32 Aspects of Women - is a series of prints designed by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892). It was his first series of bijin-ga designs. shin hanga - is a style of Japanese woodblock printmaking which began during the end of the ukiyo-e period of Japanese printmaking, in the early 20th Century. Focusing on the foreign demand for “traditional” Japanese imagery and motifs such as castles, bridges, famous landscapes, bamboo forests, to name just a few. Shin hanga was born in 1915 by Watanabe Shōzaburō (1885-1962) when he found Austrian artist Frtiz Capelari (1884-1950) and commissioned Capelari to design some prints for Watanabe's feldgling printing house . From there shin-hanga evolved into its own distinct “new” style of Japanese woodblock printing. It lasted as this distinct style until its innevitable decline after the Second World War (1939-1945). Onchi Kōshirō (1891-1955) - originally designing poetry and books Onchi became on of the most I important sōsaku hanga artists and promotor of the medium. His works are saught after today. More info, here. Composition in Red and Brown (1950) 19" x 15" Saru Gallery - is a mokuhanga gallery, from ukiyo-e to modern prints, and is located in Uden, The Netherlands. Their website can be found, here. ukiyo-e - is a multi colour woodblock print generally associated with the Edo Period (1603-1867) of Japan. What began in the 17th Century as prints of only a few colours, evolved into an elaborate system of production and technique into the Meiji Period (1868-1912). With the advent of photography and other forms of printmaking, ukiyo-e as we know it today, ceased production by the late 19th Century. surimono (摺物)- are privately commissioned woodblock prints, usually containing specialty techniques such as mica, and blind embossing. Below is Heron and Iris, (ca. 1770's) by Andō Hiroshige (1797-1858). This print is from David Bull's reproduction of that work. You can find more info about that project, here. Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) - is one of the most famous Japanese artists to have ever lived. Hokusai was an illustrator, painter and woodblock print designer. His work can be found on paper, wood, silk, and screen. His woodblock print design for Under The Wave off Kanagawa (ca. 1830-32) is beyond famous. His work, his manga, his woodblocks, his paintings, influence artists from all over the world. Poem by Sōsei Hōshi, from the series One Hundred Poems Explained by the Nurse. Taishō period (1912–26)s reproduction. Kitagawa Utamaro (1753-1806) - was a painter and ukiyo-e designer during the Edo Period of Japan. His portraits of women are his most famous designs. After getting into trouble with the shogunate during the early 19th Century with some offensive images of deceased shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536/37-1598), Utamaro was jailed and passed away shortly after that. The Courtesan Umegawa and Chubei of the Courier Firm
Tokyo University of the Arts (Geidai) - founded during the merger of the Tokyo Fine Arts School and the Tokyo Music School in 1949, TUA offers Masters's and Doctorate degrees in various subjects such as sculpture, craft and design as well as music and film. It has multiple campuses throughout the Kantō region of Japan. More information regarding the school and its programs can be found here. Honolulu Museum of Art - dedicated to art and education focusing on arts from around the world and Hawaiian culture itself. More info, here. Taishō Period (1912-1926) - a short lived period of Japanese modern history but an important one in world history. This is where the militarism of fascist Japan began to take seed, leading to The Pacific War (1931-1945). More info can be found, here. Enami Shirō (1901-2000) - was a printmaker who is associated with ephemeral prints such as greeting cards. Also created his own larger format prints during the burgeoning sōsaku hanga movement of the early to mid Twentieth Century. The Benkei Moat (1931) 12.5" x 9" Kitano Tsunetomi (1880-1947) - was an illustrator, Nihon-ga painter, carver and print designer. Lived and worked in Osaka where he apprenticed carving with Nishida Suketaro. Founded the Taishō Art Society and the Osaka Art Society. Painted and created prints of beautiful women as well as mokuhanga for magazines such as Dai Osaka. The most famous of his prints and paintings is Sagimusume, The Heron Maiden. Umekawa - Complete Works of Chikamatsu (1923) Hamada Josen (1875 - ?) - was a painter and mokuhanga designer and studied with Tomioka Eisen (1864-1905). Designed bijin, shunga, and landscapes after the Great Kantō Earthquake of 1923. Designed prints for Collection of New Ukiyo-e Style Beauties (1924). December - Clear Weather After Snow from the series New Ukiyo-e Beauties (1924) 17.50" x 11.12" Ikeda Shoen (1886-1917) - was a Nihon-ga painter who's paintings also became mokuhanga prints. Her paintings are quite rare because of her early death. School Girls Going Home (1900) 13" x 9" Igawa Sengai (1876-1961) - was a painter, illustrator and print designer. After serving in the Russo-Japanese war (1904-1905), he joined the Miyako Shinbun in Nagoya City. Designing prints in the 1926 he designed prints for Collected Prints of the Taishō Earthquake and in the 1930's he designed propaganda prints for the Japanese war effort. His contribution to the 1924 Collection of New Ukiyo-e Style Beauties (1924). April - Rain of Blossoms (1924) from New Ukiyo-e Beauties. Asian Art Museum San Fransisco - with over 18,000 pieces of art the Asian Art Museum of San Fransisco has one of the largest collections of Asian art in the United States. More information can be found, here. Freer Gallery of Art - is a museum within the Smithsonian group of museums in Washington D.C, with a collection of Chinese paintings, Indian sculpture; Islamic painting and metalware; Japanese lacquer; Korean ceramics. Arthur M. Sackler Gallery - is a museum within the Smithsonian group of museums in Washington D.C. It's collection contains some important Chinese jades and bronzes. Yoshida Hiroshi: The Outskirts of Agra Number 3 from the series India and Southeast Asia (1932) Yoshida Hiroshi: Cave of Komagatake from the series Southern Japan Alps (1928) © Popular Wheat Productionsopening and closing musical credit - The Crystal Ship by The Doors from their self-titled album The Doors (1967). Release by Elektra Records.
logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny
Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :)
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If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know.
***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***
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A few years ago, I was recommended a book called Evolving Techniques in Japanese Woodblock Prints. Written by Gaston Petit, it was a new book for me. Going through it, I realized how forward-thinking it was; even though it had been published in 1977, its instruction is still relevant today. It was fascinating how it approached woodblock printmaking, taking it into the future. On this episode of the Unfinished Print, I speak with printmaker and author of Evolving Techniques In Japanese Woodblock Prints, Gaston Petit. We discuss how he got to write the book, interviewing some exceptional printmakers of the time, and Gaston speaks on his mokuhanga, lithography, tools, history, pigments, and teaching.
Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at [email protected]
Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.
Artists works follow after the note. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are given if known.
Gaston Petit - website
The Family Portrait (1971)
© Popular Wheat Productionsopening and closing musical credit - Annie Sumi - The City, from her full length record In The Unknown (2017)
logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny
Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :)
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If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know.
***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***
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When making mokuhanga and producing The Unfinished Print, I have looked towards various online tools for research and inspiration. One of these tools is ukiyo-e.org. A Japanese woodblock print database which collects and archives woodblock print collections from around the world.
John Resig is the chief software architect at the Khan Academy who, in 2013, for his love of mokuhanga and the Japanese woodblock print, and through his own collection, developed ukiyo-e.org. Those researching, collecting, and making mokuhanga can explore some of the best Japanese print collections at the click of a button.
In this episode of The Unfinished Print, I speak with ukiyo-e.org developer John Resig about why he decided to create the website and how his collecting of mokuhanga and making mokuhanga affected that decision. We also discuss the evolution of the humanities in mokuhanga, archiving prints, tradition, and the copywriting of images, as well as John's work with the Japanese Art Society of America.
Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at [email protected]
Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.
Artists works follow after the note. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are given if known.
John Resig - Ukiyo-e.org, Digital Humanities Research, John's personal mokuhanga collection on Airtable,
Sky Above Clouds IV: After Georgia O'Keefe (2019)
Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861) - is considered one of the last “masters” of the ukiyo-e genre of Japanese woodblock printmaking. His designs range from landscapes, samurai and Chinese military heroes, as well as using various formats for his designs such as diptychs and triptychs.
Five portraits of the actor Ichikawa Danjuro VIII (1823-1854) in various roles (1849)
yakusha-e - (役者絵) is the Japanese term for actor prints in mokuhanga.
Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1865)
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi 1839-1892 (月岡 芳年) was a mokuhanga designer who is famous for his prints depicting violence and gore. His work is powerful, colourful, and one of the last vibrant moments of the ukiyo-e genre of woodblock prints. More information about Yoshitoshi’s life and his copious amount of work can be found, here.
Iga no Tsubone and the Ghost of Fujiwara Nakanari, from the series One Hundred Ghost Stories from China and Japan (1865)
Annie Bissett - is an American mokuhanga printmaker and graphic designer based in Rhode Island, USA. Her work touches on politics, and beauty. Her interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here. Annie's work can be found, here.
Irene (2023)
Onchi Kōshirō (1891-1955) - originally designing poetry and books Onchi became on of the most I important sōsaku hanga artists and promotor of the medium. His works are saught after today. More info, here.
Portrait of a Poet: Hagiwara Sakutarō (1886-1942)
Meiji Era Prints - The Meiji Era of Japan was between 1868-1912 CE. This was a period of immense modernization and industrialization in Japan, where the Japanese economy was booming. New ideas within mokuhanga was occurring as well. Perspective, colour, through new pigments (gamboge, certain yellows), the advancement of photography, and new topics and themes (war, industry, architecture), the Meiji era print designer and publisher had a lot of choice when producing their prints.
Shigeru Kuriyama (1912-2010) - was a sōsaku hanga printmaker who worked with Onchi Kōshirō (1891-1956), and U'nichi Hiratsuka (1895-1997). He founded the print magazine Yukari and Kasuri. His prints were focused on folk arts.
Fragrance of Lavender (1996)
sōsaku-hanga - or creative prints, is a style of printmaking which is predominantly, although not exclusively, prints made by one person. It started in the early twentieth century in Japan, in the same period as the shin-hanga movement. The artist designs, carves, and prints their own works. The designs, especially in the early days, may seem rudimentary but the creation of self-made prints was a breakthrough for printmakers moving away from where only a select group of carvers, printers and publishers created woodblock prints.
Your First Print: David Bull - this was the first DVD I ever purchased on how to make mokuhanga. This was in and around 2007. While I look back at that time thinking about why I didn't take it up as seriously as I do now, I sometime wonder, "Where would I be now in my Mokuhanga journey?" I realize that that is a redundant way of thinking. I am where I am now today, and to be happy with just that. You can still find this product on Dave's website.
Takuji Hamanaka - printmaker based in Brookly, NY. Uses bokashi, a printmaking technique, predominately in his works. Unique and powerful. website Instagram
Collapse (2016)
April Vollmer - is an established artist who works predominantly in mokuhanga. Her book Japanese Woodblock Print Workshop is one of the most authoritative books on the subject and has influenced many mokuhanga artists. April's interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here.
Wood Like Matsumura - is an online and brick and mortar store, for woodblock printmaking, located in Nerima City, Tōkyō.
Yoshida Hiroshi (1876-1950) - a watercolorist, oil painter, and woodblock printmaker. Is associated with the resurgence of the woodblock print in Japan, and in the West. It was his early relationship with Watanabe Shōzaburō, having his first seven prints printed by the Shōzaburō atelier. This experience made Hiroshi believe that he could hire his own carvers and printers and produce woodblock prints, which he did in 1925.
Kiso River (1927)
kabuki - is a traditional form of Japanese theatre which started in Kyoto on the banks of the Kamo River in the 17th Century. Today it is a multi million dollar business and is almost exclusively run, professionally, by The Shochiku Company. Kabuki, the word, is separated into three different sounds; ka - meaning to sing, bu - meaning to dance, and ki- meaning skill. There are various families in kabuki which generate actors, passing down tradition throughout the lineage. For more information please read this fine article from Nippon.com. There are many books written on the subject of kabuki, but in my opinion, to begin, one needs to read Leonard Pronko's work Theatre East & West, Kawatake Toshio's Kabuki, and Earl Ernst's The Kabuki Theatre. Online, please visit Kabuki21.com, who's site is unparalleled. On YouTube there is the new(ish) Kabuki In-Depth which is updated regularly on kabuki information and history, and is very well done.
Georgia O'Keeffe (1887 – 1986) was a renowned American artist, known for her pioneering contributions to modern American art, particularly in the realm of abstract and contemporary art.
Lake George Reflection (1921)
bokashi - is a mokuhanga technique, where the pigment fades from a heavy colour to a softer, broad colour. Made famous by prints designed by Hokusai and Hiroshige, this technique is, for me, the most popular technique utilized by mokuhanga printmakers. There are various types: Ichimoji-bokashi or straight line graduation, used in the above mentioned Hiroshige and Hokusai prints. Ichimoji-mura-bokashi or straight line gradation with uneven edge. Ō-bokashi or wide gradation, Ate-nashi-bokashi or gradation without definition. Futa-iro-bokashi or two tone gradation, and ita-bokashi or softer-edge gradation, where the block is cut in a specific way to achieve this style of gradation. All of these styles of bokashi technique take practice and skill but are very much doable.
Bertha Lum (1869-1954) - was born in Iowa. Having begun travelling to Japan in 1903, Bertha Lum noticed the decline of the Japanese woodblock print in Japan in the early 20th Century, deciding to take up the medium. Lum began making woodblock prints after learning in Japan from an unknown teacher during her first trip to Japan.
Japan, Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904), and China influenced Bertha Lum's prints. Lum's work focused on these themes through an American lens.
Winter (1909)
Frances Gearhart (1869-1958) - Born in Illinois, Gearhart was a self-taught artist who spent most of her life in California. Originally a watercolorist, Frances Gearhart began experimenting with Japanese woodblock and linoleum in and around 1913. The themes of her work are predominately landscapes of the Pacific Coast and other areas of California. Her work is associated with the Arts and Crafts movement in California. A fine article on Frances Gearhart's life can be found, here.
In The Sun (1930)
Fujio Yoshida (1887-1997) - the wife of Hiroshi Yoshida and the mother of Tōshi Yoshida (1911-1995) and Hodaka Yoshida (1926-1995). Fujio was so much more than a mother and wife. She had a long and storied career as a painter and printmaker. Fujio’s work used her travels and personal experiences to make her work. Subjects such as Japan during The Pacific War, abstraction, portraits, landscapes, still life, and nature were some of her themes. Her painting mediums were watercolour and oil. Her print work was designed by her and carved by Fujio.
Roses (1925)
TinEye - is an image search and recognition company. They use technology which allows the user to search an image creating a reverse image match. More information can be found, here.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art - is the largest art museum in North and South America. It began to be assembled by John Jay (1817-1894) in the late 19th century. Incorporated in 1870, the museum has collected many essential pieces, such as the works of Henri Matisse (1869-1954) and Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919). For more information about the MET, you can find it here.
Waseda University - is a private research university located in Tōkyō, Japan. It was established in 1882. Waseda has one of the largest woodblock print databases in the world, and are free to use. More information can be found, here.
Ristumeikan - is a university founded in 1869, and located in Kyoto and Ōsaka. Like Waseda it holds one of the largest collection of Japanese woodblock prints. You can search their database, here.
Mike Lyon - is an American artist. His medium has been varied throughout his career such as "square tiles," or "pixels," through to making mokuhanga, monoprinting, and machine-assisted etching, drawing and mezzotint. Mike Lyon also has a large woodblock print collection which he has curated for the public, here. More information about his work can be found, here.
Linda In Black (2019)
Frick Reference Library - is a reference library in the Frick Museum in New York City. The museum was once the mansion of wealthy American industrialist Henry Clay Frick (1849-1919). The museum houses some of the finest pieces of sculpture, paintings, and art in the United States. There is also the public Frick Reference Library located on 10E 71st Street in New York City. More information can be found, here.
Hokusai: Inspiration and Influence - was an exhibition held from March 26 - July 16, 2023 at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. More information can be found, here.
Japanese Art Society of America (JASA) - Starting in 1973 by a small group of collectors of ukiyo-e in New York City, JASA has expanded to cover many Japanese arts. Their magazine Impressions is a biannual magazine that discusses in a scholarly way various Japanese arts. More information can be found, here.
Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) - born in Edo, Hiroshige is famous for his landscape series of that burgeoning city. The most famous series being, One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (1856-1859), and the landcape series, Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō (1833-1834). His work highlights bokashi, and bright colours. More info about his work can be found, here. Below is, Coastal Landscape In Moonlight (1857)
Kingfisher and Iris
Scholten Japanese Art - is a mokuhanga-focused art gallery in midtown Manhattan. René Scholten, an avid collector of the Japanese print, founded it. You can find more info here. Katherine Martin is the managing director of Scholten Japanese Art. Katherine has written extensively for the gallery and conducted lectures about Japanese prints. Her interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here.
International Mokuhanga Conference - is a bi-yearly conference dedicated to mokuhanga which started in 2011 by the International Mokuhanga Association. Each conference is themed. The latest conference was in 2021, delayed a year because of the pandemic. More information can be found, here.
Cameron Bailey - is a mokuhanga woodblock printmaker based in Queens, New York. His work is predominantly reduction woodblock. Camerons work has shown around the world. You can listen to one of his earliest interviews on The Unfinished Print, here. His work can be found, here.
Reflection (2020)
sumo - while sumo wrestling has been known to Western audiences for quite some time, it is only in the past several years that the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) has created content for Western audiences to watch tournaments and engage with wrestlers through videos, such as YouTube.
Sumo prints were being produced in the Edo Period (1603-1868), with the Kastukawa school of artists beginning to create prints in the vein of actor prints of the day (yakusha-e).
Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1865) A portrait of Inoyama Moriemon (1846)
Acolytes of The Baren - is the Facebook group dedicated to Dave Bull and Mokuhankan. It can be found, here.
Emerging Hanga - is a Facebook group dedicated to new mokuhanga, and sharing information. It can be found, here.
Brush & Baren - is a Facebook group dedicated to sharing the history of mokuhanga of the late 19th and early 20th Century. It can be found, here.
Friends of Baren Forum - is a Facebook group dedicated to those interested in mokuhanga and woodblock printing in general. it can be found, here.
© Popular Wheat Productionsopening and closing musical credit - Flowers & Fire by BLITZ. From the album Second Empire Justice (1983), first released on Future Records.
logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny
Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :)
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If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know.
***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***
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Creating mokuhanga can be a long journey. One reaches milestones within their artistic life where decisions are made, and questions asked. Can I do this for years to come? Does it make financial sense to continue working on making prints? Do I want to make this my career? Can mokuhanga sustain me financially, emotionally, and spiritually?
On this episode of the Unfinished Print, I speak with mokuhanga printmaker Stephen Winiecki, an artist who has explored mokuhanga through his experience in oil painting and linocut. Stephen is asking himself many questions like the ones mentioned above. We discuss Stephen’s choosing to make mokuhanga a large part of his life and the desire to make it his career path. We talk process, his work with mokuhanga print designer and artist Jed Henry, planning a print, and how his passion for rock climbing motivates his work.
Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at [email protected]
Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.
Artists works follow after the note. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are given if known.
Stephen Winiecki - website, Instagram.
linocut -A linocut is a relief or block print type, similar to woodblock printing. The artist carves an image into a linoleum block, printing what's left.
David Bull - is a Canadian woodblock printmaker, and educator who lives and works in Japan. His love of mokuhanga has almost singlehandedly promoted the art form around the world. His company, Mokuhankan, has a brick and mortar store in Asakusa, Tōkyō, and online, here.
Dave Bull fox moon video
Awagami - is arguably the largest paper making company in Japan at the moment. With a large International name, Awagami sponsors, and promotes its paper all over the world. More information can be found on its website, here.
reduction printmaking - is a process in printmaking where the printmaker cuts away on a piece of wood, or linoleum. After every carving, the printmaker makes an impression with pigments, beginning with lighter colours, gradually using darker colours. William H. Mays has a fine description of reduction on his website, here.
registration - there are several registration methods in mokuhanga. The traditional method is called the kentō registration, where you carve two notches, straight another an "L." There is also a "floating kentō," which is where the notches are cut in a piece of "L" shaped wood and not on the wood where you are cutting your image, hence "floating." Lastly, there are removable "pins," such as ones made by Ternes Burton.
McClains Woodblock Print Supply Co. - based in Portland, Oregon, McClain's is the go-to supplier of woodblock print tools in the United States. Their website can be found here. The Unfinished Print interview with Daniel Jasa of McClain's can be found here.
Jed Henry - is an American artist and graphic designer. His work with woodblock prints is as designer. He works with Mokuhankan, as well as various other mokuhanga artists who carve/laser, and print his designs. His work under the Ukiyo-e Heroes banner is very popular.
monotype print - is a unique print created from an image painted or drawn on a smooth surface, such as glass or metal, and then transferred to paper. Unlike most printmaking methods, where multiple copies of the same image can be produced, a monotype typically has a single, one-of-a-kind image. It's called a "mono" type because it is not part of an edition like traditional prints (e.g., lithographs, etchings), where you can make multiple copies.
Dick Blick Art Supplies - is an art supply store with various brick and mortar stores throughout the United States, as well as online. Founded in 1911 by Dick Blick in Galesburg, Illinois, BLICK, as it’s more commonly known, sells various types of art supplies, much like Jerry’s Artarama. More info, here.
Cameron Bailey - is a mokuhanga woodblock printmaker based in Queens, New York. His work is predominantly reduction woodblock. Camerons work has shown around the world. You can listen to one of his earliest interview on The Unfinished Print, here. His work can be found, here.
Eruption, After D’Anna (2022) 17x23"
Lake George, New York - Is a small town located in the Adirondack mountains in New York State. There are plenty of exciting things to do in an around the town and within the Adirondack mountains. More information can be found here.
Echizen - is a region in Fukui Prefecture, Japan associated with Japanese paper making. It has a long history of paper making. There are many paper artisans in the area. One famous person is Iwano Ichibei whom Megan mentions in this episode. He is a Living National Treasure in paper making, and the ninth generation of his family still making paper today. More info can be found here in English, and here in Japanese.
Kawase Hasui (1883-1957) - a designer of more than six hundred woodblock prints, Kawase Hasui, is one of the most famous designers of the shin-hanga movement of the early twentieth century. Hasui began his career with the artist and woodblock designer Kaburaki Kiyokata (1878-1971), joining several artistic societies early in his career. It wasn’t until he joined the Watanabe atelier in 1918 that he began to gain recognition. Watanabe Shōzaburō (1885-1962) had Hasui design landscapes of the Japanese countryside, small towns, and everyday life. Hasui also worked closely with the carvers and printers of his prints to reach the level Hasui wanted his prints to be.
Yumoto Spa, Nikko (1937) 15x10"
shin hanga - is a style of Japanese woodblock printmaking which began during the end of the ukiyo-e period of Japanese printmaking, in the early 20th Century. Focusing on the foreign demand for “traditional” Japanese imagery and motifs such as castles, bridges, famous landscapes, bamboo forests, to name just a few. Shin hanga was born in 1915 by Watanabe Shōzaburō (1885-1962) when he found Austrian artist Frtiz Capelari (1884-1950) and commissioned Capelari to design some prints for Watanabe's feldgling printing house . From there shin-hanga evolved into its own distinct “new” style of Japanese woodblock printing. It lasted as this distinct style until its innevitable decline after the Second World War (1939-1945).
Dahlia (1940) 10.5x15.7" by Kawase Hasui
Seki Kenji - is a woodblock printmaker based in Tōkyō. He was head printer, and produced prints, for Doi Hangaten printing house as well as making his own pieces.
woodblock.com - is one of the first websites created by David Bull in order to describe the process of Japanese woodblock printmaking in English. It was and is an asset for those of us continuing the art form today.
Studio MDHR - is an independent video game developer based in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. They created the Cuphead character, which Stephen made a print on.
Cuphead Skullman 8x15"
Cal Carlisle - an American printmaker based in Cleveland, Ohio, who has sold his original prints and worked for print designer Jed Henry. He was also my first interview on The Unfinished Print, found here. You can find more information about Cal's work, here.
© Popular Wheat Productionsopening and closing musical credit - No Woman, No Cry by The Fugees from their 1996 album The Score. Released by Columbia Records.
logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny
Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :)
Слава Українi
If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know.
***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***
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Mokuhanga is a personal journey. The ups and downs of the artist are many; observing the emotions and layers of an artist simply through social media and chat rooms is complicated. Seeing a person's work is a window to who they are or want to be, their fears and desires; all these things make the mokuhanga artist so interesting to me. On this episode of the Unfinished Print, I speak with mokuhanga printmaker and artist Ben Selby. Ben’s work contains subtle emotion, powerful narratives, and unique perspectives. In my mokuhanga conversation with Ben, he speaks about his, at times, very personal experiences, how he grew up and his environment. We discuss Ben’s reflection on the self in his work, his MFA thesis, the power of colour, the idea of tradition in mokuhanga, working with Richard Steiner and Terry McKenna, and alligator gar.
Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at [email protected]
Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.
Artists works follow after the note. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are given if known.
Benjamin Selby - website, Instagram
West Texas A&M University - a public university located in Canyon, Texas, established in 1910. Georgia O’Keefe (1887-1986) was head of their art department from 1916-1918. More info can be found here.
Richard Steiner - is a mokuhanga printmaker who has been making prints for over fifty years. He has lived and worked in Kyōto, Japan since 1980. He is currently still making work. His interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here.
Peace, peace (1990)
Terry McKenna - is a mokuhanga printmaker based in Karuizawa, Nagano, Japan. He studied under Kyōto-based mokuhanga artist Richard Steiner. Terry also runs his mokuhanga school in Karuizawa. His interview with The Unfinished Print can be found here. Richard Steiner's interview with The Unfinished Print can be found here.
Kyōto International Mokuhanga School - is a mokuhanga school owned and operated by long-term mokuhanga printmaker and artist Richard Steiner. Students will learn mokuhanga from Richard in Kyoto. For more information regarding his school and price, here.
Ōsaka Station - is a transfer hub located in the Japanese city of Ōsaka, Japan. It serves over 2 million passengers daily. It contains shopping and restaurants and is a labyrinth unto itself. It opened in 1874. More information can be found here.
serigraphy - is another word for the art of silk screen printing. Silk screen printing can be in on various materials, silk, canvas, paper.
Arizona State University - a public research university located in Tempe, Arizona, near Phoenix. It was founded as Territorial Normal School in 1885 and has undergone several name changes over the years, coming to its current iteration in 1958. More info can be found here.
Kintarō - is a Japanese fairy tale first published in English in 1908 by Y.T. Ozeki in the book Japanese Fairy Tales, published by the A.L. Burt Company. The story is about Kintarō, a brave boy whose exploits as a brave warrior are passed down throughout Japanese history. His image was widespread in ukiyo-e, as well as in sculpture, candy, and the like. He has been in modern video games, manga, and anime.
Kintarō Fighting an Eagle - Edo Period (1603-1898) by Kitagawa Tuskimaro (1794-1836). Tsukimaro was a little-known ukiyo-e print artist but was most successful under his teacher Kitagawa Utamaro (1753-1806).
International Mokuhanga Conference - is a bi-yearly conference dedicated to mokuhanga which started in 2011 by the International Mokuhanga Association. Each conference is themed. The latest conference was in 2021, delayed a year because of the pandemic. More information can be found, here.
Printed books in the Edo Period (1603-1868) - were books published in woodblock on low-quality paper. Yet, these books contained many exciting and beautiful designs and techniques.
Jacob Bautista - is an artist and teacher based in Amarillo, Texas, USA. His work is expressed through etching and stone lithography; more information about Jacob and his work is here.
Bitten (2018) photoshop
Alligator gar - is one of North America's largest freshwater fish and is considered a living fossil in that its origins go back as far as 100 million years ago. These particular gars are primarily found in the Southern United States.
Spillway - a structure which controls the amount of water going into a dam or levee.
Gyotaku - are Japanese fish prints. These prints are created in various formats, such as inking the fish after its caught using washi and paste(直接法), the indirect method where washi is pasted to the fish, which is then inked on the fish (間接法), and the transfer method, (転写法), where the image is pressed onto washi which is then transferred to wood or another type of surface and pressed onto that. For more information there's a great video here, about gyotaku printmaker Bruce Koike from Oregon, who has been making these prints since the 1980's.
shin hanga - is a style of Japanese woodblock printmaking which began during the end of the ukiyo-e period of Japanese printmaking, in the early 20th Century. Focusing on the foreign demand for “traditional” Japanese imagery and motifs such as castles, bridges, famous landscapes, bamboo forests, to name just a few. Shin hanga was born in 1915 by Watanabe Shōzaburō (1885-1962) when he found Austrian artist Frtiz Capelari (1884-1950) and commissioned Capelari to design some prints for Watanabe's feldgling printing house . From there shin-hanga evolved into its own distinct “new” style of Japanese woodblock printing. It lasted as this distinct style until its innevitable decline after the Second World War (1939-1945).
Sea of Shizuura, Namazu (1938) 15.4"x10.2"
Tsuchiya Kōitsu (1870 - 1949) - apprenticed under artist and print designer Kobayashi Kiyochika (1847-1915) and worked as a lithographer. Kōitsu then joined the Watanabe atelier in 1935. Kōitsu also collaborated with Doi Sadachi publishers, amongst others.
Kintai Bridge, ca 1930's. postcard size print
Kawase Hasui (1883-1957) - a designer of more than six hundred woodblock prints, Kawase Hasui, is one of the most famous designers of the shin-hanga movement of the early twentieth century. Hasui began his career with the artist and woodblock designer Kaburaki Kiyokata (1878-1971), joining several artistic societies early in his career. It wasn’t until he joined the Watanabe atelier in 1918 that he began to gain recognition. Watanabe Shōzaburō (1885-1962) had Hasui design landscapes of the Japanese countryside, small towns, and everyday life. Hasui also worked closely with the carvers and printers of his prints to reach the level Hasui wanted his prints to be.
Takatsudo (1931)
All I Knew Growing Up by Benjamin Selby (2022)
Ben's lecture at the International Mokuhanga Conference, Photochemical Mokuhanga, can be found here.
tamari (溜まり) - is the pooling of ink between the carved lines of your woodblock. Pooling is exposed when testing your carving but can be fixed by recarving the part of the block causing tamari or altering the amount of ink or water used.
cyanotype - a type of work that uses iron compounds and creates various blues when exposed to UV light. More info here.
Van Dyke Brown - is a photographic printing process named after painter Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641). The method uses various chemicals, then exposes the negative of the photograph as print to ultraviolet light. The final print is a brown colour. Very similar to cyanotype, but the chemicals create a different shade of print. More info can be found on Mark Hillier's blog, and here.
sōsaku-hanga - or creative prints, is a style of printmaking which is predominantly, although not exclusively, prints made by one person. It started in the early twentieth century in Japan, in the same period as the shin-hanga movement. The artist designs, carves, and prints their own works. The designs, especially in the early days, may seem rudimentary but the creation of self-made prints was a breakthrough for printmakers moving away from where only a select group of carvers, printers and publishers created woodblock prints.
Artist's Nude (1984) by Sekino Jun'ichirō (1914-1988) 14.7" x 10.6"
Akua - are water-based pigments used in intaglio, mokuhanga, and monotype.
Kitaro Japanese Paper Company - founded in 1872, Kitaro focuses on making high quality Japanese washi in Fukui Prefecture. More info, here.
Alone by Benjamin Selby (2021) 10.5" x 14.5"
murasaki baren - is a mid-range mokuhanga baren. “murasaki” meaning “purple” , come in two types of weight (medium and heavy), and two types of sizes (10cm and 12cm). They are reasonably priced baren.
Yuki baren - is a heavy ball bearing baren made in Japan. It is used to print large flat colours.
baren suji zuri - is a Mokuhanga technique used with the baren and by the baren to create a circular design and can be layered with various colours.Combing Her Hair (1928) 15-1/4"x 10-1/2" by Natori Shunsen (1886-1960)
sizing paper - at times mokuhanga printmakers will size their paper. Size is made from water, animal glue (rabbit, horse), and alum. What the size does is keep the pigments the artist uses from “bleeding” into the outer edges of the paper. There are many recipes of size, here is one that artist Walter J. Phillips used.
© Popular Wheat Productionsopening and closing musical credit - Ahmad Jamal - Pavanne (1960) from the album Happy Moods on Verve Records
logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny
Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :)
Слава Українi
If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know.
***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***
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During the early days of the COVID-19 Pandemic, being at home with my thoughts, I kept busy by researching mokuhanga. And one of my many discoveries was the exhibition at the Portland Art Museum held from September 24, 2020, to June 13, 2021, called Joryū Hanga Kyøkai, 1956-1965: Japan’s Women Printmakers and curated by The Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Curator of Asian Art, Jeannie Kenmotsu. It was an exhibition of mokuhanga, etchings, and lithography of a group of printmakers I didn’t know much about. Individually I may have heard their names but as a group? I needed to learn more. History is an essential part of mokuhanga; to search out those printmakers who have come before us to understand what they did and how they did it. I have learned so much from the past that I can use it in my own work for my present and future.
On this episode of The Unfinished Print, I speak with Jeannie Kenmotsu, Ph.D., about the Joryu Hanga Kyokai and, the road to this exhibition, the work that went behind it. We explore how the Joryu Hanga Kyokai showed a different face of printmaking in Japan. We discuss Tokyo during the 1950s and 1960s, the mokuhanga and print culture of the time, internationalism, and how this exhibition could catalyze more research on this incredible group.Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at [email protected]
Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.
Artists works follow after the note. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are given if known.
Joryū Hanga Kyōkai, 1956-1965: Japan’s Women Printmakers - was an exhibition curated by Jeannie Kenmotsu from September 24, 2020 - June 13, 2021, at the Portland Art Museum. It is the first step in understanding and education on the subject of women in Japanese printmaking in modern Japan. Members of the group were
Romanesque Architecture - is a style developed in the north of Italy, parts of France, and the Iberian Peninsula in the 10th century. Evolving from thick walls, no sculpture, and ornamental arches into towering round arches, massive stone and brickwork, small windows, thick walls, and an inclination for housing art and sculpture of biblical scenes. For more information abbot Romanesquwe architecture you can find that, here.
Portland Art Museum - established in 1892, the PAM has established itself as one of the preeminent art musuems on the West coast of the United States. The musuem has 40,000 pieces of art and art objects. More information about PAM can be found here.
The Royal Ontario Museum - also known as The ROM, is an art, world culture, and natural history museum in the city of Toronto, and is one of the oldest museums in the city. More info, here.
mokuhanga in the 1950’s and 1960’s - Japanese woodblock printmaking became quite popular after World War II. With Japan growing exponentially post war, through industry and art, the independent philosphy that the West perpetuated began to filter into the Jpaanese art world. Sōsaku hanga became increadingly popular where there is only one carver, printer and draughtsman. These prints touched on various themes, but especially in the abstract. Artists such as Shigeru Hatsuyama (1897-1973), and Kiyoshi Saitō (1907-1997) spring to mind, who created a new kind of mokuhanga by using various techniques, colours, and sizes that were unique and expressive. Oliver Statler’s book, written in 1956, Modern Japanese Prints : An Art Reborn, was published because the art form was growing so quickly. It is a great summary on the sōsaku hanga movement during that time.
Edo Period prints - woodblock prints of the Edo Period (1603-1867) were predominantly of kabuki actors (Sharaku), and courtesans (Harunobu) beginning in the middle of the 18th century. The traditional system of production came into play when making ukiyo-e of this period, designer, carver, printer, and publisher. Famous designers of the day were Hiroshige (1797-1858), Hokusai (1760-1849).
Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition - was an international fair in 1905 held in Portland, Oregan, USA from June 1 - October 15 and attracted over 1 million visitors. It helped to showcase Portland and its environs, promoting the movement and expansion West by settlers. The Portland Art Museum began shortly after the Exposition as The Portland Art Association needed its own space to showcase art pieces from the Exposition.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art - is the largest art museum in North and South America. It began to be assembled by John Jay (1817-1894) in the late 19th century. Incorporated in 1870, the museum has collected many essential pieces, such as the works of Henri Matisse (1869-1954) and Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919). For more information about the MET, you can find it here.
Adolphe Braun (1812-1877) - was a German-born photographer who helped to establish photography as an art form. His work with the reproduction of art furthered art history throughout the world.
Chizuko Yoshida (1924-2017) - was the wife of painter and printmaker Hodaka Yoshida. Beginning as an abstract painter, Chizuko, after a meeting with sōsaku hanga printmaker Onchi Kōshirō (1891-1955), Chizuko became interested in printmaking. Chizuko enjoyed the abstraction of art, and this was her central theme of expression. Like all Yoshida artists, travel greatly inspired Chizuko’s work. She incorporated the colours and flavours of the world into her prints.
Rain B (1953) 14 3/4 x 9 7/8"
Yoshida Hiroshi (1876-1950) - a watercolorist, oil painter, and woodblock printmaker. Is associated with the resurgence of the woodblock print in Japan, and in the West. It was his early relationship with Watanabe Shōzaburō, having his first seven prints printed by the Shōzaburō atelier. This experience made Hiroshi believe that he could hire his own carvers and printers and produce woodblock prints, which he did in 1925.
Osaka Castle (1935)
Fujio Yoshida (1887-1997) - the wife of Hiroshi Yoshida and the mother of Tōshi Yoshida (1911-1995) and Hodaka Yoshida. Fujio was so much more than a mother and wife. She had a long and storied career as a painter and printmaker. Fujio’s work used her travels and personal experiences to make her work. Subjects such as Japan during The Pacific War, abstraction, portraits, landscapes, still life, and nature were some of her themes. Her painting mediums were watercolour and oil. Her print work was designed by her and carved by Fujio.
Yellow Iris (1953)
Hodaka Yoshida (1926-1995) - was the second son of woodblock printmaker and designer Hiroshi Yoshida (1876-1950). Hodaka Yoshida's work was abstract, beginning with painting and evolving into printmaking. His inspirations varied as his career continued throughout his life, but Hodaka Yoshida's work generally focused on nature, "primitive" art, Buddhism, the elements, and landscapes. Hodaka Yoshida's print work used woodcut, photo etching, collage, and lithography, collaborating with many of these mediums and making original and fantastic works. Outside of prints Hodaka Yoshida also painted and created sculptures.
Dawn At Sea (1969) - silkscreen 25 5/8" x 19 3/8" (AP)
Tōshi Yoshida (1911-1995) - was the second child of Hiroshi Yoshida and Fujio Yoshida, although the first to survive childhood. Beginning with oil paintings and then apprenticing under his father with woodblock cutting. By 1940 Tōshi started to make his mokuhanga. After his father's death in 1950, Tōshi began to experiment with abstract works and travel to the United States. Later travels to Africa evolved his prints, inspiring Tōshi with the world he experienced as his work focused on animals and nature.
Irises and Ducks - 19 5/8" x 11 3/4"
Ayomi Yoshida - is the daughter of Chizuko and Hodaka Yoshida. She is a visual artist who works in mokuhanga, installations and commercial design. Ayomi’s subject matter is colour, lines, water, and shape. Ayomi’s lecture referred to by Jeannie at PAM can be found here. She teaches printmaking and art. You can find more info here.
Black Marks (1999) 20 1/2 × 20 1/8 in (AP)
Guide to Modern Japanese Woodblock Prints: 1900-1975 - is a book published by the University of Hawai'i in 1995. It is a reference book describing artists, publishers, and carvers. It contains no images but is a valuable resource for the mokuhanga academic.
Uchima Toshiko (1918-2000) - was a Manchurian-born Japanese artist who worked in mokuhanga, liothography, assemblages and collage. She was one of the founders of the Joryū Hanga Kyōkai in 1955/56. She lived most of her life in the United States, specifically New York City.
Package From Italy - collage 19.8"x16.8" in
Ansei Uchima (1921-2000) - was a mokuhanga printmaker in the sōsaku hanga style of Japanese printmaking. He was the translator for Japanologist Oliver Statler (1915-2002).
Way For Hakone (1966) 13 3/4 x 21 in
Oliver Statler (1915-2002) - was an American author and scholar and collector of mokuhanga. He had been a soldier in World War 2, having been stationed in Japan. After his time in the war Statler moved back to Japan where he wrote about Japanese prints. His interests were of many facets of Japanese culture such as accommodation, and the 88 Temple Pilgrimage of Shikoku. Oliver Statler, in my opinion, wrote one of the most important books on the sōsaku-hanga movement, “Modern Japanese Prints: An Art Reborn.”
Iwami Reika (1927-2020) - was a Japanese-born artist and one of the founders of the Joryū Hanga Kyōkai. For a short video about Iwami Reika’s work, check out Artelino.com.
Round Shadow C (1957)
sōsaku-hanga - or creative prints, is a style of printmaking which is predominantly, although not exclusively, prints made by one person. It started in the early twentieth century in Japan, in the same period as the shin-hanga movement. The artist designs, carves, and prints their own works. The designs, especially in the early days, may seem rudimentary but the creation of self-made prints was a breakthrough for printmakers moving away from where only a select group of carvers, printers and publishers created woodblock prints.
Yoseido Gallery - is a fine print gallery located in the Ginza district of Tōkyō, Japan since 1953. More information can e found, here.
Francis Blakemore (1906-1997) - was an American-born artist, writer, philanthropist and curator of modern Japanese mokuhanga. She lived in Japan for over fifty years and helped to support the burgeoning sōsaku hanga print movement of the 1950s. Blakemore worked in mokuhanga (collaborating with Watanabe Shōzaburō) and making self-printed and carved prints. She also worked in oils.
Far Eastern Madonna (1939) white line woodblock print
Japanese Economy of the 1950’s - from 1945-1991 Japan had its most prosperous period of economic growth. By 1955 the economic began to grow twice as fast as prior to ’55. According to The Berkley Economic Review the advancement of technologies, accumulation of capital, increased quantity and quality of labor, and increased international trade were the main reasons that strenghtend Japan. For more information regarding the begining of this growth you can find the BER article here.
intaglio printing - is a printing method, also called etching, using metal plates such as zinc, and copper, creating “recessed” areas which are printed with ink on the surface of these "recesses.” More info, here. The MET has info, here.
Minami Keiko (1911-2004) - was a Japanese-born artist and a founder of the Joryū Hanga Kyōkai. Keiko’s work is abstract, whimsical and youthful. She lived mainly in Paris, France, where she studied aquatint etching under Johhny Friedlaender (1912-1992). More information about Minami Keiko’s art and life can be found here.
House With Sun and Trees : watercolour and gouache 14 3/4x11 in.
Yōzō Hamaguchi (1909-2000) - was a Japanese-born mezzotint printmaker who lived in Paris, France, for most of his life. He was the husband of Minami Keiko.
Bottle With Lemons and Red Wall (1989) mezzotint 30 x 24 in.
mezzotint - is a style of printmaking which uses a copper plate, “rocked” with a tool called a rocker, and then burnished with various devices. A good video showing the entire process from start to finish of a mezzotint print can be found here by the artist Julie Niskanen Skolozynski.
Kobayashi Donge - is an aquatint etching artist who’s subject is generally women and literature.
Roses Go Well With Mount Fuji (1993) etching with hand colouring on paper
Tokyo University of the Arts (Geidai) - founded during the merger of the Tokyo Fine Arts School and the Tokyo Music School in 1949, TUA offers Masters's and Doctorate degrees in various subjects such as sculpture, craft and design as well as music and film. It has multiple campuses throughout the Kantō region of Japan. More information regarding the school and its programs can be found here.
担当者 - is a Japanese word which means “person in charge."
Nihon Hanga Kyōkai - is the Japanese Printmakers Association. It was created in 1918, focusing on the new sōsaku hanga print movement. It evolved into a modern print organization covering various types of printmaking, such as relief, intaglio, planographic (lithography and offset printmaking), and stencil. You can find more information on their website in Japanese and English here.
First Thursday Society (一木会) - was created by printmaker Onchi Kōshirō (1891-1955). The group brought artists and collectors to discuss the growing sōsaku hanga (creative print) movement to collaborate, share their work, and it acted as a mentorship program.
Un'ichi Hiratsuka (平塚 運一) - (1895-1977) - was one of the important players of the sōsaku hanga movement in mokuhanga. Hiratsuka was a proponent of self carved and self printed mokuhanga, and taught one of the most famous sōsaku hanga printmakers in Shikō Munakata (1903-1975). He founded the Yoyogi Group of artists and also taught mokuhanga at the Tōkyō School of Fine Arts. Hiratsuka moved to Washington D.C in 1962 where he lived for over thirty years. His mokuhanga was multi colour and monochrome touching on various subjects and is highly collected today.
Landscape (1934)
College Women’s Association of Japan - was started by the alumnae of Mount Holyoke College from Massachusetts. Later expanding to other universities and colleges in the US, the CWAJ established Japanese women to study abroad through travel grants and scholarships, thereby promoting Japanese culture. What began as a fundraising program from 1956 onward, the annual print show has become one of the most essential print shows in the world, showcasing prints of all types. It is the largest juried print show in Japan. More information about the CWAJ and its print show can be found here.
Kantō (関東地方) - is a region located on the main island of Honshu, Japan, which encompasses the Prefectures of Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tōkyō, Chiba and Kanagawa. The Kantō Regional Development Bureau of the Ministry of Land Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism oversees these prefectures. More information can be found here.
Kansai (関西地方) - is a region located on the main island of Honshu, Japan, which encompasses the Prefectures of Nara, Kyoto, Wakayama, Osaka, Hyōgo, Shiga and Mie. It has the most UNESCO world heritage sites in Japan. For tourist information about Kansai, see here.
Jun'ichirō Sekino (1914-1988) - was a Japanese mokuhanga printmaker of the sōsaku hanga creative prints movement. Sekino's works are landscapes and portraits and are black and white and colourful. Sekino studied under Onchi Kōshirō. He was invited to the United States several times as a visiting professor at Oregon State University, the University of Washington, and Penn State University in 1963, where he taught classes on mokuhanga. You can find more information about Sekino and his work and life on his website here.
U.S Army Officer (1948) 24"x18.8" in.
Munakata Shikō (志功棟方) - (1903-1975) arguably one of the most famous modern printmakers; Shikō is renowned for his prints of women, animals, the supernatural and Buddhist deities. He made his prints with an esoteric fervour where his philosophies about mokuhanga were just as interesting as his print work.
Night Birds (The Fence of...) 7.4"x11.5" in.
Aomori (青森県) - is a prefecture in north Japan. Located about an hour and a half from Tōkyō, Aomori is known for its incredible nature, festivals, sports and outdoor activities in all four seasons. More information can be found here.
Kobe, Japan - is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture in Japan. One of the few ports open to Western trade, Kobe has always had a great vibe. With a lot to visit and see, Kobe has many attractions, such as its harbour, Mount Rokkō, and various museums and mansions on the hill; its proximity to Osaka and Kyoto makes it an ideal place to visit. For more information about Kobe, Japan, see here.
Shirokiya - was a department store company which started in Japan with various stores throughout Japan and Hawai’i. It was founded in Tōkyō in 1662 and went out of business in 2020. The store was famously depicted in a Hiroshige print, View of Nihonbashi Tori-itchome 1858.
Sarah Lawrence College - is a liberal arts college in Yonkers, New York. Founded in 1926, Sarah Lawrence has been dedicated to the education process and inclusivity of its student body since its inception. For more information about the school and their work can be found here.
Pratt Institute - is a private university located in Brooklyn, New York. Established in 1887 and founded by American business magnate Charles Pratt (1830-1891), the Pratt Institute focuses on the liberal arts such as architecture, art and design, shaping leaders of tomorrow. For more information about TPI, you can look here.
Elise Grilli (d.1969) - was an art critic and author who wrote for the Japan Times. She lived in Japan throughout the 1940’s into the 1960’s. Her book The Art Of The Japanese Screen is considered a classic.
Charles Terry (1926-1982) - was an author and translator of Japanese in Tōkyō for Harry J. Abrams.
James A Michener (1907-1997) - a Pulitzer Prize winning writer, scholar and academic who wrote on Japanese prints, amongst many more topics.
Shima Tamami (1937-1999) - was a mokuhanga printmaker who joined the JHK when they had already established themselves. Her career was short, moving to the United States in the 1960s. Her mokuhanga depicts Japanese aesthetics and themes producing still lives. Her work was featured in James Michener's book, The Modern Japanese Print: An Appreciation, in 1962. For more information and images of Tamami Shima's work, please check out the Viewing Japanese Prints site here.
Bird B (1959) 11.9"x16.3" in.
Noriko Kuwahara - is a scholar, curator, and author of Japanese art in Japan.
PoNJA-GenKon - is an online listserve group which means Post-1945 (Nineteen Forty Five) Japanese Art Discussion Group Geidai Bijutsu Kondankai. It was established in 2003 to bring together specialists in Japanese art in the English speaking world. For more information about what PoNJA-GenKon does search here.
Philadelphia Museum of Art - originating with the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, the PMA has over 200,000 pieces of art and objects and is one of the preeminent museums in the US. More information can be found here.
Sakura City Museum of Art - is a fine art museum located in Sakura City, Chiba, Japan. It is dedicated to the arts of those form Sakura City and Bosho. More information in Japanese here.
Ao no Fūkei (Landscape in Blue) - is a mokuhanga print created by Chizuko Yoshida in 1972.
Futurism - is an art movement which began in Italy. It was established in the early 20th Century by artists Filippo Tommaso Marinetti (1876-1944), Umberto Boccioni (1882-1916), and Carlo Carrà (1881-1966), amongst others. The idea of Futurism was to reject the past and celebrate the speed and power of the present, of industrialization and modernity through art. Futurism influenced other artistic communities around the world.
The Endless Manifesto - Started by Tommaso Marinetti’s original manifesto on Futurism called Manifesto of Futurism, the Futurists wrote many manifestos about their ideas on art, history, politics, literature, music, among other topics, until 1914, as well as books, articles in literary journals, magazines and newspapers. The MoMA has written a good article on the Futurists and their manifestos and writings here.
© Popular Wheat Productionsopening and closing musical credit - Joe Chambers "Ruth" released on Blue Note Records (2023)
logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny
Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :)
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If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know.
***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***
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In mokuhanga, nature plays a large part in the process. Using wood, water, natural paper, and even natural pigments can bring you closer to the natural world, closer to the root of all things. From that natural process, many mokuhanga artists will use nature as a subject in their work. By portraying the mountains, forests, rivers and lakes, these subjects manifest the world from a different perspective on paper.
On this episode of the Unfinished Print, I speak with Michigan-based mokuhanga printmaker Mary Brodbeck. Her work delves deeply into the natural world and colours of Michigan. Mary speaks on her mokuhanga process, colours, and technique, learning by watching, her early experiences with Japan, and the nature of the creative process. We also discuss the exhibition In Kalamazoo, Michigan, Cross Currents: East/West, with her teacher Yoshisuke Funasaka.
Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at [email protected]
Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.
Artists works follow after the note. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are given if known.
Mary Brodbeck - website, Instagram, Facebook
Becoming Made Documentary - is a documentary produced by Mary Brodbeck. It is a document about mokuhanga, its practitioners, and those associated with the art form. You can find the documentary here.
Cross Currents East/West - is an exhibition held in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It is an exhibition showcasing the works of Japanese mokuhanga and serigrapher Yoshisuke Funasaka and his student Mary Brodbeck. Both artists are exhibiting various works. The exhibit runs from May 12-July 28th, 2023. You can find more information regarding the exhibition here.
Western Michigan University - is a public research university based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA. and was established in 1903. You can find more information here.
Yoshisuke Funasaka - is an award-winning mokuhanga and serigrapher based in Tōkyō, Japan. You can find a fine biography about Funasaka here at asianartscollectoion.com.
Black Night Ginza (1991) 24 4/5" x 17 3/4"
Ox-Bow School of Art - was founded in 1910 and is associated with the School of the Art Insitute of Chicago (SAIC). It is a nonprofit artist’s residency located in Saugatuck, Michigan. You can find information here.
sumi - is a rich black stick or liquid used by artists, calligraphers, and traditional Japanese horimono tattoo artists. Sumi is made from the soot of burnt lamp oil. Sumi is used predominantly in key blocks in traditional mokuhanga and to mix pigments. Pigment Tōkyō conducts a great interview with their chief of pigments, Kei Iwaizumi, about sumi ink, here.
kentō - is the registration system used by printmakers in order to line up the colour woodblocks with your key block, or outline block, carved first.
Daniel Smith Pigments - is a company which makes various types of paints, pigments, and mediums. It was started by Dan Smith in 1976. More info can be found, here.
shin hanga - is a style of Japanese woodblock printmaking which began during the end of the ukiyo-e period of Japanese printmaking, in the early 20th Century. Focusing on the foreign demand for “traditional” Japanese imagery and motifs such as castles, bridges, famous landscapes, bamboo forests, to name just a few. Shin hanga was born in 1915 by Watanabe Shōzaburō (1885-1962) when he found Austrian artist Frtiz Capelari (1884-1950) and commissioned Capelari to design some prints for Watanabe's feldgling printing house . From there shin-hanga evolved into its own distinct “new” style of Japanese woodblock printing. It lasted as this distinct style until its innevitable decline after the Second World War (1939-1945).
Fuji-san From Yamazaka (1931) by Hiroshi Yoshida
shina - is a type of Japanese plywood used in mokuhanga. Not all shina is made equally, buyer beware.
vellum - is a plant-based, translucent and opaque paper constructed with cellulose. Used as tracing paper and has multiple uses. You can find more information about vellum and its uses here.
April Vollmer - is an established artist who works predominantly in mokuhanga. Her book Japanese Woodblock Print Workshop is one of the most authoritative books on the subject and has influenced many mokuhanga artists. You can find my interview with The Unfinished Print can be found here.
Richard Steiner - is a mokuhanga printmaker, author and teacher based in Kyōto, Japan. He is originally from Michigan and moved to Japan over fifty years ago. Richard prints many different subjects and themes. You can find his interview with The Unfinished Print here.floating kentō - is a removable registration system attached to the block when printing. As the kentō isn't affixed to the block, blotting and immaculate borders are positives of this registration method. It is an "L" shape.
Mark Nepo - is a poet and philosopher who lives and works in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He has written many books on spirituality and manifesting a wonderful positive life. You can find more information on his website here.
Michigan, USA - originally inhabited by various indigenous cultures and tribes such as early Hopewell Culture, Ojibwe, and Iroquois. European settlers settled in the early 17th century. Michigan, located in the Midwestern region of the United States, has a rich and varied history. The French ceded Michigan to the British in 1763 following the French and Indian War, and it became part of the United States after the American Revolution. Michigan became a state in 1837, and its early years were marked by rapid industrialization and growth. The state became a hub for lumber production, mining, and manufacturing, particularly in the automotive industry. In the early 20th century, entrepreneurs such as Henry Ford and Ransom Olds revolutionized the automotive industry, and Detroit became known as the "Motor City." The state also played a prominent role in the Civil Rights Movement, with figures such as Rosa Parks and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. making essential contributions. In recent decades, Michigan has faced economic challenges, particularly in the wake of the automotive industry's decline. However, the state remains a necessary research, manufacturing, and innovation center. It is home to major universities and research institutions such as the University of Michigan and Michigan State University. You can find more information about Michigan at Michigan.org. Lawren Harris (1885-1970) - was a member of the Canadian group of painters, The Group Of Seven. He lived in the United States (New Hampshire and New Mexico), ultimately returning to Canada in 1940. He painted the Canadian landscape predominantly in Ontario in Algonquin Park and Algoma. Greenland Mountains (ca. 1930) oil on canvas 107.4 x 128.4 cm The Group of Seven - was a group of landscape painters from Canada. The artists were Franklin Carmichael (1890–1945), Lawren Harris (1885–1970), A.Y. Jackson 1882–1974), Frank Johnston (1888–1949), Arthur Lismer (1885–1969), J.E.H MacDonald (1873–1932), and Frederick Varley (1881–1969). Later, A.J. Casson (1898–1992) was invited to join in 1926, Edwin Holdgate (1892–1977) became a member in 1930, and LeMoine FitzGerald (1890–1956) joined in 1932. While Tom Thomspon (1877–1917) and Emily Carr (1871–1945) were not "official" members, they are considered to be a part of the group because of their relationships with members. More info can be found here. A fine article on the CBC by Cree writer Matteo Cimellaro discusses The Group of Seven's role in Canadian nationalism and the exclusion of First Nation's voices in their work. You can find this article here. Tom Thomson - Round Lake, Mud Bay (1915) oil on wood 21.5 x 26.8 Algoma - is a geographical district in the Northeastern Canadian province of Ontario. Algoma runs on the Lakes Superior and Huron. It has famously been represented in art by The Group of Seven. You can find more information about Algoma here. © Popular Wheat Productionsopening and closing musical credit - Get On The Good Foot - Pt. 1 & 2 by James Brown. From the record Get On The Good Foot (1972) Polydor.
logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny
Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :)
Слава Українi
If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know.
***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***
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Ambition and confidence are two concepts that make an artist. These ideas can take different forms and trajectories, but artists can accomplish anything with talent and a supportive community.
In this episode of The Unfinished Print, I speak with one artist who exudes ambition and confidence. Daryl Howard is a mokuhanga printmaker and artist who lives and works in Austin, Texas. What drew me to Daryl's work is her desire to maintain the mokuhanga tradition, putting both body and soul into her mokuhanga.
Daryl speaks with me about her evolution as a mokuhanga printmaker, her travels, her community, and her time with Hodaka Yoshida.
Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at [email protected]
Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.
Artists works follow after the note. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted.
Daryl Howard - website, Instagram
Time Of Smoke That Thunders (2022)
Sam Houston State University - is a public research university located in Huntsville, Texas, USA. Established in 1879 to educate teachers for Texas public schools, SHSU has evolved into a school which offers subjects in criminal justice, Texas studies, and is known for its athletics.
intaglio printing - is a printing method, also called etching, using metal plates such as zinc, and copper, creating “recessed” areas which are printed with ink on the surface of these "recesses.” More info, here. The MET has info, here.
lithography - is a printing process which requires a stone or aluminum plate, and was invented in the 18th Century. More info, here from the Tate.
serigraphy - is another word for the art of silk screen printing. Silk screen printing can be in on various materials, silk, canvas, paper.
Stanley Lea (1930-2017) - was a Texas printmaker and teacher of printmaking at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas.
Texas A&M - established in 1876 as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, Texas A&M is a research University in College Station, Texas which has a variety of subjects and programs, more info here.
Yokota Airbase, Tōkyō (横田飛行場,) - established in 1940 as Tama Airbase for the Japanese Air Force, converted in 1945 as an American military base used in the Korean War and the Cold War.
Dr. Richard Lane (1926-2002) - was a collector of Japanese prints. He was also an author and dealer in Japanese art.
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi 1839-1892 (月岡 芳年) was a mokuhanga designer who is famous for his prints depicting violence and gore. His work is powerful, colourful, and one of the last vibrant moments of the ukiyo-e genre of woodblock prints. More information about Yoshitoshi’s life and his copious amount of work can be found, here.
Yūten Shami - Fudō Myōō threatening the priest Yūten Shami (1867)
shin hanga - is a style of Japanese woodblock printmaking which began during the end of the ukiyo-e period of Japanese printmaking, in the early 20th Century. Focusing on the foreign demand for “traditional” Japanese imagery and motifs such as castles, bridges, famous landscapes, bamboo forests, to name just a few. Shin hanga was born in 1915 by Watanabe Shōzaburō (1885-1962) when he found Austrian artist Frtiz Capelari (1884-1950) and commissioned Capelari to design some prints for Watanabe's feldgling printing house . From there shin-hanga evolved into its own distinct “new” style of Japanese woodblock printing. It lasted as this distinct style until its innevitable decline after the Second World War (1939-1945).
Tachikawa, Tōkyō - 立川市 - is a city located in the metropolis of Tōkyō. It had an American military presence until 1977. For some tourist info, you can find it here.
surimono (摺物)- are privately commissioned woodblock prints, usually containing specialty techniques such as mica, and blind embossing. Below is Heron and Iris, (ca. 1770's) by Andō Hiroshige (1797-1858). This print is from David Bull's reproduction of that work. You can find more info about that project, here.
Kunitachi - 国立市 - is a city located within the metropolis of Tōkyō. Originally a part of the 44 stations Kōshū Kaidō (甲州街道), a road which connected Edo to Kai Prefecture (Yamanashi).
Hodaka Yoshida (1926-1995) - was the second son of woodblock printmaker and designer Hiroshi Yoshida (1876-1950). Hodaka Yoshida's work was abstract, beginning with painting and evolving into printmaking. His inspirations varied as his career continued throughout his life, but Hodaka Yoshida's work generally focused on nature, "primitive" art, Buddhism, the elements, and landscapes. Hodaka Yoshida's print work used woodcut, photo etching, collage, and lithography, collaborating with many of these mediums and making original and fantastic works. Outside of prints Hodaka Yoshida also painted and created sculptures.
White House O.J. From My Collection (1980) lithograph
Fujio Yoshida (1887-1997) - the wife of Hiroshi Yoshida and the mother of Tōshi Yoshida (1911-1995) and Hodaka Yoshida. Fujio was so much more than a mother and wife. She had a long and storied career as a painter and printmaker. Fujio’s work used her travels and personal experiences to make her work. Subjects such as Japan during The Pacific War, abstraction, portraits, landscapes, still life, and nature were some of her themes. Her painting mediums were watercolour and oil. Her print work was designed by her and carved by Fujio.
Red Canna (1954)
Chizuko Yoshida (1924-2017) - was the wife of painter and printmaker Hodaka Yoshida. Beginning as an abstract painter, Chizuko, after a meeting with sōsaku hanga printmaker Onchi Kōshirō (1891-1955), Chizuko became interested in printmaking. Chizuko enjoyed the abstraction of art, and this was her central theme of expression. Like all Yoshida artists, travel greatly inspired Chizuko’s work. She incorporated the colours and flavours of the world into her prints.
Butterfly Dance (1985) zinc plate and mokuhanga
Ayomi Yoshida - is the daughter of Chizuko and Hodaka Yoshida. She is a visual artist who works in mokuhanga, installations and commercial design. Ayomi’s subject matter is colour, lines, water, and shape. She teaches printmaking and art. You can find more info here.
Spring Rain (2018)
University of Texas at Austin - is a public research university in Austin, Texas, USA. Founded in 1883, the University of Texas at Austin has undergraduate and graduate programs. You can find more information here.
Lee Roy Chesney III (1945-2021) - was a printmaker and professor at the Universitty of Texas at Austin.
William Kelly Fearing (1918-2011) - was an award winning painter, printmaker, and artist who was professor Emiritus at the University of Texas at Austin. His work focused on landscapes, religious imagery, and the human figure.Abstract Figure in Oil (1947) oil on canvas
Ban Hua: Chinese woodblock prints - There is a lot of information regarding Chinese woodblock printing. The history of Chinese woodblock goes back centuries, longer than the Japanese method. Modern Chinese printmaking began after Mao's Cultural Revolution, strongly connected by the writings and work of philosopher, academic, and artist Lu Xun (1881-1936), who established the Modern Woodcut Movement. First, check out the work of the Muban Educational Trust based in England. More info can be found here and here at Artelino; for Lu Xun's history, you can find more information here.
Victoria Falls - is a large waterfall located on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe in South Africa. It is also known as Mosi-oa-Tunya or "The Smoke That Thunders" in the Bantu language of Sotho. The falls are 1,708 meters and 108 meters high.
Wacom -Wacom - is a Japanese company that began in 1983. It produces intuitive touch screen display tablets. It has offices in the US and Europe.
Photoshop - is a raster graphics editor created by Adobe. It allows the user to create and edit images for graphic design, typography, and graphic design.
Akua - are water-based pigments used in intaglio, mokuhanga, and monotype.
Winsor & Newton - is a British artist supply company, started in 1832, which sells artist materials such as pigments, brushes, paper, etc. You can find more info, here.
Guerra & Paint Pigment Corp. - is a brick and mortar store located in Brooklyn, New York that sells artists pigments. More info, here.
Dallas Museum of Art - is an art museum established in 1903 and contains art collections from all over the world and from many periods of history. Some of the collections on the DMA are African, American, Asian, European, Contemporary, and Pre-Columbian/Pacific Rim. More info can be found here.
Impressionism - is an art movement founded by Claude Monet (1840-1926), Edgar Degas (1834-1917) and other artists in France. The movement was from 1874-1886 and focused on suburban leisure outside Paris. The Impressionist movement launched into the public consciousness in 1874 at the Anonymous Society of Sculptors and Painters and Printmakers exhibition. More information about the Impressionist movement can be found here at The Met.
Blanton Museum of Art - founded in 1963 at the University of Texas at Austin. It houses collections of European, modern, contemporary, Latin American, and Western American Art. You can find more information here.
Albrecht Dührer (1471-1528) was a painter and author famous for making detailed devotional works with woodcuts. You can find out more from The Met here for more information about his life and work.
The Great Wave off Kanagawa - is a woodblock print designed by Katsushika Hokusai in 1831. It is very famous.
Pop Wave Orange by Daryl Howard (2021)
Bridge In The Rain (After Hiroshige) - was a painting painted by Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) in the style of woodblock print designer Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858).
baren - is a Japanese word used to describe a flat, round-shaped disc, predominantly used in creating Japanese woodblock prints. It is traditionally made of a cord of various types and a bamboo sheath, although the baren has many variations.
Sharpening brushes on shark skin are traditionally used on mokuhanga brushes that were “sharpened” or softening the brushes bristles rubbing up and down on the shark skin. But today, you can use very fine sandpaper made of silicon carbide (dragon skin). Mokuhanga printmaker John Amoss has a beautiful write-up about using shark skin and its uses here.
Echizen - is a region in Fukui Prefecture, Japan associated with Japanese paper making. It has a long history of paper making. There are many paper artisans in the area. One famous paper maker is Iwano Ichibei. He is a Living National Treasure in paper making, and the ninth generation of his family still making paper today. You can find more information in English, and in Japanese.
kizuki kozo - is a handmade Japanese paper with many uses. Of a moderate weight and cooked with caustic soda. It is widely available.
Shōzaburō Watanabe (1885-1962) - was one of the most important print publishers in Japan in the early 20th Century. His business acumen and desire to preserve the ukiyo-e tradition were incredibly influential for the artists and collectors in Japan and those around the world. Watanabe influenced other publishers, but his work in the genre is unparalleled. The shin-hanga (new print) movement is Watanabe’s, collecting some of the best printers, carvers and designers to work for him. A great article by The Japan Times in 2022 discusses a touring exhibition of Watanabe’s work called Shin Hanga: New Prints of Japan, which can be found here.
Itoya - is a stationary store in the Ginza district of Tōkyō. It has been in business for over 100 years. They have stores in Yokohama, in various malls throughout Japan and at Haneda and Narita airports. More info can be found on their web page (Japanese) and their Instagram.
Bunpodo - is a stationery store located in the Jinbōchō district of Tōkyō. It was established in 1887 and is considered the first art store in Japan. More info here. Matcha Japan has a walkthrough of the store here.
McClains Woodblock Print Supply Co. - based in Portland, Oregon, McClain's is the go-to supplier of woodblock print tools in the United States. Their website can be found here. The Unfinished Print interview with Daniel Jasa of McClain's can be found here.
Wood Like Matsumura - is an online and brick and mortar store, for woodblock printmaking, located in Nerima City, Tōkyō.
Cocker-Weber - is a brush manufacturing company based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It was established in 1892. You can find more information here.
Philadelphia Museum of Art - originating with the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, the PMA has over 200,000 pieces of art and objects and is one of the preeminent museums in the US.
James A Michener (1907-1997) - a Pulitzer Prize winning writer, scholar and academic who wrote on Japanese prints, amongst many more topics.
Mokuhanga Artists Using Laser - many mokuhnaga printmakers today are exploring using laser engraving for their woodblocks rather than hand cutting. Printmakers who use this method are Cal Carlisle, Endi Poskovich, Shinjji Tsuchimochi, and Benjamin Selby. If you know of others, please let me know!
Illustrator - is an Adobe product which creates two-dimensional pieces for artists and illustrators.
James A McGrath - is an educator and artist who served as Director of Arts for American Schools in Europe; he taught design, painting and poetry at the Institute of American Indian Arts and was the Arts and Humanities Coordinator for the US Department of Defence School in Southeast Asia. He also worked on the Hopi Indian Reservation and returned to the Institute of American Indian Art as dean of the college and Museum Director. He is now retired. You can find some of his work and writings here at The Smithsonian.
Hopi Mesa - is the spiritual and physical home of the Hopi tribe in Arizona. It is a group of villages (pueblos) on three mesas. Mesa are flat-topped ridges surrounded by escarpments. More information can be found on Visit Arizona here.
National Endowment For The Arts - was established by the US Congress in 1965 and created to fund arts and education in the United States. You can find more information here.
Dawson’s Springs Museum - is an art museum located in an old bank and was established in 1986 in Dawson’s Springs, Kentucky.
Karoo Desert - is a semi-desert located in South America and distinguished by the Great Karoo and the Little Karoo. A great article about the Karoo Desert by The Guardian can be found, here
Chobe River - also known as the Kwando, is a river which flows from Angola and Namibia. It is known for its wildlife and runs through various National Parks.
Kachina - these are the religious beliefs of the Hopi, Zuni, Hopi-Tewa, and Kerasan. It incorporates the supernatural, dancing, and dolls through Ancestor worship.
bas relief - is a sculptural technique where figures and designs are carved or moulded onto a flat surface, only slightly raised above the background. Bas relief has been used in art and architecture for thousands of years and is found in various cultures, such as the Egyptians, and Assyrians, during The Rennaisance, until today. Bas relief is used today to decorate buildings, monuments, tombs, and decorative objects such as plaques, medals, and coins.
In bas-relief, the figures and designs are typically carved or moulded in shallow relief, with only a few millimetres of depth, creating a subtle, three-dimensional effect that is less dramatic than the more deeply carved high relief. Bas relief can be made from various materials, including stone, wood, metal, and plaster.sepia - is a reddish brown colour. Can be found in various pigments.
Duomo di Firenze - is the Florence Cathedral, finished in the 15th Century, using some of the finest architects from Italy. It is associated with the Italian Renaissance.
Boston Printmakers - is an organization of international printmakers started in 1947. It holds a Biennial every two years. You can find more information here.
The National Gallery of Art - is a free art gallery in Washington D.C. Founded by financier Andrew W. Mellon. The gallery houses more than 150,000 pieces dedicated to education and culture. Construction finished for the West building in 1941. More info can be found here.
© Popular Wheat Productionsopening and closing musical credit - I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good by The Oscar Peterson Trio (1963) on Verve Records.
logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny
Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :)
Слава Українi
If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know.
***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***
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Mokuhanga is a lot of things. It is a meditative process even at its most chaotic. And a lot like meditation, where you need patience, calm, and to breathe, it is a craft that pushes you to be your best.
I speak with mokuhanga printmaker and author Faith Stone on this episode of The Unfinished Print. Faith's current work is to preserve the Buddha woodblock, a once-thriving tradition within mokuhanga, to preserve it for years to come.
Faith speaks with me about her introduction to Tibetan Buddhist Thangka painting, the history of these beautiful images, her process, tools and materials. She also discusses experimentation, her teachers within her life, and what inspiration means to her.
Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at [email protected]
Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.
Artists works follow after the note. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted.
Faith Stone - website, Instagram
Thangka paintings - known as “sacred paintings,” originated from Tibet. They are commissioned for various reasons, some for meditation, prosperity, merit, etc. Depending on the commission, thangka paintings use multiple pigments and imagery. Peaceful or ferocious deities and mandalas can be pictured.
Rudi’s Bakery - established in Boulder, Colorado, in 1976, this once mom-and-pop shop bakery serves organic and gluten-free baked goods around the United States.
Celestial Seasonings - is an American tea company based in Boulder, Colorado. It started in 1969.
Colorado - established by settlers in 1876 but initially inhabited by many Native American peoples, such as the Cheyenne, Pueblo, Ute, Comanche, and Apache. The state is known for the Rocky Mountains and the Colorado Eastern Plains. For more information about Colorado, check out its tourist and visitor info here.
Zoo New England - comprises both the Franklin Park Zoo and the Stone Zoo. Founded in 1912, the FPZ is on 72 acres of land in Franklin Park, Boston. The Stone Zoo is 26 acres near the Spot Pond reservoir and located in Stoneham, Massachusetts, about 12 miles (19km) away from each other. More info found here.
Albert Rudolph (Swami Rudrinanda) [1928-1973] - was a spiritual teacher and yogi originallty from New York City.Pointillism - is a technique in painting conceived by Georges Paul Seurat (1859-1891) and Paul Signac (1863-1935), where small compounded dabs of colour create an image. More info from Sotheby's, here.
Paul Signac - Portrait Of Félix Fénéon 1890, oil on canvas
Shiva - is one of the principal deities of Hinduism, which creates, protects, and transforms the universe. More info can be found here.
Ganesh - in Hinduism, Ganesh is one of Shiva’s offspring. Ganesh is a benevolent deity said to remove obstacles in your life, both spiritually and materially. More info can be found, here.
Durga - is, in Hinduism, the mother protector of the universe and a warrior goddess. Depicted with eight hands in the form of a mudra, Durga holds eight weapons. More info can be found, here.
Waves On The Turquoise Lake - was an art exhibition at The University of Colorado at the Boulder Art Museum in 2006. It exhibited Tibetan artists from Tibet and in exile from around the world.
Karma Phuntsok - is a contemporary Tibetan artist who lives and works in Australia. His work is his take on Buddhist art and history. More info can be found on his website, here.
Van Buddha - painting
El Dorado Canyon State Park - was established in 1978 and is located near Boulder, Colorado. It is 885 acres known for hiking, rock climbing, and mountain biking.
Tara - is one of the most powerful deities in the Buddhist pantheon. Some Buddhist traditions see her as a guide, as a bodhisattva, or as a philosophy of living. Find more info, here.
Faith Stone - 22" x 28"
Mount Wai’ale’ale - is a volcano on the island of Kaua’i, Hawai’i. The mountain is 5,148 ft. It is one of the rainiest on the planet, with 460 inches of rain annually.
Shakti - has many meanings, such as goddess energy, death and life, and the natural elements of the universe. The Aisa Society has an excellent article for a detailed description of Shakti, here.
Rama - is an important deity in Hinduism, and is the seventh avatar of Vishnu.
Shoichi Kitamura - is a woodblock carver and printmaker and has been involved in MI Lab through demonstrations. More info can be found, here.
Kyoto Senbon Torii (2021)
Hiroki Morinoue - is a mokuhanga printmaker and artist living in Holualoa, Big Island, Hawai’i. He is a co-founding member of the Holualoa Foundation For Arts & Culture, the establishment of the Donkey Mill Art Center and Studio 7 Fine Arts.
Iceberg Cube (2016)
Anderson Ranch Arts Center - located in Snowmass, Colorado- was established in 1966 by Paul Solder, who worked in Japanese ceramics called raku. Today it is an international Arts Center with artist-in-residence programs, visiting artists, a print shop, wood turning, master classes and more. Information can be found here.
Information can be found, here.Gotō Hidehiko (b.1953) - is a mokuhanga printmaker and tool maker based in Japan. He makes and teaches seminars about the construction of the mokuhanga tool, the baren.
Stone Window -20-3/4" x 17"
April Vollmer - is an established artist who works predominantly in mokuhanga. Her book Japanese Woodblock Print Workshop is one of the most authoritative books on the subject and has influenced many mokuhanga artists.
Dark Light (2015) 16.5" x 13.5"
MI Lab - is a mokuhanga residency located in Kawaguchi-ko, near Mount Fuji. More info can be found, here.Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design - located in Denver, Colorado and was founded by Philip J. Steele in 1963. It is an art school with many different programs and subjects in the arts. You can find more information here.
Mayumi Oda - is a Buddhist teacher and artist who works and lives in Hawai’i. Her work has travelled the world. Mayumi is also an environmental activist and continues to live and work at Ginger Hill Farm, an eco-retreat on the Big Island of Hawai’i. More information about Mayumi Oda’s work can be found here.
Storyville II - silkscreen, 24.6" x 33.9"
Jing Jing Tsong - is an American illustrator of books. She is also a printmaker in lithography and monoprints. You can find her work on her website, here.
Munakata Shikō (志功棟方) - (1903-1975) arguably one of the most famous modern printmakers; Shikō is renowned for his prints of women, animals, the supernatural and Buddhist deities. He made his prints with an esoteric fervour where his philosophies about mokuhanga were just as interesting as his print work.
Hanami no Saku (Tanizaki Utauta Nangasaku - 1956)
Bodhisattva - a person who has achieved enlightenment through spiritual practice, whether meditation or through good deeds. The word "bodhisattva" can are found in Indian Buddhism and its associated traditions, as representing the Buddha and his transformations. In the Mahanaya tradition of Buddhism, a bodhisattva desires enlightenment as a buddha.
kozo paper - is paper made from mulberry bark and is commonly used in woodblock printmaking.
Manjushuri - is the bodhisattva of wisom and is associated with the Mahayana tradition of Buddhism. Faith Stone - 22" x 28" Vajrakilaya - is a wrathful deity in Tibetan Buddhism who embodies the enlightenment of all Buddhas. Commonly described as a deity with three faces, all with a crown of skulls, with six arms carrying various ritual implements in Tibetan Buddhism.Cow Rinpoche - is a painting by Karma Phutsok. This particular series of paintings shows animals in exhalted positions on a lotus. They are depicted like a traditional thangka painting.
Dakini As Art - is an online art gallery which sells and distributes Buddhist art throughout the world. More info can be found on their website, here.
Lakshmi - is a goddess in the Hindu pantheon of deities and is the goddess of wealth and prosperity, sitting on the lotus throne.
Kehinde Wiley - is a portrait artist based in New York City. His work focuses on fusing the past and the present while creating a dialgoue about power, gender, race and reimagining the past. More information can be found on his website here.
Portrait Of A Young Gentleman (2021) oil on linen and canvas
LaToya Hobbs - is a painter and printmaker based in Baltimore, Maryland. She explores relief printmaking and painting together in her works. Her topics deal with the Black female body and stereotypes. More information can be found on LaToya’s website here.
Nina's Gaze - relief, ink and acrylic on wood (2019) 20" x 16"
hangintō sizes - the hangitō is a stylized Japanese mokuhanga tool. It is the primary tool in mokuhanga and is used in cutting lines and for colour blocks. It comes in various sizes depending on your ability and the technique. The lower number on the handle signifies the blade's thinness, therefore, the experience of the carver.
kentō - is the registration system used by printmakers in order to line up the colour woodblocks with your key block, or outline block, carved first.
McClains Woodblock Print Supply Co. - based in Portland, Oregon, McClain's is the go-to supplier of woodblock print tools in the United States. Their website can be found here. The Unfinished Print interview with Daniel Jasa of McClain’s can be found here.
floating kentō - is a removable registration system attached to the block when printing. As the kentō isn't affixed to the block, blotting and immaculate borders are positives of this registration method. It is an "L" shape.
baren - is a Japanese word to describe a flat, round-shaped disc, predominantly used in creating Japanese woodblock prints. It is traditionally made of a cord of various types and a bamboo sheath, although baren have many variations.
urauchi - is a way of backing Japanese washi paper to the back of works on paper. This process is used in bookbinding, scrolls and can be used in mokuhanga.
Ozu Washi - is a paper store located in the Nihonbashi district of Tokyo. website, Instagram
alum -is a binder used in paper mounting, fabric dyeing, household items such as fire extinguishers, and baking powder. It is also used in size for washi to hold pigments better in your works.
Tetsuo Sayama - was an instructor at MI Lab until his passing in 2019. He worked closely with students, was a scholar of Japanese printmaking history, and left an impression on many who got to know him. Washi Arts is an online brick-and-mortar paper store in Blaine, Washington, USA. They sell Japanese papers for crafts, bookbinding, mokuhanga, and other artistic media. More info can be found on their website here. Shin-Torinoko paper - is a mass produced, machine made Japanese paper that is relatively inexpensive. It comes in various weights and colours. More info can be found, here. kitakata - is a specific type of washi made of Philippine gampi, and sulphite pulp. For bookbinding, and mokuhanga and other types of printmaking. More info, here. Saraswati - is the Hindu goddess of knowldedge and dispells ignorance.
monoprint - is a type of relief print which uses metal or glass, even wood. The final outcome is one good print. Grumbacher - is an art supply company started by Max Grumbacher in 1905 in New York City. It is now owned and operated by Chartpak Inc. More info, here. Winsor & Newton - is a British artist supply company, started in 1832, which sells artist materials such as pigments, brushes, paper, etc. More info can be found, here. M. Graham & Co. - is a company founded in the late 1990’s which provides many different types of pigments for all kinds of artists. More info can be found, here. Da Vinci Paint Co. - was founded in 1975 in Orange County, California. They make an assortment of watercolours, oils, heavy-body and fluid acryl, and gouache. More info here. Tōsai Pigment Paste - is a brand of pigments manufactured by Holbein, Japan. They were conceived by mokuhanga printmaker Richard Steiner. Tōsai is the name given to Richard by his teacher. Richard's invteriew with The Unfinished Print can be found, here. Roslyn Kean - is an Australian printmaker who makes her ball bearing baren called the Kean Ball Bearing Baren. The KBB baren comes in two sizes and are lighter than the yuki baren or other ball-bearing barens. Roslyn's baren are made of high-grade plastic. For more information about Roslyn, her work, and baren can be found, here. Defining The Edge 1 - 70 x 50 cm sumi - is a rich black stick or liquid used by artists, calligraphers, and traditional Japanese horimono tattoo artists. Sumi is made from the soot of burnt lamp oil. Sumi is used predominantly in key blocks in traditional mokuhanga and to mix pigments. Pigment Tōkyō conducts a great interview with their chief of pigments, Kei Iwaizumi, about sumi ink, here. tapa cloth - is a designed barkcloth found throughout the islands of the South Pacific, French Polynesia, New Zealand, and Hawai’i, where it is called kapa. Kapa is made slightly differently than tapa; different shapes are used for a more robust design. Japanese book-binding - in Japan, the binding of books began with scroll books based on the Chinese method. Other binding methods evolved, such as flutter books (sempūyō) and butterfly books (detchōsō). By the Edo Period (1603-1868) and with the relative peace of the period, washi paper was produced steadily, creating a demand for books. Tale of Genji and Tales of Ise were published in this form for the first time. * shallow carving - is a way to add dimension and texture to a woodblock. Various sizes of u gouges work well. It can make beautiful shades of colour within your work. Maile Andrade - is a mixed media artist who has focused on the Hawai’ian kapa process of weaving mentioned above. Kapa, made with mulberry bark, was used for clothing and blankets in Hawai’i. Maile uses kapa in various ways in her 2019 exhibit at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, here Moana (Ocean) - 30.4 x 30.4 cm mokuhanga brushes - come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Smaller brushes (surikomebake) have long handles and are numbered regarding bristle size, and are used for various sizes of colour blocks. Flat back brushes (marubake), are like a shoe brush and are for wider areas for printing. They also come in various numbered sizes. Brushes are traditionally made of horsehair from the horse's tail, although the smaller surikomebake are made of deer hair. You can find mokuhanga brushes most anywhere today such as McClains, Terry McKenna, Michihamono, Jackson’s Art Supplies, and many other places.
sharpening stones - these stones come in a variety of grits, colours, and sizes. Some stones are natural or composite. They vary in price from the ridiculously expensive to the more affordable. Generally, for your mokuhanga you will need a 1000-grit stone to start, and in time you can explore various other methods of sharpening your tools. An excellent video to begin with is Terry McKenna’s video on sharpening here. Karma & Faith: The Artwork of Karma Phuntok and Faith Stone - is the self published book made for their Denver exhibition in 2019. Tassajara Zen Center - is a Buddhist monastary and zen center located in San Fransisco. They have published cookbooks since the 1970’s. Tibet House - is a not-for-profit cultural preservation society to preserve Tibetan culture worldwide. There are many Tibet House offices and buildings around the globe. More information can be found at Tibet House US here. John Lewis - played a large part in many important events in the civil rights movements of the 1960s in the United States. Was one of the founding members of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in 1960-1971. More information about John Lewis and his essential work can be found here at Stanford University: The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute. Kannon - is the deity of compassion in Buddhism. Kannon Reigen Ki - Ima Kumano Temple from the series The Miracles of Kannon by Utagawa Hiroshige II (1829-1869) 9.6" x 14" Shoshoni Yoga Retreat - is a yoga retreat in Rollinsville, Colorado. The retreats are much like an ashram experience, with meditation, yoga, meals and selfless service. Find more info here. * Ikegami, Kojiro, and Barbara B. Stephan. Japanese Book Binding: Instructions from a Master Craftsman. New York etc.: Weatherhill, 1990. © Popular Wheat Productionsopening and closing musical credit - Dropkick Murphy's, Where Trouble Is At. From the album, This Machine Still Kills Fascists (2021) on Dummy Luck Music.
logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny
Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :)
Слава Українi
If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know.
***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***
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The history of mokuhanga in Canada is small, yet strong. There are Canadian mokuhanga printmakers who have helped grow the art form in Canada and throughout the world, such as Walter J. Phillips (1884-1963), David Bull, Elizabeth Forrest, Barbara Wybou, to name but a few. But what if there was a tradition of printmaking you could never think have a connection with Japanese mokuhanga, thriving and growing in the Canadian Arctic?
Norman Vorano is the Associate Professor of Art History and Head of the Department of Art History and Conservation at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. In 2011 Norman published a book, with essays by Asato Ikeda, and Ming Tiampo, Inuit Prints: Japanese Inspiration.
This book opened me to the world of how various print traditions, so far away from each other, could influence one another. In this case, the Inuit of the Canadian Arctic in what is now known as Kinngait, have built one of the most thriving and economically sustainable print traditions in the world. But what I didn't know is that mokuhanga and the Japanese print tradition had a huge part to play in their early success.
I speak with Professor Norman Vorano about Inuit history and culture, how the Inuit print tradition began, how an artist from Toronto made his way to the Arctic, then to Japan, then back to the arctic, changing everything. Norman also speaks on how the work of sōsaku hanga printmaker U'nichi Hiratsuka influenced the early Inuit printmakers, and we discuss tools, pigments, and the globalization of art.
Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at [email protected]
Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.
Artists works follow after the note. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted.
Norman Vorano PhD - is Associate Professor of Art History and Head of the Department of Art History and Conservation at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. For more information about Inuit printmaking and their association with mokuhanga you can get Norman's book, Inuit Prints: Japanese Inspiration (2011). For additonal information about Inuit printmaking and mokuhanga, Norman lectured on the subject for The Japan Foundation Toronto in 2022. The online lecture can be found, here.
A few topics that Norman and I really didn't have a chance to explore, but alluded too, was process. As wood is scarce in the Arctic, stone carving (soapstone), and linocuts are and were used. Also there is a chain within Inuit printmaking much like the hanmoto system of mokuhanga in Japan, where the Print Studio chooses images drawn by others in the community and those images are carved and printed by carvers and printers associated with the Print Studio in the Kenojuak Cultural Center in Kinngait, and then sold to the public.
Queens University at Kingston - is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. What began as a school for the Church of Scotland in 1841 has developed into a multi faculty university. More info can be found on their website, here.
Canadian Museum of History - one of Canada’s oldest museums the CMH focuses on Canadian and world history, ethnology, and archeology. The museum is located in Gatineau, Québec, Canada. More info can be found on their website, here.
The Eastern Arctic of Canada - is a portion of the Arctic archipelago, a chain of islands (2,400 km or 1,500 mi) and parts of Québec and Labrador, located throughout the northern portion of the country of Canada. The Eastern portion discsussed in the episode is comprised of Baffin Island (Qikiqtaaluk - ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓗᒃ), and Kinngait (Cape Dorset).
Kinngait (ᑭᙵᐃᑦ) - is located on Dorset Island at the southern part of Baffin Island in the territory of Nunavut, Canada. It was called Cape Dorset until 2020, when it was renamed “high mountain” in the Inuktitut language.
Distant Early Warning Line (DEW)- was a radar system located in the Arctic regions in Canada, the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Iceland. Its purpose was to help detect any aggression, militarily, from the then Soviet Union. This system was overseen by the Royal Canadian Air Force and the United States Air Force. It ceased activity in 1993.
The Canadian Guild of Crafts - also known as La Guilde, was established in 1906 in Montréal, Quebec, Canada. It has focused its work on preserving First Nations crafts and arts. It began working with James Houston (1921-2005) in 1948, having the first Inuit exhibition in 1949 showcasing Inuit carving and other crafts. It exists and works today. More information can be found, here.
James Archibald Houston - was a Canadian artist who worked and lived in Kinngait (Cape Dorset) until 1962. He worked with La Guilde and the Hudson’s Bay Company, bringing Inuit arts and crafts to an international community starting in 1948 through to the Cape Dorset co-operative of the 1950’s. His work in helping to make Inuit art more commerical for the Inuit people has been documented in Norman Vorano’s book, Inuit Prints: Japanese Inspiration (2011), as well as several articles from La Guilde, which can be found, here.
Drum Dancer (1955) - chalk on paper
West Baffin Eskimo Co-Operative - is the co-operative on Kinngait (Cape Dorset) established in 1959 and created by the Department of Natural Resources and Northern Development represented by Don Snowden and Alexander Sprudz, with James Houston. It focuses on drawings, prints, and carvings. More info can be found on their website, here.
The Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development - in 2019 it was replaced by the Department of Indigenous Services Canada. The ISC is a government department whose responsibility is to colaborate and have an open dialogue with First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada.
Terry Ryan (1933-2017) - was an artist and the arts director of the West Baffin Eskimo Co-Op in 1960 and General Manager in 1962. His work with the Cape Dorset Print Studio, bringing artists from all over Canada, helped to push the studio’s work throughout the world. There is a fine Globe and Mail article about Terry Ryan's life and accomplishments, which can be found here.
Kenojuak Cultural Center - is located in Kinngait, and was opened in 2018 with a space of 10,440 sq ft. The KCC is a community center and space for sharing. It has a large printmaking studio, meeting spaces and exhibition spaces for work as well as a permanent gallery. It is associated with the West Baffin Eskimo Co-Operative.Early Inuit Art - for more information regarding early Inuit art on record, from first European contact, La Guilde discusse this very topic in their article Going North: A Beautiful Endeavor, here.
Grand-Mère, Québec - is a city in the province of Québec in Canada. Located in the region of Maricie, with a population of around 14,000. It was founded in 1898 and is made famous for the rock formation which shares its name. Grand Mère means ‘grandmother.’ It is known for hunting and fishing tourism.
The Group of Seven - were a group of landscape painters from Canada. The artists were, Franklin Carmichael (1890–1945), Lawren Harris (1885–1970), A.Y. Jackson 1882–1974), Frank Johnston (1888–1949), Arthur Lismer (1885–1969), J.E.H MacDonald (1873–1932), and Frederick Varley (1881–1969). Later, A.J. Casson (1898–1992) was invited to join in 1926, Edwin Holdgate (1892–1977) became a member in 1930, and LeMoine FitzGerald (1890–1956) joined in 1932. While Tom Thomspon (1877–1917), and Emily Carr (1871–1945) were not "official" members it is generally accepted that they were a part of the group because of their individual relationships with the other member of the group. More info can be found, here. A fine article on the CBC by Cree writer Matteo Cimellaro, discusses the role The Group of Seven played in Canadian nationalism and the exclusion of First Nation's voices in their work. This can be found, here. Tom Thompson - The Jack Pine (1916-1917) Moosonee, Ontario - is a town located in Northern Ontario, Canada. It was first settled in 1903, and is located on the Moose River. It’s history was of trapping, and is a gateway to the Arctic. English and Cree is spoken. Moose Factory, Ontario - is a town first settled in 1673, and was the first English speaking town in Ontario. Much like Moosonee, Moose Factory has a history of fur trading, in this case by the Hudsons Bay Company. Like Moosonee there is a tourist industry based on hunting and fishing. The population is predominantly Cree. Cree (ᓀᐦᐃᓇᐤ) - are a Canadian First Nation's people who have lived on the land for centuries. Their people are divided into eight groups through region and dialect of language: Attikamekw James Bay Cree Moose Cree Swampy Cree Woods Cree Plains Cree Naskapi and Montagnais (Innu) For more information regarding history, tradition of the Cree people of today, Heritage Centre: Cree Nations, and the Cree Nation Government website can get you started. John Buchan (Lord Tweedsmuire, 1875-1940) - was the 15th Governor General of Canada serving from 1935-1940 (his death). He was born in Scotland, but committed himself to Canada when taking to his position as Governor General. He was also a writer of almost 30 novels. sōsaku-hanga - or creative prints, is a style of printmaking which is predominantly, although not exclusively, prints made by one person. It started in the early twentieth century in Japan, in the same period as the shin-hanga movement. The artist designs, carves, and prints their own works. The designs, especially in the early days, may seem rudimentary but the creation of self-made prints was a breakthrough for printmakers moving away from where only a select group of carvers, printers and publishers created woodblock prints. Un'ichi Hiratsuka (平塚 運一) - (1895-1977) - was one of the important players of the sōsaku hanga movement in mokuhanga. Hiratsuka was a proponent of self carved and self printed mokuhanga, and taught one of the most famous sōsaku hanga printmakers in Shikō Munakata (1903-1975). He founded the Yoyogi Group of artists and also taught mokuhanga at the Tōkyō School of Fine Arts. Hiratsuka moved to Washington D.C in 1962 where he lived for over thirty years. His mokuhanga was multi colour and monochrome touching on various subjects and is highly collected today. Mara Cape, Izu (1929) Munakata Shikō (志功棟方) - (1903-1975) arguably one of the most famous modern printmakers, Shikō is famous for his prints of women, animals, the supernatural and Buddhist deities. He made his prints with an esoteric fervour where his philosophies about mokuhanga were just as interesting as his print work. Castle ca 1960's Venice Bienale - is a contemporary art exhibition that takes place in Venice, Italy and which explores various genres of art, architecture, dance, cinema and theatre. It began in 1895. More info, here. Sao Paolo Biennal - is held in Sao Paolo, Brazil and is the second oldest art bienale in the world. The Sao Paulo Biennal began in 1951. It’s focus is on international artists and Brazilian artists. More info can be found, here. German Expressionism - was produced from the early twentieth century to the 1930's and focused on emotional expression rather than realistic expression. German Expressionists explored their works with colour and shape searching for a “primitive aesthetic” through experimentation. More info can be found, here, on Artsy.netVasily Kandinsky (1866-1944) : Poster for the First Exhibition of The Phalanx, lithograph 1901.
Yanagi Sōetsu (1889-1961) - was an art critic, and art philosopher in Japan, who began writing and lecturing in the 1920’s. In 1925 he coined the term mingei (rural crafts), which he believed represented the “functional beauty” and traditional soul of Japan. While on paper an anti-fascist, Yanagi’s early views on the relationship of art and people, focusing on the group and not the individual, going back to a Japanese aesthetic; veering away from Western modernity, was used by Japanese fascists leading up to and during the Pacific War (1941-1945). For more information about Yanagi and the mingei movement in Japan during war time check out The Culture of Japanese Fascism, Alan Tasman ed. (2009)
mingei movement - began with the work of Yanagi Sōetsu in the 1920’s. The movement wanted to return to a Japanese aesthetic which honoured the past and preserved the idea of the “everyday craftsman,” someone who went away from industrialization and modernity, and fine art by professional artists. It was heavily influenced by the European Arts and Crafts Movement (1880-1920) as conceived by Augustus Pugin (1812-1852), John Ruskin (1819-1900), and William Morris (1834-1896). Oliver Statler (1915-2002) - was an American author and scholar and collector of mokuhanga. He had been a soldier in World War 2, having been stationed in Japan. After his time in the war Statler moved back to Japan where he wrote about Japanese prints. His interests were of many facets of Japanese culture such as accommodation, and the 88 Temple Pilgrimage of Shikoku. Oliver Statler, in my opinion, wrote one of the most important books on the sōsaku-hanga movement, “Modern Japanese Prints: An Art Reborn.” Stuben Glass Works - is a manufacturer of glass works, founded in 1903 in New York City. It is known for its high quality glass production working with talented glass designers. Ainu - are a First Nations peoples with a history to Japan going back centuries. They traditionally live in the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido as well as the northern prefectures of Honshū. There are approximately 24,000 Ainu in Japan. Made famous for the face, hand and wrist tattooing of Ainu women, as well as animist practices, the Ainu are a distinct culture from the Japanese. There has been some attempts by the Japanese goverment to preserve Ainu heritage and language but the Ainu people are still treated as second class citizens without the same rights and prvileges of most Japanese. More information about the Ainu can be found at the World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous People, here. baren - is a Japanese word to describe the flat, round shaped disc which is predominantly used in the creation of Japanese woodblock prints. It is traditionally made of cord of various types, and a bamboo sheath, although baren come in many variations. Keisuke Serizawa (1895-1984) - was a textile designer who was a Living National Treaure in Japan. He had a part in the mingei movement where he studied Okinawan bingata fabric stencil dying techniques. He also used katazome stencil dying technqiues on paper in the calendars he made, beginning in 1946. Happiness - date unknown: it is an ita-e (板絵) work, meaning a work painted on a piece of wood, canvas, metal etc. National Museum of Ethnology (Minpaku) - is a research institute and public museum located on the old Expo ’70 grounds in the city of Suita, Osaka Prefecture. It provides a graduate program for national and international students, doctorate courses, as well as various exhibitions. More information can be found on their website, here. Prince Takamado Gallery - is a gallery located in the Canadian Embassy in Tōkyō. It has a revolving exhibition schedule. It is named after Prince Takamado (1954-2002), the third son of Prince Mikasa Takahito (1916-2016). More info can be found, here. Carlton University - is a public resesarch university located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 1942 in order to provide a serivce for returning World War II veterans. More information about the university can be found, here. Kenojuak Ashavak (1927-2013) - was an Inuit graphic designer and artist born in Ikirisaq, Baffin Island. She moved to Kinngait (Cape Dorset) in 1966. Kanojuak Ashavek has made some of the most iconic imagery of Inuit art in Canadian history. One of her images, The Enchanted Owl was the subject of a TV Ontario short from TVO Today, and can be found here. The famous National Film Board of Canada documentary (1963) about her and her work can be found, here. Luminous Char, stonecut and stencil, 2008. © Dorset Fine Arts Inuit Prints: Japanese Inspiration - was an Inuit print exhibtion at the Prince Takamado Gallery held at the Canadian Embassy in Tōkyō in 2011. It later toured across Canada. Osaki washi - is a paper making family located in Kōchi, Japan. His paper has been provided to Inut printmakers for many years. The print by Kenojuak Ashavak, and printed by Qiatsuq Niviaksi, was the one aluded to in Norman’s interview as hanging on the washi makers wall. Norman discusses, near the end of the interview, about how Inuit leaders were stripped of their power. The Canadian government instituted more policing in post war Canada, especially during the Cold War. The RCMP and other government officials used colonial practices such as policing, culturally and criminally, to impose Canadian practices from the South onto the Inuit. Pitaloosie Saila - Undersea Illusion, lithograph 2012 Lukta Qiatsuk (1928-2004)Owl - Stonecut print on paper, 1959. Canadian Museum of History Collection, © Dorset Fine Arts.
Kananginak Pootoogook (1935-2010) Evening Shadow: stone cut and stencil, 2010 © Dorset Fine Arts Eegyvudluk Pootoogook (1931-1999) Eegyvudluk Pootoogook w/ Iyola Kingwatsiaq , 1960, photo by Rosemary Gilliat Eaton, Library and Canadian Archives. Our First Wooden Home: lithograph, 1979. Osuitok Ipeelee (1922-2005) Eskimo Legend: Owl, Fox, and Hare - stencil print, 1959 Canadian Museum of History Collection © Dorset Fine Arts. Iyola Kingwatsiak (1933-2000) Circle of Birds: stencil on paper, 1965 © Popular Wheat Productionsopening and closing musical credit - From Professor Henry D. Smith II, lecture entitled, The Death of Ukiyo-e and the Mid-Meiji Birth of International Mokuhanga, as told at the 4th International Mokuhanga Conference in Nara in November, 2021.
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Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :)
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***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***
All photos of Inuit artists and works of Inuit artists have been either provided by Norman Vorano, or have been sourced from elsewhere. These are used for educational purposes only. Any issues please reach out. -
Within the framework of mokuhanga, you have the freedom to go anywhere, try anything and explore so many places with your own work. The skies the limit. Whether through colour, shapes, size, or technique, you are able to explore as far as you want.
On this episode of the Unfinished Print, I speak with mokuhanga printmaker, teacher and artist Kate MacDonagh. Based in Dublin, Kate's mokuhanga live in the ethereal, through colour and shape, making abstract work which engages and attracts.
Kate speaks to me about her artistic background, gallery experience, teaching and the adaptation of mokuhanga. We discuss the mokuhanga aesthetic, bad days and believing in yourself, local shopping for your materials, abstraction and colour, the spiritual realm, and residencies and travel.
Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at [email protected]
Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.
Artists works follow after the note. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted.
Kate MacDonagh - website, Instagram
Cadence - diptych
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston - is an art museum located in Boston, Massachusetts, USA and was founded in 1870. With over 450,000 works in the museum, the MFA is one of the most distinguished museums in the world. In regards to mokuhanga, the MFA has had a long relationship with the Japanese woodblock print starting from the late 19th century. It was the first museum in the US to develop a Japanese art collection, and with the help of major donations the MFA developed one of the most important Japanese print collections in the world. More information about the museum can be found, here. Information regarding their Japanese collection can be found, here. To browse some of their digitized collection, here.
ukiyo-e - is a multi colour woodblock print generally associated with the Edo Period (1603-1867) of Japan. What began in the 17th Century as prints of only a few colours, evolved into an elaborate system of production and technique into the Meiji Period (1868-1912). With the advent of photography and other forms of printmaking, ukiyo-e as we know it today, ceased production by the late 19th Century.
The National Print Museum - one of a kind in Ireland, is a print museum located in Dublin. It was founded in 1996 and is a registered charity focusing on education. More info about the museum can be found, here.
Debra Bowden - is a mokuhanga printmaker, bookbinder, and artist based in Thomastown (Grennan), Ireland. She conducts mokuhanga workshops in and around Ireland. About all I could find of her is through Facebook, although that hasn't been updated since 2018. Her website doesn't seem to exist any longer. You can find her Facebook page, here. Tangent Script I Nagasawa Art Park (MI Lab) Awaji City - Nagasawa Art Park was an artist-in-residence program located in Awaji City, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. It was open for 12 years before evolving into MI Lab in 2012. More info, here. Robert Blackburn (1920-2003) - was an African American printmaker based in New York City. His lithogrpahy work represented his life experiences, being influenced by the Harlem Renaissance, and American society at large. His studio and his workshop in Chelsea attracted artists from around the world. More information about Robert Blackburn, his life and work can be found here from the Smithsonian, and here, from The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts where the Robert Blackwell Printmaking Workshop Program continues today. Color Symphony (1960) - lithograph The Kentler International Drawing Space - is an art gallery located in Red Hook, Brooklyn, New York. It has hosted several mokuhanga centred exhibitions. The most recent was Between Worlds as hosted by The Mokuhanga Sisters, from July 17 - July 31, 2022. More info, here. Keiko Kadota (1942-2017) - was the director of Nagasawa Art Park at Awaji City from 1997-2011, and then of MI Lab at Lake Kawaguchi from 2011 until her passing. MI Lab - is a mokuhanga residency located in Kawaguchi-ko, near Mount Fuji. More info can be found, here.Graphic Studio, Dublin - is a printmakers studio located in Dublin, Ireland. The studio was established in 1960 as a space for printmakers to share ideas and their works. The gallery was established in 1980 as Dublin’s first fine art gallery. It is a space where printmakers are able to work in a subsidized environment with the freedom to create work. Kate has been on the Board of Directors since 2019. More info about the Graphic Studio can be found, here.
gomazuri - is a mokuhanga technique where slight pressure is used with pigments too make a “spotty” image, what look like sesame seeds. It can add depth to your prints.
sōsaku-hanga - or creative prints, is a style of printmaking which is predominantly, although not exclusively, prints made by one person. It started in the early twentieth century in Japan, in the same period as the shin-hanga movement. The artist designs, carves, and prints their own works. The designs, especially in the early days, may seem rudimentary but the creation of self-made prints was a breakthrough for printmakers moving away from where only a select group of carvers, printers and publishers created woodblock prints.
kizuki kozo - is a handmade Japanese paper with many uses. Of a moderate weight and cooked with caustic soda. It’s widely available.
Ozu Washi - is a paper store located in the Nihonbashi district of Tokyo. website, Instagram
Chester Beatty Museum - is a museum and library founded by the American-British philanthropist Sir Alfred Chester Beatty (1875-1968). He was made an honourary citizen of Ireland in 1957. The museum is located in Dublin Castle. More info can be found, here.
Rebecca Salter - is the President of The Royal Academy of Arts, in London, England. She is also an artist who has written two books about Japanese woodblock printing, Japanese Woodblock Printing (2001), and Japanese Popular Prints (2006). She worked with the Satō Woodblock Print Workshop, documenting their process. Her interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here.
2017-12 (mixed media on paper 20 ½ x 20 ½ ins) [2017]
shina - is a type of Japanese plywood used in mokuhanga. Not all shina is made equally, buyer beware.
Lucy May Schofield - is a printmaker, photographer, and scroll maker (kakemono, 掛物) and is based in England. website, Instagram. Lucy's interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here.
The Blue Between Us
The Mokuhanga Sisters - are a mokuhanga collective consisting of Yoonmi Nam, Mariko Jesse, Lucy May Schofield, Melissa Schulenberg, Kate MacDonagh, Katie Baldwin, Mia-O, Patty Hudak, and Natasha Norman. Instagram
Yoonmi Nam (b. 1974) - is a contemporary mokuhanga printmaker, lithographer, sculptor, and teacher, based in Lawrence, Kansas. Her work can be found, here. Her interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here.
Book of Bamboo (2020 - 8 3/5 × 12 1/5 in | 21.8 × 31 cm)
Melissa Schulenberg - is a woodblock printmaker and professor of Art and Art History at St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY. Some of her work can be found on her website, here.
Stumps (reduction) 23.6 x 16 in
Katie Baldwin - is a contemporary mokuhanga printmaker, illustrator, book maker, and artist based in Huntsville, Alabama. Her work can be found, here. Her interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here.
Outside (2012 - woodblock and letterpress)
Between Worlds - was a mokuhanga specific show hosted by the Kentler International Drawing Space from July 17 - July 31, 2022.
bokashi - is a Japanese term associated with the gradation of water into ink. There are several types of bokashi. For more information regarding these types of bokashi please check out Professor Claire Cuccio's lecture called “A Story in Layers,” for the Library of Congress, and the book Japanese Printmaking by Tōshi Yoshida, and Rei Yuki. Below are the following types of bokashi. This is from the Yoshida book:
ichimonji bokashi - straight line gradation
ichimonji mura bokashi - straight line gradation with an uneven edg.
Ō-bokashi - a gradual shading over a wide area
atenashi bokashi - gradation without definition
futairo bokashi - two tone gradation
Northumberland, Britain - is a county located in the northernmost area of Britain. It shares a border with Scotland. It is known for its nature, industry, castles, and history. More info, here.
Centre Culturel Irelandais - is located in Paris, France. It is a cultural center for Irish culture and events in France. There are artist in residence programs, exhibtions, concerts and more. For information regarding the CCI in Paris, here.
Georges Seurat (1859-1891) - was one of the pioneers of Neo Impressionism, a term coined by art critic Félix Fénéon (1861-1944). Seurat used Pointillism, where different colours are dabbed on various areas of the canvas and it is through the eyes that colour blends together. Through these new ideas, as well as the concept of Divisionism, the Neo Impressionists created a new way of seeing the canvas. Deeply rooted in the “science” of painting, Seurat attempted successfully to blend the past and his present through painting, during his short life.
The Harbour of Honfleur (1886) oil on canvas
Musée d'Orsay - located in Paris, France the Musée d’Orsay is an art museum established in 1986. Mostly holding and exhibiting French art from the years 1848-1914, the MO conatins many Impressionist and Post Impressionsit paintings and works. More info can be found, here.
Sligo, Ireland - is a town with a population of 19,199, located in County Sligo, in the province of Connacht in Ireland. it is the final resting place of poet YB Yeats (1865-1939) More info can be found, here.
nori - is a type of paste made from starch. It is used when making mokuhanga. You can make nori from any type of material made from starch. For instance, paste can be made with tapioca, rice, corn, even potato. You can purchase nori pretty much anywhere but making it is more environmentally friendly. Laura Boswell has a great recipe, here.
mokuhanga in the 1950’s and 1960’s - Japanese woodblock printmaking became quite popular after World War II. With Japan growing exponentially post war, through industry and art, the independent philosphy that the West perpetuated began to filter into the Jpaanese art world. Sōsaku hanga became increadingly popular where there is only one carver, printer and draughtsman. These prints touched on various themes, but especially in the abstract. Artists such as Shigeru Hatsuyama (1897-1973), and Kiyoshi Saitō (1907-1997) spring to mind, who created a new kind of mokuhanga by using various techniques, colours, and sizes that were unique and expressive. Oliver Statler’s book, written in 1956, Modern Japanese Prints : An Art Reborn, was published because the art form was growing so quickly. It is a great summary on the sōsaku hanga movement during that time. Nymphs (Birds and Flowers) by Shigeru Hatsuyama House in Aizu (1972) by Kiyoshi Saitō hangitō - a Japanese carving knife which is primarily used for mokuhanga and comes in a variety of blade sizes. McClains has a varied assortment, here. kentō - is the registration system used by printmakers in order to line up the colour woodblocks with your key block, or outline block, carved first. nikawa - this definition from the Yamatane Museum of Art in Tōkyō is the perfect definition of nikawa, better than I could ever write. I've included it here, verbatim, describing how nikawa is used in nihon-ga painting,A gelatin made by boiling and extracting protein from skins and bones of animals and fish, it has long been used as an adhesive. Since the pigments used in nihonga have no adhesive strength, the use of nikawa is needed to fix them to the surface of the painting. The two types commonly used now are shika nikawa (industrially processed from cow skin, bones, and tendons) and sanzenbon (which is made by hand, of the same materials).
gum arabic - is a sap from two types of Acacia tree. In art it is used as a binder for pigments which creates viscosity (depending on how much or little is applied to your pigments) for your watercolours and oils. Rachel Levitas has a fine description on how she uses gum arabic in her work, here. Holbein - is a pigment company with offices located in Japan, The United States, and Canada. They offer high end gouache, watercolour, and pigment pastes. sumi - is a rich black stick, or liquid used by artists, calligraphers, and traditional Japanese horimono tattoo artists. It is made from the soot of burnt lamp oil. Used in key blocks predominantly in traditional mokuhanga, it can also be used to mix pigments. Pigment Tōkyō conducts a great interview with their chief of pigments, Kei Iwaizumi, about sumi ink, here. International Mokuhanga Conference - is a bi-yearly conference dedicated to mokuhanga which started in 2011 by the International Mokuhanga Association. Each conference is themed. The latest conference was in 2021, delayed a year because of the pandemic. More information can be found, here. Mariko Jesse - is an illustrator, and mokuhanga printmaker who splits her time in Tōkyō, London, and California. Her work can be found, here. Mariko is also a part of the collective, wood+paper+box, which can be found, here. Two Frogs Six Leaves Patty Hudak - is an American artist who splits her time between Vermont and NYC, who works in installation, and mokuhanga. She has travelled the world, and is a part of three artist collectives. Patty's interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here. Force of Nature 1
print panels - artworks, like woodblock prints, can come in various numbers of panels. Single panel is one print, diptychs are two panels, triptychs are three panels, quadriptych is four panels, pentaptych is five panels.
The Art Institute of Chicago - is an art museum located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Founded both as a school and a museum of fine arts in 1879. It is built on the debris from the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Its research library was opened in 1901 and the new wing was opened in 2009. More information about the AIC’s history can be found on their website, here.
Recollections of Tokyo: 1923-1945 - was a mokuhanga and lithography print show held at The Art Institute of Chicago from July 2 - September 25, 2022. It showed works by U’nichi Hiratsuka (1895-1997), Kawakami Sumio (1895-1972), Oda Kazuma (1882-1956) amongst others. More info can be found, here.
Paul Furneaux - is a Scottish born mokuhanga printmaker and teacher who uses the medium of mokuhanga creating pieces of work that are third dimensional, abstract and sculptural.
Lewis: Orange Black (2020) 135 x 183 x 5 cm mokuhanga stretched over three aluminium panels coated with resin coating
Lascaux UV Spray coating - is a UV protecting archival varnish produced by Lascaux, a manufacturer of artist materials since 1963. This is the product used by mokuhanga artist Paul Furneaux for some of his works. More info about their products can be found on their website, here.
Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904) - also known as Koizumi Yakumo, was an Irish/Greek/Japanese author, translator, and teacher of Japanese culture and customs to the West. He spent a portion of his life in Japan where he studied and taught. His most famous books are Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan (1894), and Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things (1904). An interesting article in The Paris Review about Lafcadio Hearn can be found, here.
Yuki Onna (雪女) - was a short story as written from the Japanese ghost story by Lafcadio Hearn, in Kwaidan, in 1904. According to an article about the story by Yoko Makino in 1991, Hearn contends he heard the tale from a someone in Musashino, a district in what is Tōkyō today. There are many different legends of this story from around Japan. You can read the Hearn story, here.
Your First Print: David Bull - this was the first DVD I ever purchased on how to make mokuhanga. This was in and around 2007. While I look back at that time thinking about why I didn't take it up as seriously as I do now, I sometime wonder, "Where would I be now in my Mokuhanga journey?" I realize that that is a redundant way of thinking. I am where I am now today, and to be happy with just that. You can still find this product on Dave's website.
© Popular Wheat Productionsopening and closing musical credit - Hater Players, by Black Star from the album Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star (1998). Released on Rawkus Records.
logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny
Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :)
Слава Українi
If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know.
***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***
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When studying mokuhanga, whether you're an academic, a creator, or for general interest, there are some scholars and academics that are mandatory in your studies.
Claire Cuccio is that particular scholar. Currently based in Seattle, and working in international education for 20 years, Claire has been a resident in Asia as an Asian print and handcraft culture specialist and cultural heritage educator. While also working for the International Mokuhanga Conference and conducting research on Nepalese woodblock print culture, Claire has been an asset to the mokuhanga community for some time.
On this episode I speak with Claire about how she got involved in studying print culture in Japan and Asia. We talk on the sensibility of mokuhanga and how Claire is driven by her personal relationships. We also discuss the economics of mokuhanga history and her work with Nepalese printmaker, Kabi Raj Lama.
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Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.
Artists works follow after the note. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted.
Claire Cuccio - her International Mokuhanga Conference lecture from 2022 can be found, here. Claire's work with woodpaperhand can be found here which contains links to many of her projects and lectures. Claire's lecture at the Library of Congress about Japanese Woodblock Printing, here.
The New Yorker - is a weekly magazine which began publishing in 1925 in the United States. It is published by Condé Nast. It is a magazine that covers American and world politics, culture, and arts from around the world, and New York City.
Washington University in St. Louis - is an acclaimed private research university located in St Louis, Missouri, USA. It has an edownment of 13.3 billion. The school covers many subjects and career paths such as medicine and law. More information can be found on their website, here.
Myōjō - (明星) was a monthly literary and arts magazine based in Japan. It began publication in 1900 but ended its run in 1908. It was published by Shinshisha. It was revived twice from 1921-1927, and from 1947-49 by different publishers. The magazine was made famous because of the first sōsaku hanga print ever made by Yamamoto Kanae, “The Fisherman.”
Myōjō cover from February, 1901
Harpers - is a monthly magazine in the United States, published by Harper Collins and was founded in 1850. The magazine covers politics, culture, art, history amongst other subjects. More info can be found, here.
Yosano Akiko (1878-1942) - was the pen name of Shō Hō, a Japanese poet, pacifict and feminist. Her work was in the tanka format of poetry, which is 5-7-5-7-7. The Masterclass website has an interesting article describing tanka poetry, here.
Tekkan Yosano (1873-1935)- was the husband of Yosano Akiko. He too was a poet and activist in early Twentieth Century Japan. As Claire mentions in her interview, Tekkan founded Myōjō in 1900.
sōsaku-hanga - or creative prints, is a style of printmaking which is predominantly, although not exclusively, prints made by one person. It started in the early twentieth century in Japan, in the same period as the shin-hanga movement. The artist designs, carves, and prints their own works. The designs, especially in the early days, may seem rudimentary but the creation of self-made prints was a breakthrough for printmakers moving away from where only a select group of carvers, printers and publishers created woodblock prints.
Fujishima Takeji (1867-1943) - was a Japanese painter. He studied Western painting (yōga) in the Romantic and impressionistic styles, but also painted Japanese themes. He made mokuhanga during the sōsaku hanga period of Japanese printing, carved and printed himself.
Dawn Drizzle at Kawaramachi (1934)
Ishii Hakutei (1882-1958) - was a Japanese painter who studied Western style painting. He became editor of the first incarnation of Myōjō in 1900, helping to publish Kanae’s “Fisherman” print. Hakutei is famous for his Twelve Views of Tōkyō prints which he printed himself.
Twelve Views of Tōkyō: Yanagibashi (1910)
Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies (KCJS) - located on the campus at Doshisha University, the KCJS is a fully immersive langauge school both culturally and linguistically. It has 13 member universities from the United States. More info can be found, here.
Henry Smith II - is a professor emeritus at Columbia University. The article he wrote about the hanmoto system and Watanabe Shōzaburō (1885-1962) can be found, here.
Rebecca Salter - is the President of The Royal Academy of Arts, in London, England. She is also an artist who has written two books about Japanese woodblock printing, Japanese Woodblock Printing (2001), and Japanese Popular Prints (2006). She worked with the Satō Woodblock Print Workshop, documenting their process. Her interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here.
shadow cast one (2015)
Satō woodblock workshop - is a traditional Japanese woodblock production house based in Kyōto, Japan. Here is an article from The Journal of Modern Craft with Rebecca Salter regarding this workshop.
International Society for Education Through Art (InSEA) - is a non governmental, associated with the United Nations, organization which tries to promote creative education around the world via events. They work with 70 countries from around the world. Find out more about what they do at their website, here.
Moya Bligh (1954-2009) - was an Irish mokuhanga printmaker based in Kyoto. She lived in Japan for 30 years, having moved there permanently in the 1980’s. A graduate of Tama Art University, Moya studied with Akira Kurosaki (1937-2019) and regularly conducted mokuhanga workshops in Ireland and Japan. Ms. Bligh's legacy in mokuhanga continues to this day.
Beyond Wood 1 (2002)
Kyoto Seika University - is a private university based in Kyōto, Japan. It is a university focused on art and scholarship. More info, here.
Elizabeth Forrest - is an award-winning Canadian artist and mokuhanga prinmaker. She has been producing mokuhanga since the late 1980’s when she lived and studied in Kyōto. She has studied with the late Akira Kurosaki. More info about Elizabeth’s work can be found, here.
Glancing North II (2009)
Keiko Kadota (1942-2017) - was the director of Nagasawa Art Park at Awaji City from 1997-2011, and then of MI Lab at Lake Kawaguchi from 2011 until her passing.
Uchiwa fans - are a craft style of hand held fan commonly seen in the summer time in Japan. There are several types of uchiwa fans, according to Kogei Japan. First, is Chinese inspired, second, is Southern inspired, and lastly, Korean inspired. Uchiwa fans are shaped like a ping pong paddle. There are various styles of fans in Japan. More info about uchiwa fans and others can be found here at Japanobjects.com.
New Year Card - called nengajo (年賀状) in Japanese, these cards have been traditionally passed from person to person since the Heian Period (794-1185). Mokuhanga practitioners make them as well, creating a new one every year focusing on the zodiac sign of the year as a theme.
Kyōto Handicraft Center - opened in 1967, it is a center dedicated to the traditional crafts of Japan. Located near the Heian Shrine in central Kyōto they offer work shops, food, a restaurant, and a bookshop for national and international tourists. On their website in English you can order from their online shop, shipping internationally. More info, here.
Kamigata Ukiyo-e Museum - is mokuhanga museum in Ōsaka that focuses on ukiyo-e era woodblock prints of actors. It is made up of four floors with a rotating exhibition and demonstration space. It’s near the Dōntombori, a canal which runs from the Dōtonbori Bridge to Nipponbashi Bridge. It is a tourist hotspot in Ōsaka. More info, in Japanese, here.
Terry McKenna - is a mokuhanga printmaker based in Karuizawa, Nagano, Japan. He studied under Kyōto-based mokuhanga artist Richard Steiner. Terry also runs his own mokuhanga school in Karuizawa. His interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here. Richard Steiner's interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here.
Beyond Raging Waves (2017)
David Bull - is a Canadian woodblock printmaker, and educator who lives and works in Japan. His love of mokuhanga has almost singlehandedly promoted the art form around the world. His company, Mokuhankan, has a brick and mortar store in Asakusa, Tōkyō, and online, here.
The Seacoast in Summer (2007-9)
Doi Hangaten - is a mokuhanga print publisher located in Tōkyō, Japan. Once a publisher of prints associated with the shin-hanga movement of the ealry twentieth century, the company continues to publish reproductions of famous Japanese prints, in the old ways. Most recently, the Doi family have collaborated with David Bull and Mokuhankan to publish new verions of some of the old blocks from almost 100 years ago. More info about the Doi Hangaten can be found here, here and here. The collaboration videos produced by Mokuhankan regarding the Doi family and the subsequant collaboration can be found, here. Matsushima (1936) Was designed by Tsuchiya Koitsu (1870-1949), and printed by Mokuhankan with Shun Yamamoto, who is himself an accomplished printmaker.The Adachi Institute of Woodblock Prints - is a print studio located in Tōkyō. Established in 1994 in order to promote and preserve the colour woodblock print of Japan. More information, in English and in Japanese.
Narita, Chiba, Japan - is a city located roughly 70km from the city of Tōkyō. Known predominantly as the home to Narita International Airport. The city and its environs have a long and rich history unto itself. For tourist information, here. For the history of protest in the area, here.
Andy Warhol (1928-1987) was an influential artist and filmmaker who ushered in the genre of art, considered as "pop art." Sunset Series (1972) screen-print Kabi Raj Lama - is a Nepalese printmaker based in Kathmandu, Nepal. He has lived and worked in Japan studying mokuhanga, has travelled the world involved in art residences, studying printmaking. Lama works in intaglio, screen-printing, lithography, and mokuhanga. See Claire's above video from the IMC about Kabi Raj Lama's life and history. HIs Instagram can be found, here. Kabiraj 5 (2017) The Kentler International Drawing Space - is an art gallery located in Red Hook, Brooklyn, New York. It has hosted several mokuhanga centred exhibitions. The most recent was Between Worlds as hosted by The Mokuhanga Sisters, from July 17 - July 31, 2022. More info, here. The Mokuhanga Sisters - are a mokuhanga collective consisting of Yoonmi Nam, Mariko Jesse, Lucy May Schofield, Melissa Schulenberg, Kate MacDonagh, Katie Baldwin, Mia-O, Patty Hudak, and Natasha Norman. website, Instagram Between Worlds - was a mokuhanga specific show hosted by the Kentler International Drawing Space from July 17 - July 31, 2022. Books Kinokuniya - is a Japanese chain of bookstores located throughout every Prefecture in Japan and around the world. More info, here. Peter Ujlaki - is a gallerist and scholar based in Ashiya, Hyōgō, Japan. His website Osakaprints.com has been an asset when researching and discussing prints from the Kamigata (Kansai) region of Japan. His website buys and sells prints from the above region of Kyoto, Ōsaka, and Kobe. The history of woodblock prints from this region is different than of Tōkyō. You can find Peter’s wesbite, here. senjafuda - are the votive slips Claire brings up in her interview. These were hand printed slips pasted by the worshipper onto the Buddhist temple of their choosing. These slips had many different subjects such as ghosts, Buddhist deities, and written characters. Japan Experience has bit of history of senjafuda, here. The Bai people - are an ethnic group located in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Hunan Provinces of China. The Bai people have unique festivals, foods, and architecture. Nishiki-e (錦絵) - is the Japanese phrase for multi-colour woodblock prints, otherwise known as brocade pictures. Sea of Japan - is a body of water which lies beteween Japan, the two Koreas, and Russia. It is predominantly referred to as the Sea of Japan but is also known as the East Sea or Korean East Sea. The dispute of naming rights is on going. International Mokuhanga Conference - is a bi-yearly conference dedicated to mokuhanga which started in 2011 by the International Mokuhanga Association. Each conference is themed. The latest conference was in 2021, delayed a year because of the pandemic. More information can be found, here. Tuula Moilanen - is a Finnish mokuhanga printmaker and painter based in Finland. She lived and studied in Kyōto from 1989-2012, where she learned her printmaking at Kyōto Seika University and from printmaker Akira Kurosaki (1937-2019). Her work can be found, here. Return To Home (2014) geidai (芸大) - is the Japanese word for “arts college.” Lauren Pearlman Sugita - is the owner and operator of the Japanese paper educator and supplier, Paper Connection. Based in Rhode Island, USA, Paper Connection has been supplying artists and educators with paper from many countries for over thirty years. More info can be found, here.Echizen - is a region in Fukui Prefecture, Japan associated with Japanese paper making. It has a long history of paper making. There are many paper artisans in the area. One famous paper maker is Iwano Ichibei. He is a Living National Treasure in paper making, and the ninth generation of his family is still making paper today. More info can be found here in English, and here in Japanese.
hosho paper - is a handmade and machine made paper from Japan used for printmaking. Some information can be found here.
Ibe Kyoko - is a Japanese artist who works with washi, Japanese paper. She produces installations, prints, stage art, and Japanese folding screens (byōbu). You can find more information about her work on her website, here. An interview with the artist can be found here, at the Noyes Museum of Art in Stockton. Recycling Washi Tales - is a performance piece by Kyoko Ibe and playwright Elise Thoron, made about Japanese paper making and with washi. It is four stories, narrated, taking the observer through different parts of Japanese paper history. More info can be found here on PBS. Vietnamese paper (dó) - a great video from Business Insider, here, about the history and modern production of Vietnamese paper in Bac Ninh Province, Vietnam. Vietnamese paper goes as far back as the 13th Century with book making and folk art. Information regarding the Zó Project, a non profit for preserving traditional Vietnamese paper, mentioned in the video can be found, here. BlueCat Paper - is a paper company based in Bangalore, India. They make various handmade paper in India, different shapes and colours. They upcycle their paper, meaning that everything is reused in the making of their paper. More info can be found, here. handmade paper from Laos - South East Asia has had a tradition of papermaking for 700 years. Laotian paper is made of mulberry. More info can be found, here handmade paper from Bhutan - Bhutan has a history of handmade paper using the Daphne plant. Stemming from the eighth century, papermaking in Bhutan is made throughout the country. In 1990 the Bhutanese Travel and Tourist Agency wanted to preserve Bhutanese handmade paper. They sent Norbu Tenzin to learn papermaking in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. More info can be found at thre North Bengal Tourism site, here. Lokta paper - is a Nepalese paper which also uses the bark of the Daphne tree. It is usually sold with various prints and designs. More info can be found at Paper Connection, here. © Popular Wheat Productionsopening and closing musical credit - Stakes Is High, the instrumental by James Dewitt Yancey [J Dilla] (1974-2006). This beat was used by De La Soul, and released on the record Stakes Is High (1996) released by Tommy Boy Records. RIP David Jude Jolicoeur [Trugoy the Dove] (1968-2023)
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