Darwin on woodblock Printing

Some original thoughts on Evolution and Woodblock printing

This Japanese woodcut (which probably you never in your life would have seen otherwise) can be considered from several points of view, one of which is its unwitting role as an illustration of evolution, or rather co-evolution. (Double-click for a larger version).

A pair of vines climb up around the stem of a bamboo plant, which helps the vines to grow fruit that serves as food to a grateful bird. Each of the three organisms has an environmental niche enabled by the other two. For example the bamboo serves as a support to the vine enabling the latter to expand its trunk and extend its branches. The bird uses the grape as food and then returns the favour to the vine by kindly depositing the seeds of the grape elsewhere in a ready-made bed of nitrogen-rich fertilizer. Bamboo is grown by humans for innumerable purposes such as bamboo shoots for food and bamboo stems as scaffolding for buildings. Conversely, vines that were less able to entwine themselves around the bamboo, or failed to grow big juicy grapes, failed in the struggle for life and are no longer with us, and the same is held to be true, mutatis mutandis, for bamboo and birds.

In fact there are several layers of competition going on here. The vines, the bamboo and the bird are competing with their respective rivals in the struggle for existence. Those depicted here have succeeded.

The work of the painter Ryūrikyō was carried out in such an "admirable manner" that K. Egawa made a woodcut of it – again "in an admirable manner", for he (or more likely the pressman T. Tamura) has added individual snow flakes in gouache: it is late in the season, the leaves are sere, the bird is getting cold and needs nourishment.

Besides:it makes a nice Christmas card too !


Woodcut by K. Egawa after a painting by Ryūrikyō, 18th century.

Condensed text from: Wellcome Library no. 730398i

Clifton Karhu, my favourite prints

Because Clifton Karhu was not as known to you as I thought he would be I decided sharing a selection of my favourite prints with you. From Paris (1968) to his latest colourful and geometric, almost abstract compositions.
Unfortunatly his prints are way outside my financial reach. The two selfportraits showing he had become (and was accepted) truly Japanese. He was of great influence to a new generation of modern printmakers in Japan.

Clifton Karhu the 12 months of the year

Clifton Karhu

the 12 months of the year

(1968)

january pine

february plum

march cherry

april iris

may lily

june daffodil

july morning glory

august sunflower

september rose

october maple



november chrysanthemum




december camellia



Shall if share the 6 Zodiac prints too ?

Clifton Karhu

Clifton Karhu

(1927-2007)

Japanese printmaker.

Relax! I am not going to write anything academic or professionally on the life and art of Clifton Karhu. The man is world famous and I have no pretentions other than to show you some nice pictures and some funny things I’ve discovered.
Besides, I had to wait finding some flower prints he made to start this posting in a way appropriate to my Blog. These 3 are the only flower prints I know of. 1: Peony, 2: Cammelia and 3: Plum.

For those readers unacquainted with Karhu and his work: visit the many sites that show his wonderful prints and share the admiration and the esteem he was awarded with. The (condensed and just elucidating) text is borrowed from Artelino: http://www.artelino.com/articles/clifton_karhu.asp. A visit is a must.

Clifton Karhu, from Finnish-American descent was stationed from 1946 to 1948 on an American naval base in Japan. Back in the USA, Clifton studied at the Minneapolis Art School from 1950 to 1952.
He returned in 1952 to Japan as a missionary of the Lutheran Church. Traveling through Japan selling Bibles door-to-door. In 1958 he resigned as a missionary and returned to arts. In 1963 Karhu moved to Kyoto it was here he got interested in woodblock printing.

OK: one print to show his style for those unacquainted and because it's lovely and it's snowing here in december too.

Besides all the famous and beautiful prints he made early in his printing career also a series of “Shunga Light” prints. The art form of Shunga, with its very direct and explicit showing of mega structural organs in passionate action not to be shown here. Although not exactly my taste I have seen, like many of you, quite a few of course. Besides not good for one’s self esteem watching men hung and women build like baboons they are of a pornographically nature and hardly made for display on the (not even sleeping room) wall. But Karhu’s are!
The first (12) black and white prints show pencil-drawn Zodiac symbols on 9 of them. Three are without symbols. I think they were designs.

Later he made also colored prints. I know of 6. Some (almost) identical to the black and whites and 1 newly designed .


In 1967-68 he made 12 of these prints this time with floral designs on the kimonos. In a signed edition of 50. They show up occasionally. They never come cheap. I guess they are very personal and loved possessions and decorate sleeping rooms all over the world. Harmless even for children’s eyes.

But did you know there exists an unsigned edition too on heavy paper. Because of the flowers depicted and because they are so subtle I plan showing the complete set of 12. But only If I receive two (or more) positive comments from you. Karhu never returned to the subject so they can be qualified a youthful sin early in his printing career. But what a nice sin it was.

Here is the one for December: Camelia (the flower)

It's up to you now !

Margaret Evelyn Whittemore

Margaret Whittemore

(1897 - 1983)

American (Kansas) printmaker

Margaret Whittemore was born into a family of Washburn College teachers on September 7, 1897, in Topeka, Kansas, growing up there. Her father, Luther D. Whittemore was a professor of Latin and education, and her mother Frances Davis Whittemore was director of the art department.

I show you the 6 solo bird prints I've found wich I think are quite nice. You can also see that working together with Avis Chitwood brings both artist to a higher level (in bird picture printing). Compare Margarets lovingly depicted birds also to the bird prints by British Winifred Austen (1876-1964, of whom I can only afford a postcard copy) and German Hugo Amberg (1872- ?)

The artist-to-be studied, naturally enough, at Washburn (today a University) from 1915-1919, receiving her degree. From 1920-1923, she studied graphic arts at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Illinois. In 1927, she taught art at Bethany College, in Lindsborg, Kansas. From 1928-1935, she edited the national publication of the honorary art fraternity Delta Phi Delta, "The Palette." Whittemore moved from Topeka to Kissimmee, Florida, in 1952, spending a number of years in both Short Hills, New Jersey, and Sarasota, Florida, before choosing Sarasota as her home. She would die there on November 24, 1983.

Her primary medium in the expression of Kansas subjects was the graphic arts, wood block prints in particular. Around 1930, magazines and newspapers began publishing her prints of historic landmarks, as well as her earlier birds and trees. She illustrated books by other writers, while also writing and illustrating her own. Sketchbook of Kansas Landmarks, published in 1936, was her first book. It featured drawings and descriptions of historically significant landmarks like the capitol, missions, old trails, homes, bridges and trees. I picked two of the many she made that I think show her skills best.

Whittemore, during summer study with Birger Sandzen at the Broadmoor Academy, Colorado Springs, exhibited also with the Prairie Print Makers Exhibition, which traveled through Kansas. She won "Best Print by a Kansas Artist" in the 1936 American Block Print exhibition, in Wichita, Kansas.

I think this is the first time 6 of Margarets bird prints are shown together. If you examples of others please think about sending me a copy allowing me to do a follow up.

Text Source: Phil Kovinick and Marian Yoshiki Kovinick, "An Encyclopedia of Artists of the American West" (Bio from askart.com).

Avis Chitwood

Avis Chitwood

(1894-1994)

American Kansas Printer

illustrator and writer of children's books

Once she started, Avis Chitwood couldn't stop expressing herself through art. She drew, sketched, and painted in Kansas for nearly 100 years. Her best-known art depicts the wildflowers and rustic buildings of Kansas. Chitwood took an early interest in art at her childhood home in Mound City, Kansas. She drew with colored chalk on a blackboard in the family's dining room. As she grew and continued to excel at art, her father recognized her talent. He arranged for his daughter to study watercolor and china painting at a Kansas City art studio after completing high school.
I show you her "native flower" compositions. I found all somewhat discolored but that may also be caused by the paper Avis used so I left them as I found them in different locations. I think this the first time 6 of them are shown together. I hope to find more with the help of readers of my humble Blog. Any information on the paper used is welcomend too.
Four years later, Chitwood moved to Topeka where she designed and illustrated a catalogue for Dennison Paper Products. Always interested in trying different mediums, she studied art and architectural design at the University of Kansas. She applied her sketching talents to perspective drawings from surveyor's notes at the Kansas Highway Commission.

Chitwood next took an interest in etching, saying, "the strong contrast of black and white has a dignity and strength that appeals to me." She taught courses on the subject after studying it at Washburn University.

Chitwood enjoyed sharing her love of art with others, and did so by organizing and teaching art classes for children and high school students.

Late in life she began writing children's stories and poetry. Chitwood's talents did not go unrecognized. Her pieces were featured in several exhibitions and won multiple honors and awards.
She never stopped creating art, and was still drawing up to her death in Topeka at the age of 100.

Enjoyed reading the post ? You are invited to leave a comment. Also when you didn't or have any suggestions.

I used the (condensed) text found at:

The first picture of the printing lady is not Avis Chitwood but is used for illustration purpose only (but it could have been Avis at the Press though).

NEXT POST (soon) :

Margeret Evelyn Whittemore

Avis Chitwood & Margaret Evelyn Whittemore

Avis Chitwood

(1894-1994)

&

Margaret Evelyn Whittemore

(1897-1983)

&

Mary Huntoon

(1896-1970)

American (Kansas) Printmakers.

What have the two first women and Mary Huntoon in common besides these two lovely prints I stumbled upon? An educated guess is that Margaret did the birds and Avis the flowers. I will show you why. In this and next two postings to come. Maybe the result is not totally "Japanese" (using opaque paint and heavy paper) but the ladies were definitly inspired by Japonisme. The joy of designing and printing them together in a joint venture is jumping of the paper. Follow me on a trail back to Edinburgh and Paris.

Ruby throated hummingbird.

Baltimore oriole.

To begin with both women lived to a high age and stayed creatively active , both were American. Both lived most of their long lifes in Tupeka, Kansas. Both knew the same people. Both were influenced and taught by the same teacher. Both depicted in their solo careers simple subjects from their nearby environment and surroundings.

Avis concentrated mainly on plants and Margaret on birds, trees, buildings and illustrated books. Both have works collected by the same museums and are united in the same collections to this day. Were I found and borrowed many of the pictures I used to create this and the next two posting. Link in to their visitors galleries and find many more interesting examples of their and many other printers art work.

Both were active in their own studio's and in the privat studio of Mary Huntoon (1896-1970). She founded the Topeka Print Makers. They headquartered in her studio.

She did this wonderful drawing of three lady (friends, members?) sketching somewhere in the in 1930's. Maybe Avis and Margaret are even in it.How good she was you can see in this small and deceivingly simple sketch of Brooklyn Bridge (below). I think she studied Arthur Wesly Dow's instructions on Notan very carefully.

After studying with printer Joseph Pennell at the Art Students League in New York 1920-graduating 1923 and travelling to Paris and producing prints there for several years, Mary Huntoon returned 1930 to native Topeka to teach printmaking at the Arts Department of Washburn College (now Washburn University). The same school she graduated from 10 years before in 1920. As did Margaret Whittemore at her mothers school director Frances Dean-Whittemore, herself a graduate from the Art Institute in Chicago became art teacher and later director of Washburn College 1912-1929.

This is how Avis Chitwood (above about 1965) came to attend her printing classes with Mary Huntoon after a self educating career in painting and printing and running an Arts and Crafts shop in Topeka.

In 1930 the Kansas Print Makers were founded. Their only woman co-founder was Norma Basset Hall (1884-1957) (above and below).

(two not everyday seen prints by Norma Basset-Hall)

Educated in the same Chicago's Art Institute (1915-graduated 1918) she and her husband travelled to Europe from 1925 -1927 visiting France, England and Scotland meeting in the end the noted etcher Ernest Lumsden and his wife: Mabel Royds (1874-1941). They stayed a year at the Lumsden-Royd's studying and absorbing the latest printing techniques with transparent water-based inks from Mabel Royds. Mabel a pioneer in woodblock printing and influenced by Henri Toulouse Lautrec. Lumsden already very famous for his etchings. Ernest Lumsden: etching from the London scenes series.

Mabel Royds was an appointed teacher in the Edinburgh School of Arts, together with colleague printer and head of the Applied Arts Department since 1910 John Edgar Platt (1886-1967). Platt was taught woodblock printing by Allan William Seaby (1867-1953). Seaby himself a pupil of Frank Morley Fletcher.

Frank Morley Fletcher (1866-1950) was director of the Edinburgh School of Art (1907-1923). Thus tying all important beginning of the XXth century Brittish woodblock printers together in Edinburgh. For further reading on these printers and the influences of Japanese printer Urushibara please follow the link to a recent post on Art and the Aesthete: http://www.clivechristy.com/2010/11/urushibara-and-frank-morley-fletcher.html

Fletcher later moved to California (US) and became director of the Santa Barbara Art School (1924-1930). Fletcher resigned as director in the spring of 1930 and eventually moved to Los Angeles where he continued to teach, paint, and exhibit. In the late 1930s his eyesight began to fail and his output became more sporadic. Wether he knew or met the Kansas Printers or Avis and Margaret I couldn't find evidence of. Many important American printers became involved and even paying members (annual fee $ 1,00) of the Kansas Print Makers: among them Steng Wengenroth, Frances Gearhart, William Seltzer Rice, Walter Joseph Philipps and Bertha Jacques. To incourage blockprinting and to the benefit of selling their prints. In the after Great Depression years incouraging a new public to buy Real Art at reasonable prices. Margaret Whittemore was invited to join in an early stage. The Kansas Print Makers Group ended in 1965.

Continuing the trail and history even further back: Frank Morley Fletcher was (also) taught by Fernand Cormond (1845-1924), most important historical painter of France, attending the Cormond school in Paris in1888.

Class of 1885 of Fernand Cormond's school in Paris.

Before him Henri Toulouse-Lautrec and Vincent van Gogh took classes there. And there Frank Morley Fletcher, Godfather of all English woodblock printers, became interested in woodblock printing.

In 1889 the World Exhibition took place in Paris. Some 32.000.000 (!) visitors came to Paris over 6.000.000 by train alone. Among them most heads of European states and many contemporary important artists. The list is long. Whistler was there, Gauguin, van Gogh, Edvard Munch, Buffalo Bill Cody and many many others visited the pavillions

The World Fair was held on the grounds near the river Seine were the newly constructed Eifel Tower served as an entrance symbol, and again later in 1900. In 1909 all buildings were demolished and the grounds redesigned into the park as it now exists.

Auguste Lepère (1849-1918) Exposition Internationale 1889 .

(Exactly the same spot, see the perspective, but the party over and the crowds gone)

NEXT:

To be continued soon with postings on the solo prints of both ladies: Margaret Whittemore and Avis Chitwood.