"Reflection" a Gum Bichromate Print

Reflection, originally uploaded by jrlarimer.

My printmaking has taken a new turn. For quite some time now I have been doing Gum Bichromate photographic prints. These are prints made by contact printing either B/W or RGB/CMYK digital negatives onto Watercolor paper using process specific chemicals mixed with watercolor pigment. The image shown here was made using a B/W negative that was first printed using the Cyanotype process ( historically, the process that became "Blueprinting") after this layer was processed using the sun for exposure and water for development, another layer was printed, using the same negative. This new layer was printed using Windsor Newton Lamp Black mixed with Ammonium Dichromate and Gum Arabic and the sun for exposure and water for development. After drying the whole process was repeated using the same negative but this time I mixed B Sienna W/C with the Gum Bichromate chemicals. The borders of this print show the different layers that produced this final print. You can see more of these alternative process prints at:
http://larimerphoto.blogspot.com

New Prints....Photograpic prints

My relief printmaking energies have been redirected to photograpic printmaking! This takes me back to where I started many, many years ago. I started my creative pursuits as a photographer but gravitated to painting and relief printmaking later. But photography always played a part in each of the different processes that I undertook. Well, now I am back to exploring photography as my sole means of expression. No longer are my photos for reference, but they are now seen as the art itself. The photo shown here is one of my recent shots that was taken with the intent to be shown as a photograph...not as a reference for work in another medium. More of my work can be seen at this site: PHOTOBLOG by Jim Larimer At this site you will see new work and old work (pics taken as ref pictures) that I have converted into "Fine Art Expressions". Take a look and let me know what you think. Limited edition prints are available of all the images that you see. Jim

"Colorado Farm"

This oil painting is 16" x 20 on MDF panel.

"Sydney Street Light"

This oip painting is 18" x 24" on MDF panel.

"Cold Country Morning"

This oil painting is 16" x 20 on MDF panel.

"Ryukin"

Most of my time has been spent painting for the past 2 or 3 months so I reoriented my studio and am now ready to do some more woodcuts. Mosy of my woodcuts have been printed in blacks and greys, but now I am going to venture into using more color. This is my first major attempt at incorporating color into my printing. This 7" x 7" print was made from 5 seperate carved blocks of 3/4 MDF and printed using Speedball Oil ink and Windsor Newton Oil paint mixed with Graphic Chemical "Tint Extender." I am looking forward to more exerimenting! Jim

"Gulls"

This print was carved on three seperate blocks of 3/4" MDF and printed by hand with oil based printers ink. The image size is 8" x 6"

"Beer At Meeko's"

This is a three color/value woodcut that I did based upon a photo taken recently on the trip to PEI. The two shown are Jerry and Kia from Toronto. The image size is 5.5" x 8" and three blocks of MDF were carved and printed with oil based ink.

Trip to PEI

I do not have a new image to post, but rather a few comments about the trip to PEI. As the introduction to this "blog" suggests I recently (along with my wife, Deanna) made a road trip to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. We left from Denver, CO and spent 4 days and drove 3000 miles making this journey to deliver 20 paintings to the Pilar Shephard Art Gallery for a "one man show" that opened on Aug 3rd. We traveled through 12 states and 4 Canadian Privinces during the trip and marvelled all the way at the scenery and the fact that things are pretty much the same across this country and Canada. The cars, restaurants (especially McDonalds, et al) people, habits, architecture, produce and pace of life are all the same. Well, on the East coast, McDonalds offers "McLobster" sandwiches! For a landlocked Rocky Mountain resident this was very interesting indeed. The trip was pleasantly uneventful in terms of difficulties encountered with transportation...the new Saturn ION got about 34 miles per gallon! We stayed with my family in Illinois the first night, Deanna's aunt in PA the next and at Daniels' (an artist friend)in Montreal the next night before arriving in PEI on the 4th day. The Gallery owners, Bob and Pilar, housed and fed us in royal splender for 5 days! What a treat. In Charlottetown we were met by some friends from Toronto who endured "exploding luggage" during their air flight to be present for the show and dinner at Bob and Pilar's home.

Suprises and interesting tidbits along the way: Niagra Falls is a circus (almost obscene), road consruction is a real drag, Karla(Sister) and Dad were generous with accomadations, pet sitting, home grown tomatoes, libations, food and Love; Aunt Jean, Dar and Mary welcomed us with open arms and hearts and lots of Love too; Did not know about all the vineyards in New York along rt. 5; Canada is EXPENSIVE, Toronto archiecture is grand; Quebec makes it diificult for English only and the roads were bad; New Brunswick is peacefull, neat and clean; PEI very pastoral, our hosts, Bob and Pilar, made our stay absolutely memorable and comfortable, crows were irratating, water was amazing, lobster delicious, dirt/sand/rocks/everything was red, new potatoes of every variety grown across the island...major crop; Celtic influence on PEI; Razor Clams; Daniel; Jerry and Kia; White Castle Hamburgers and Taco Johns! So much more, but I best stop now. Jim