Tom Wagen's Art

Don suggested that I attempt printing with my home made print blocks - to print on rice paper - I like using the rice paper as torn paper art (Chigri) and decided to print on torn pieces of rice paper and then mat them on black greeting cards.

I find great enjoyment with art because I can loose myself in the colors and experiment with things that might not ordinarily be used to create a picture - in this case, I used the old dried up oil paint from my palette (peeled it off with a palette knife) and then used brightly colored remnants of acrylic paints and inks to create a Cacophony of Color.

I had printed from the cut block I completed yesterday and (had posted on line) - the prints were done on white paper (and I did not like the result).  Don suggested printing on colored paper, which I did this morning; and the result was much better.

This truly was an experimental piece.  It started out as an acrylic painting of a pastoral scene in Branscombe, Devon, England - I applied the paint with my fingers.  I then decided to use pastels and powdered graphite to enhance the piece - but the result was not what I wanted - so I took a Mr Clean Magic Eraser Sponge (we use them at home for cleaning) and wiped over the canvas to see what would and would not be removed.  Then I decide to apply oil paint to the surface using a brush, paper towel and tissues.  What you see is the end result of this process.