 Right now, I've been revisiting old ideas and fleshing them out a little more substantially. I had a phase years ago where I rushed constantly to the next new thing. Picking up and putting down as quickly as I could. While it was a very fertile time of creativity, I often have felt that I needed to go back and explore some of these themes with more care and attention.
This is one of those ideas that I've wanted to pursue. Curvilinear lines, finely carved details but without embracing perfectionism too tightly. As I'm sure you've already guessed, I love birds and this time of year, the antics of the swallows are hard to resist! You can buy it here: http://www.michellewiebe.com/store/p35/Swallow-Pattern-Echo.html Canada Post Strike - as of May 22nd 2025 I will not be able to ship via Canada Post. Local pick up and delivery within the Calgary area can be arranged. Shipping via alternate methods is absolutely possible, but extra fees will apply.
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 Lately, I've been playing around with simplification (which is not so simple), light and colour. I am really pleased with how this latest reduction linocut turned out!
Spring is an exciting time in Alberta, the emerging greens are bright and lush and impending rain clouds are intense and fast moving. This scene is of Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park, when the light is piercing the clouds and hitting the hillside. I had a lot of fun balancing the the grey with the yellow greens. You can buy it here: http://www.michellewiebe.com/store/p33/Storm-Warning.html (Please note, purchases will be shipped starting the week of May 12th to give a little extra drying time!)  Clothesline Art Market
The Leighton Art Centre, Calgary AB 2 Day In Person Market and Demonstration June 7th - 8th , 2025 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Event Description: I'll be onsite both days at the beautiful Leighton Art Centre with my trusty Kelsey printing press, a wide selection of unframed prints and special letterpress goodies! My work will also be included in the online version of the Clothesline Art Market - stay tuned for the webstore link from June 1st - 30th, 2025.  Sometimes making something look simple is a very complex process. I think that is what I love about playing around with perspective and urban settings. You need an understanding of the rules and an acceptance that it is unlikely you will bring more clarity if you add all the details to an image.
The palette on this piece was very satisfying to work with - the limitations and structure it provided balanced nicely with the warmth and visual interest. The title is another little satisfying piece - technically this is 1st Street, but it's known as Historic Main Street or Main Street for short. Part of the charm! You can buy it here: http://www.michellewiebe.com/store/p32/Historic-Main-Street.html  I'm waiting for the return of hot summer days where the only sound you hear when you are out in nature is the buzzing of insects and far off bird calls. I wanted to capture that feeling of heat with jewel-like tones to show the light of the sun hanging high in the afternoon sky.
It was a good challenge to switch to landscapes, I needed 9 layers to achieve the colours I was going for from my original sketches. You can buy it here: http://www.michellewiebe.com/store/p29/Woodland-Road.htm  Not going to lie - I love a hometown gig! Recently, I was invited to guide a fun interactive letterpress activity with the lovely folks at Cochrane Tourism for their AGM (the goal for them was to "have a FUN AGM" and they absolutely succeeded). The hosts for the evening were Cochrane's little art hub, Route 22 Art Collective Gallery. Each participant received a colour your own letterpress printed postcard kit and we had activity stations set up around the gallery, including a spot for my trusty Kelsey 5x8 press where everyone could print the final touch in gold on their masterpieces!  Next Steps in Letterpress
Alberta Printmakers, Calgary AB 1 Day Workshop April 13th, 2025 10:00am – 4:00pm Course Description: Are you ready to expand your letterpress skills and broaden your printing abilities? Join us for a deeper look at printing with platen and cylinder presses and increase your independence within the print shop! The class is excellent for students who own or are considering purchasing their own press or those who want to independently use the A/P Studio presses with greater confidence. Cost: $135.00 Registration: Click here to sign up!  If the sight of this guy doesn't strike a little fear into your heart, my guess is you've never encountered the likes of him while out for a jog. Staunch defenders of their territory, the Canada Goose is an interesting national symbol to say the least! This print was especially fun to print with the reflective water background.
I've been exploring the complexities of reduction linocut, a printmaking process that uses only one block to print many layers. The artist starts with a barely carved block and prints a layer of colour, then carves away more of the block and prints the next colour. This process is repeated until all the layers of colour are printed, leaving very little of the original block behind. Since the layers are permanently removed from the printing block, the edition of prints is limited to the original printing session. If an error occurs, there is a chance that part or all of the work could be ruined. This piece has many layers of colour, each layer taking several hours to print all the individual pieces within the edition. I have printed this work using antique industrial printing presses, also known as “Letterpress Printing” which is a highly specialized artform that requires mechanical and artistic skill. This allowed me to be quite precise in lining up the many layers the application of ink was consistent. As a result, the colours are rich and highly pigmented, almost painterly in quality. You can purchase online here: http://www.michellewiebe.com/store/p27/The-Ambassador.html  Are you one of those art lovers who has the best intentions, but just never gets around to framing the work you collect?
Luckily, I have a nice selection of my latest Alberta Birds series beautifully framed and available through Bluerock Gallery in Diamond Valley, AB. I am delighted to have these new pieces available in-store and online, ready to take home and hang on your walls. The image size is 5" x 7" and they are double matted and framed so that the total piece is 11" x 14" in size. They look sharp all together or solo! If you haven't been there before, I highly recommend the drive on a sunny afternoon. Their space is filled with light, books and art that will leave you inspired. They carry work by many highly regarded local artists! You can check my available here: https://bluerockgallery.ca/collections/michelle-wiebe  Relief Printmaking Exploration
Red Deer Polytechnic, Red Deer AB 5 Day Summer Series Course July 7th - 11th , 2025 Course Description: Join me for a deep dive one week printmaking intensive at Red Deer Polytechnic! Explore the art of relief printmaking, working with linoleum, wood type, letterpress, and more. Learn to incorporate inks, diverse printing surfaces, tools, and mixed media techniques into your creative practice. All levels accommodated. Cost: $695.00 Registration: Click here to sign up! |
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