KenSwinson.com

Blog

  • Dust Bunny and Laundry Bunny Woodcuts

    I havent left my house since thursday, and im watching the news more than i should…i can tell its causing me to be anxious, but i cant stop watching. Thought some spring cleaning would be a positive way to keep myself busy. Just finished carving this dust bunny woodcut. Will probably walk down to the cabin and print it later on. Hope you all are doing well!

    woodcot of bunny rabbit swieeping with a broom

    i try to avoid actually DOING chores whenever i can, so i started another chore bunny. Laundry!!

    2 woodcut works in progress a bunny sweeping another hanging laundry on the line
    a carved woodcut of a bunny rabbit hanging laundry on the line
    The Laundry bunny, carved and ready for ink!

  • Happy As A Pig In Mud

    I already wish i had carved it bigger, this is 6×8. I combined 3 of my favorite things: printmaking, pottery and pigs! Title is: pig in mud. Will print later this afternoon. 

    Woodcut of a pig at a pottery wheel

    Special thanks to a donation from Purdue University’s Black Cultural Center, we have a new set of inks (from an even more more local company than our normal ink: only 5 hours away:chicago) to try at the log cabin print shop. Going to take them for a test drive with pig in mud!

    A grouping of diferent hanco printmaking inks

    you *know* with all those new colors, the first one i cracked open was brown. Haha

    test proof of woodcut of pig making pottery
  • A new ‘flowerpot’ – ferdinand the bull

    Well, im working on another “flowerpot”. The first was 15″ the second is going to be even bigger! Im using a combination of pinch pot and coil pot, techniques you probably learned in elementary school. I dont know if pot #2 is a cow or horse goat or sheep, but whatever it is, building it is like dancing with a drunk.

    artist handbuilding clay animal
    improvised sculpture support for handbuilt bull
    not a very sophisticated support system. Here in rural Kentucky, we learn to get by with what we have!
    Artist Handbuilding clay bull sculpture
    adding a clay horn to a clay bull sculpture
    adding horns
    clay bull sculpture
  • I will never understand my brain – goat sculpture

    animation of goat sculpture on potters wheel
    I will never understand my brain. I went into the clay studio with every intention of making flower pots;at the end of the day i have a goat! Hahaha!
  • Pig On Bicycle – Woodcut Print – Log Cabin Print Shop

    Its only 39 degrees right now, but sunshine makes all the difference. Im going to try to finish carving my pig on a bicycle today (week 3). The print shop is open today until 5pm for any artists who want to carve, print or just hang out.

    pig woodcut outside log cabin
    Carving Outdoors at the Log Cabin Print Shop

    UPDATE :Taking a moment to step back and think about where this is going

    partially carved woodcut of pig on bicycle

    UPDATE: I think im done…maybe just one or two little details?

    woodcut carved and ready to print

    the test proof!

    a test proof of pig on bike woodcut inside a log cabin
    woodcut of pig on bicycle hanging to dry
    Hanging to dry
  • Spring Is Around The Corner – Clay Flowerpots

    Spring is around the corner, so i thought id throw some terra cotta flower pots for my yard. I was just telling a friend that switching from porcelain to groggy terra cotta is like going from driving a sportscar to an 18 wheel truck!

    potter throwing clay flowerpots on wheel
    throwing terra cotta flowerpots
  • Log cabin print shop 2-22-2020 pig on bicycle

    Its printmaking day at the log cabin print shop. Im ready to start a new 16×20 woodcut. Heres my sketch (only about 3 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches in size) ive transferred the sketch to tracing paper and drew a rough grid so i can flip the image and transfer to the wood block. No photos or computers…all analog. Stay tuned for progress reports

    rough sketch for woodcut of pig on bicycle
    pig on bicycle design on wood block
    transferred the drawing onto the wood block. Time to start carving!
  • Log Cabin Print Shop 2-15-2020 – goats woodcut

    This is a big (for me) woodcut 16×20″. My goal today is to finish carving it while i’m working at the Log Cabin Print Shop from noon-5pm.

    woodcut work in progress 3 goats standing on top of each other

    You are welcome to stop by: to see how the woodcut is going -or- to make your own!

    close up of finished carved woodcut of baby goat standing on mama goat's back

    UPDATE: im finished carving. This little goat at the top is my happiness! Time to ink and test proof

    artist holding test proof of 3 goat woodcut

    The test proof. I am happy!

    The Finished Woodcut! 3 Goats!

  • The John P Parker House – Painting

    Remember 2 weeks ago, when I made a block print of the John P. Parker house in Ripley, Ohio?

    Well, i thought it was such a great scene (and important historic landmark) that I made an acrylic painting of the scene!

    If you are a fan of John Parker (like me) you also might like this painting I made a few years ago

  • Log cabin print shop 1-18-2020 john p parker house

    I’ve finished carving the John P Parker house linocut. I started it last week. Its a small linocut 4 1/2×6″, so it was a challenge getting the small details.

    carved linocut of the John P. Parker house in ripley ohio
    Cut and ready to ink!

    Time to proof. Will update with the result!

    putting ink on a linoleum block print
    Update 1:inking the linocut
    first proof of a linocut notecard of the john p parker house
    Hot off the press!