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For the month of November, I have been exploring, sketching, zine-making and printmaking around Lewis county. I am interested in teachers and our education system, and was excited to learn about and sketch this old schoolhouse in Clarksburg, a small community outside of Vanceburg, KY.

I moved things around a little bit, the schoolhouse is now a residence, but I feel like the print still captures the feeling of the place.

Before you get to Vanceburg, the highway goes over a mountain. When you turn the corner, there is a great view of the road and the mountains. To me, this is when the Kentucky hills have grown into mountains.

These prints are a little bit different from my work in the past, because I have printed them on Mulberry paper. It comes from the inside fibers of the tree’s bark, and is harvested without hurting the tree. The paper is extremely thin, almost transparent…but it’s also very strong. The paper requires a little bit different handling from the cotton rag paper I am used to. However, the paper does a great job of picking up all the details of the carving.

These prints are in a limited edition of 16. They are signed and numbered. They are also for sale, for $60 unframed, or $120 framed. You can click on either of the prints, or visit the printmaking section of my gallery for more information.

Next week, I am meeting a group of artists in Vanceburg, Ky for an art project; so I recently took a few sketching trips throughout Lewis County.

Lewis county is where the Kentucky hills along the Ohio River start to grow into mountains. Beautiful country!  I stopped by this farm scene to do a little bit of sketching.

I like this scene so much, I decided to carve it into a linoleum block print. I decided to replace the haybales with cows, but feel like I captured the feeling of the scene.

I’m offering it as a limited edition (only 16), if you are interested, click the image for more information.

A few people have asked me for more information about how I am framing my latest prints. Here’s some more information with photos.

My latest prints are in a panoramic profile: the carving is 4 1/2″ x 12″. I print on a 10″ x 16″ acid-free, cotton paper.

I make one kind of frame. It’s made from wood, and I use a 100% rag matt to keep the paper from the glass.

The frames have a simple, flat profile. I cover them with 3 coats of paint, and then give them a distressed effect, which brings out some of the natural aspects (like grain and occasional knots) of the wood.

I take a lot of pride in my frames, and sign them: handmade frame by Ken Swinson, just like I would the actual artwork.