KenSwinson.com

Category: printmaking

  • Visiting the Harlan Hubbard studio in Ft. Thomas

    Yesterday, I got to visit Harlan Hubbard’s studio in Ft. Thomas, KY to make some sketches for a new Harlan Hubbard woodcut I am working on. Harlan is my patron saint of art, and it was a magical experience (a dream come true) to visit, and make art in the home/studio he lived in and built.

    You can visit the studio too! The Fort Thomas Forest Conservancy is having a fundraising event for the studio on October 13th, from noon – 4pm. I’ll be there with my press and print…make a donation to the studio (100% of the donation goes to the studio restoration), and you can print a copy to take home with you!

    thanks Chuck Keller and Sidney Thomas from the Fort Thomas Forest Conservancy, for inviting me to participate (and helping with the video)

  • Stacked Sheep-new woodcut

    To celebrate the arrival of fall (wool season is right around the corner) I wanted to share my latest woodcut with you all. I have been working on larger (to me) woodcuts 13×20″ blocks on 20×24″ paper.

    If you’d like to have one (and also support my work), you can order one below:

  • instagram stories

    If you watch me on Instagram, I share short, 12 second stories that disappear after 24 hours. Here are 3 recent ones that I made.

  • Flannery’s Dream – Large Woodcut Print

    Flannery’s Dream – Large Woodcut Print

    I’m working on a series of large, hand made woodcut prints. I and wanted to share my latest, “Flannery’s Dream” the video below shows some of the process in making it:

    “Flannery’s Dream” is a Kentucky folk story about a fiddler who was challenged to play a tune that had never heard before. He exhausted all the tunes he knew–without succeeding, then fell asleep. In his dream, he saw a bear with a fiddle. The bear chased him while playing a tune. The next day, he remembered the tune, and won the challenge!!!

    If you’d like to support my work and have one of these woodcuts for your art collection. I am selling them for $60.

  • County Fair: Lambs – new woodcut print!

    Last month’s woodcut print went so well, I decided to carve another one.

    I love the tradition of the county fair, and 4H children’s livestock presentation in particular. When everything goes right, the competition reminds me of ballet with animals. When things go wrong…that’s a lot of fun to watch too!

    Here’s my latest print to celebrate the awesome kids who work all year to show off their 4H projects at the county fair. It’s another big one 15″x22″. If you live in the USA and would like one for your collection, buy one, and i’ll even ship it to you for free!

  • Arts Of All Sorts – Old Washington, KY

    Arts Of All Sorts – Old Washington, KY

    I made a short video of Old Washington’s recent: Arts of all sorts. The video was LIVE, so it’s a little bit shaky and I did do any editing, but it takes you into the moment of visiting our little village during an art activity. I’m so lucky to be a part of such a creative community. Thanks everyone for making it possible!

    If you don’t have the time to watch the whole video, here are a few photos of the video’s highlights.

    basket weavers in old washington kentucky
    woman making a clay whistle in old washington kentucky
    father michael henderson spinning wool in old washington kentucky
    barb clarke and ginny b butler volunteering in old washington kentucky
    children painting a mural in old washington kentucky
    theresa barns leading a felting activity in old washington kentucky
    artists painting in old washington kentucky
    artists doing body painting in old washington kentucky
    woodcarving in old washington Kentucky
    tents at washington hall in old washington kentucky
    pottery making pottery in old washington kentucky
    printmaking at old washington kentucky
    linocut of the old washington courthouse being struck by lightning in old washington kentucky
    pottery in old washington kentucky
    marie kelsch in old washington kentucky
    aromatherapy in old washington kentucky
    acrylic pour painting in old washington Kentucky
    mushroom
    maysville mayor david cartmel buying pottery in old washington kentucky

  • Circle of Friends

    Circle of Friends

    For August’s ArtZINE, our theme is: Life Turns Full Circle. We are celebrating a full year of visiting different small towns and collaborating with local and visiting artists.  I have enjoyed exploring the different small towns, but my favorite part of the project are the new friends I have made while visitng their communities. We are meeting August 30th in Warsaw, KY. You are welcome to join us. 

    For my entry, I decided to carve a woodcut poster. I haven’t carved a woodcut this size before, but once I settled into the rhythm of carving, it went smooth. Here are some photos and videos of the process:

    sketch for a woodcut of a cat. with a cat looking up at the printmaking
    Sketch on the block of wood
    carving a woodcut for printmaking. a brown dog looking over the corner
    slow and steady…carving the first bird. (with Lulubelle’s Supervision)
    woodcut of a cat surrounded by birds work in progress
    more progress…
    work in progress woodcut of a cat holding a bird ready to print
    the carved block…ready for a test print!
    artist ken swinson holding a new woodcut of a cat holding a bird
    The Test proof!

    I have wanted to start making something that is big, affordable, and still original art, crafted by my hands (not gliclees or reproductions). I know a lot of people who love original art, and have big spaces on their walls, but they don’t have a big art budget. I think that woodcut posters could be the perfect solution.



    I am printing this woodcut on a heavyweight, acid free 100% cotton paper.
    The artwork is 12 1/2″x20″
    The paper is 15″x22″

    The posters are signed, but not limited or numbered; which lets me get the price down to $60. I’m still going to offer free shipping in the USA, however, the art will be rolled in a tube, instead of mailed flat.

    If you are familiar with my work, you know that this is a great price for one of my woodcuts at this size. If I get a good response from this poster, I hope to be able to create more soon. Thanks everyone for supporting my work!

  • day 4 – printmaking workshop at the Baker-Hunt Art and Culture Center

    a few snapshots from the last day of our 4 day printmaking workshop at the baker hunt art and culture center. we covered a LOT of printmaking technique in a short amount of time. lucky for me, I had super talented artists for students.

  • Route 62 : Shell Gas Station, Russellville, OH

    Route 62 : Shell Gas Station, Russellville, OH

    I live on US Route 62, and have an idea of a project where I explore the road from end (Niagara falls, Canada) to end (ciudad Juarez, México) this weekend, I took my first trip along the Highway (to Grove city, oh) this is an old highway, and there is a lot of nostalgia from when this was a main road, so and I thought the perfect first linocut for this project would be Skip’s garage in Russellville.

    If you’d like one of the linocuts, I’m selling them for $20 (free shipping to the USA) to raise money for more travel along US Route 62

    4 1/2″ x 6″ hand carved block prints printed on a 8×10″ sheet of printmaking paper, signed by the artist.

    Using an old-fashioned etching press, this is a hand printed work of art, and there is some variety in each print, yours may differ slightly from the photo.

  • New Maysville Panoramic Woodcut

    Last week, I did some sketching around Maysville, KY, and asked my friends on social media…which sketch should I make into a woodcut. The feedback was divided, so I chose #1 of the 3 sketches.

    Here’s my progress so far:

    design on woodblock of maysville kentucky for woodcut printmaking
    I reversed and transferred the sketch onto a block of wood
    first cuts in a reduction woodcut by kentucky artist ken swinson
    Then carved away all the parts I want to be WHITE
    first color in a reduction print of maysville kentucky by ken swinson
    I printed my lightest color: a light, light brown. Then carved the brown areas, and inked again with the second lightest color: light grey
    darker grey print of maysville kentucky by artist ken swinson printmaking
    on porch carving a reduction woodcut with dogs watching
    We are having good porch weather, so on the 3rd day, I sat on the porch, and carved my 3rd color: a light blue
    adding light yellow to a reduction print woodcut
    My 4th and 5th colors  (light green and light purple) were far enough from each other, I was able to print them at the same time
    revealing yellow color for a reduction woodcut

    Stay tuned, I’m carving and printing every day. I’ll have another progress report soon.