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Maryland Printmakers
THE
BAREN INTERNET WOODBLOCK FORUM |
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 Carved Men by Maria Arango, 2000, woodcut print, 13" x 20" |
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Artists, along with everyone else,
have been making increasing use of the internet in the past few years.
We show our work on individual websites and in groups promoted by art
consultants and dealers. We participate in forums, exchange ideas and
techniques, and even learn completely new ways of working by
connecting with others who are more experienced.
I joined [Baren], a forum for woodblock printmaking, in early 1999. Although I haven’t been a very active participant, I have been a close observer, and in the year and a half I’ve been a member I’ve watched [Baren] grow and flourish to become a major international center for woodblock printmaking. Founder and moderator David Bull started [Baren] in 1997 as “a place where anyone with an interest in the fascinating world of woodblock printmaking is welcome. Its main purpose is to encourage a flow of information among printmakers, to allow them to share their knowledge and experience, and to provide a place where they can get to know each other.” He describes [Baren] as being “a ‘convention of woodblock printmakers’ – but a convention with a difference: held in ‘cyberspace’ and thus easily accessible to all, and with never a ‘closing speech’ to signify that it is time for all the participants to end the discussions and go home.” [Baren] began as a small discussion forum with a handful of members. The name comes from the Japanese baren, the tool used to apply pressure to the paper when taking an impression from a woodblock. David Bull planned for the emphasis in the group to be on moku-hanga, the Japanese technique of making woodblock prints by hand using water based inks. But as the group has expanded it has grown to include artists who make use of wood in other ways. There are those who make traditional Western oil based woodcuts and wood engravings, those who make laser cut blocks, and even some postings about steam roller prints and prints made by cars! However, the main focus is still on the Japanese method of woodblock printmaking, and [Baren] is an excellent place for artists who want to learn the technique to get information and advice. In addition to the main forum, [Baren] sponsors several other activities. There is a social circle called ‘After Five’, where members go to get to know each other ‘outside of work.’ There is a gallery of work by [Baren] members and links to members’ websites. Members participate in print exchanges and take part in online and international exhibitions of these exchanges. For those who don’t want to get involved in the major production that an exchange requires, there is also a Swap Shop, where members send five or more prints to a coordinator, who then distributes the prints to other participants. Baren-Suji, the quarterly newsletter of the [Baren] forum, is available to members and non-members around the world. Because there is so much going on in [Baren], there is also a biweekly ‘NewsFeed’ to keep members up to date in between newsletters, and a message board which allows members to post messages about call-for-entries and other items of interest.
A major part of the [Baren] website is the Encyclopedia of Woodblock Printmaking. This has been mainly set up by David Bull, but also includes contributions from various [Baren] members. The encyclopedia contains techniques for woodblock printmaking, descriptions of tools and materials, a list of suppliers of materials, a glossary, links and book reviews. It also has a library, which contains complete reproductions of texts on printmaking that are in the public domain. Altogether, the website represents a comprehensive study of the art of the woodblock print. I e-interviewed several members of [Baren] to find out how such a major resource for printmakers came into being. Julio Rodriguez has been a member since January 1998. He says that when he joined [Baren] there were about a dozen members in the forum. “That group quickly expanded during the spring and summer of 1998. With (the expansion, came) the creation of the encyclopedia, via contributions from many members. Then the exchanges followed in late 1998 and 1999, attracting more printmakers.” About six months after [Baren] started, a group of members decided to share their prints with each other. Since then there have been six more print exchanges, with a new one scheduled approximately every three months. April Vollmer, a member since June 1998, was one of the participants in the first portfolio exchange. She says "the first (exchange) was very exciting because it was the first, and because it attracted the attention of Judy Mensch at Manhattan Graphics, who initiated an exhibition there of the portfolio." In April 2000, Julio coordinated an exhibit of more than 130 woodblock prints from the various exchanges, at the Skokie Public Library in Skokie, Illinois. And in June, Gregory Robison organized an exhibit and sale of [Baren] members’ prints in Kampala, Uganda.
The exchanges themselves have contributed to the growth of interest in [Baren], and have stimulated member artists in their work. Maria Arango, editor of Baren-Suji, says “the exchanges are very challenging for me because I know that thirty of my peers will be looking very closely at my prints, so I try to excel at them. I also want to present, (to those) who participate, a print that is unique to me, so in that sense, [Baren] has helped me define my style as a printmaker. The ongoing conversations in the forum motivate me and push me in directions that I wouldn’t probably have ventured on my own.” Dimitris Grammatikopulos also finds that membership in [Baren] and participation in the exchanges have influenced him and his work. He says, “communication always influences the human being. It’s good knowing you’re not alone with your everyday art and/or craft problems. Besides that, it is highly stimulating when you enter a more or less competitive environment. In [Baren] one may encounter all the levels of knowledge, skill and inspiration. The exchanges are quite a thrill to be in, and I believe them to be the key feature in the community.” Barbara Mason, a printmaker and arts advocate from Oregon, told me about the friendships she has developed over the year and a half that she has been a member. She said she belongs to a monotype list and two other general printmaking lists, but none is as active as [Baren]. “The best thing about [Baren] is the wonderful people I have met…in person and…over the net. I feel like I have known some of them longer than a hear and a half.” Maria Arango also talked of [Baren] being “like a conversation…between people who have similar interests. Much more personal and more my style of virtual communication (than other forums she has found). I can actually say I have made friends… I have since then met several members and found them very much like they are online.” She also feels that the artists in [Baren] have influenced and stimulated her way of thinking about her work. She says, “It helps to know different points of view about design, cutting, selling, ways of life, art, thinking, etc… I continually question myself because of the conversations (on line), and decide what to adopt and emulate or what to dump and avoid. The self-critique that is initiated in many [Baren] conversations serves to strengthen my own direction and my own beliefs. I don’t think I would be quite as prone to self-analysis if I didn’t belong to [Baren]. From this process I enjoy artistic growth.” From the discussions taking place on [Baren], Graham Scholes, an experienced woodblock printmaker, recognized the need for a workshop for members. For the past three summers, he has held a weeklong class in hanga printmaking, in British Columbia. He says, “The skill and craft level required to do woodblock printing made the workshop very popular, and it has been fully attended, with a waiting list for future years.” Members stay at his wife Marnie’s Bed and Breakfast, “and attend the workshop that has become known as ‘Boot Camp’ because of the intensive learning experience.” Wanda Robertson is an artist who started out working with oil-based inks and a press. She says that when she heard about Graham’s class, she “jumped at the chance and signed up for it. I was a complete beginner at hanga, but loved it from the beginning. A challenging medium, but capable of beautiful subtleties in colors and values.”
The [Baren] website can be found at http://www.woodblock.com. For information about ‘Boot Camp’, Graham Scholes has a website at http://members.home.net/woodblocks Maria Arango has a website at http://www.printmakingstudio.com. |
