Mokuhanga- Japanese Woodblock
Mokuhanga is a traditional printmaking technique that was made internationally known by Ukiyo-e artists - Utamaro, Hokusai and Hiroshige, for example - during the Edo period in Japan (1603 - 1863). Moku means wood in Japanese, and hanga means print. Mokuhanga is an environmentally friendly technique using only natural materials: wood, watercolour, washi (Japanese handmade paper) and a baren (a handheld tool made from bamboo to print without the need of a printing press). The pigments are applied with a brush and, though being printed by hand, the image is pressed deeply into the washi paper.
Red to Port- 3 block print for Kanreki exhibiton 2020
Red to Port- Blocks 1 & 2
Red to Port- Blocks 2&3
Red to Port- Part Edition
Red to Port- Clearing wood
Red to Port- Carving
Red to Port- Carving
Red to Port- Carving rocks
Kanreki- Exhibition of Mokuhanga work from Graphic Studio Dublin and invited artists. Kanreki, in Japan, celebrates a 60th birthday with the colour red.
Streedagh- 3 Block print
Streedagh- variations/ Proofing
Streedagh- Blocks and print
Streedagh- Block detail
Streedagh & Baily- DLR/ Creative Ireland Bursary
Baily- Printing
Baily-yellows
Baily Blues
Baily- proofs and editions
Baily & Streedagh- DLR / Creative Ireland bursary
Baily- Block detail
Sandcurrents- 3-Block print
Sandcurrents- 3 Block print
Sandcurrents- print and blocks
Mokuhanga process- dampening the paper
Mokuhanga process- applying the paint and nori, with a brush
Mokuhanga process- rolling out the washi paper, aligned to a kento
Mokuhanga process- Baren over baking paper
Mokuhanga process- revealing the final print
Mokuhanga process- carving tools & shina ply
Mokuhanga process- carving away the block
Mokuhanga process- barens
Mokuhanga process- mokuhanga tools
With support from DLR County Council/Creative Ireland, Susan was able to develop these skills under the mentorship of Kate MacDonagh, who had trained with MI-Lab in Japan. This medium has also been taken up by printmakers in Graphic Studio Dublin, and in 2020/2021, as one of a series of 60th anniversary exhibitions for the Studio, Kanreki, an exhibition of Mokuhanga prints on a red theme was presented by The Model Sligo, Graphic Studio Gallery and the IMC conference in Nara, Japan.