Nizhoni
20" x 20"
Oil on Wood

This is a new oil painting I'll be showing at my Open Studio that opens Friday December 11th. What a busy weekend! Also opening the same night is the Statewide Drawing and Printmaking Competition at the Triton Museum in Santa Clara. My mom and dad said they would baby-sit my studio on Friday evening from 7 to 9 pm so I can be at the Triton.

Mechanics of Wonder

24" x 24"
Woodblock Print

This print plus two others were accepted into the Statewide Drawing and Print Exhibit at the Triton Museum in Santa Clara. There were 600 entries and 70 pieces selected.

Peace

Bird of Peace
16" x 16"
Ink over Linoleum Print

In the studio this week I sat down with some ink and began painting on top of an unfinished linoleum print.

Nightfall, Center of the World
Mixed Media
46" x 36"

This is a fairly new work that I pulled out of my studio painting rack yesterday. Its an acrylic painting combined with some collage elements...its about a moment in time that occurred while I was out walking- awhile ago on my birthday. While walking down the hill I saw the sun setting on the ocean... and then I looked behind me and saw the moon setting on the opposite horizon. At that moment I felt like I had reached the middle of my life, and at a point in space where I felt like I was in the middle of the world.....deep, huh? That's what can happen when you go for long, meditative walks on your birthday.

Mechanics of Wonder CD Cover

Nancy Hall and the Curios are using my painting for the cover of their new CD, "Pillow Book"! The CD is being pressed and will be ready very soon. I can hardly wait. The music is amazing. The CD release party will be December 12th at the at the Mildred Owen Concert Hall (formerly the Sanchez Concert Hall) in Pacifica. More info at Nancy's website

New Artwork at Ocean Yoga

The Spiral and the The Wheel
2 new monotypes I hung recently at Ocean Yoga in Pacifica.
A montype is a one-of-a-kind impression created by rolling and/or painting inks onto a piece of plexiglass, rubbing off some ink and then pressing onto paper for a one-off original print. Fun.

I call this picture "Sun Field". It combines monoprint collage and painting. This is the image I chose for the card announcing the one-day Open Studios on Aug. 29th at the Sanchez Art Center from 1 to 5 pm. Its fun visiting all the artists studios; plus the 50/50 show is open in the galleries.

The 50/50 grand opening on Friday, July 24th was a bit over-the-top. I had fun, saw lots of friends and met so many people. There were over 1000 people. Everyone I spoke to said they had a great time, but many came back to see the artwork without the crowds. The next show will be the Art Guild of Pacifica's 51st Annual Membership Exhibit.

50 woodcuts in 50 days

Conversation

6" x 6"
Woodcut #50
$150

I made it! 50 woodcuts in 50 days. As you can see, I didn't have a specific theme so each day I woke up wondering what the subject of my woodcut would be. Some days it was quite a pleasant surprise. Other days it left me wondering.

I definitely re-ignited my love for the art of woodcut- and I finally learned how to sharpen those Japanese woodcut tools. I'm looking forward to doing some larger, multi-block woodcuts soon. I'm off now for several days to the hot springs for a break. Thanks for following my blog. I'll start up with some new, larger work when I get back.

I hope you can make it to the grand opening of the show and see the actual woodcuts in person- the 3-d, sculptural aspect adds to their impact. I'll have all 50 of my woodcuts on display- along with sixty-six of my fellow 50/50 artists- at the opening on July 24th, 7 to 9pm at the Sanchez Art Center - 1220 Linda Mar Blvd. in Pacifica, CA 94044. At www.sanchezartcenter.org you can find links to some of the other 50/50 artists...they're all awesome.

Email me at andrewleone@earthlink.net if you want to reserve a woodcut prior to the opening of the show.

The Day After the Fourth of July

6" x 6"
Woodcut #49
Sold

A few brave birds arrived in our neighborhood this morning after a night of fireworks; but the birdsong was greatly diminished.

Natural Velocity

6" x 6"
Woodcut #48
Sold

Trumpet Vine

6" x 6"
Woodcut #47
Sold

Before Departure

6" x 6"
Woodcut #46
$150

Mechanical Bird

6" x 6"
Woodcut #45
Sold

5 more woodcuts to go. Its been an interesting journey so far.

Sky Maker

6" x 6"
Woodcut #44
Sold

Curio Lantern

6" x 6"
Woodcut #43
Sold

Sanchez Art Center

6" x 6"
Woodcut #42
Sold

I had one of those 'special moments' when the artists met to show examples of their 50/50 projects at the mid-way point. The room at the Art Center was overflowing with interesting artists, amazing artworks and good food- but I was moved by the mutual support and encouragement the artists gave each other. The Sanchez Art Center began with the hopes and dreams that a community would emerge that would bring artists and everyone who cares about art together in a meaningful way. For me, that evening was a particularly heartfelt example of a dream fulfilled. My thanks to all of the artists and the Sanchez Art Center.

Circle Mandala

6" x 6"
Woodcut #41
$150

Mechanics of Wonder #8

6" x 6"
Woodcut #40
Sold

Nobody Knows...

6" x 6"
Woodcut #39
Sold

Key Mandala

6" x 6"
Woodcut #38
$150

Brother John

6" x 6"
Woodcut #37
Sold

There's Music in the Air

6" x 6"
Woodcut #36
Sold

That Endless Skyway

6" x 6'
Woodcut #35
$150

The Soul of Curio

6" x 6"
Woodcut #34
Sold

Carry That Weight

6" x 6"
Woodcut #33
Sold

Some days you just need a little help with that heavy load.

Altarpiece #5

6" x 6"
Woodcut #32
Sold

Decoy
6" x 6"
Woodcut #31
$150

Here's a detail of 'Decoy' showing how it looks when I carve the wood panel- before rolling ink over the surface:

Stick Bouquet

6" x 6"
Woodcut #30
Sold

Day 30! Twenty more days to go. Each day brings new challenges and surprises.

Oceanic Device (Trout-o-matic)

6" x 6"

Woodcut #29

Sold

All the images I've posted so far have been of the the actual wood panels. Each day, I also make 4 prints. 2 of these prints I'm setting aside to make a couple of books of poems and images. The remaining two are available for sale. Here's what the prints look like for 'Oceanic Device':

Oceanic Device

6" x 6"

Prints of Woodcut #29

$60 each

Garden #3

6" x 6"
Woodcut #28
Sold

Nizhoni

6" x 6'
Woodcut #27
Sold

This photo captures the texture of the wood panel. All of these woodcuts have a 3-D aspect that
doesn't always fully show in the photos.

Cannery Row Birds

6" x 6"
Woodcut #26
$150

Wave #2

6" x 6"
Woodcut #25
$150

Top

6" x 6"
Woodcut #24
Sold

Wheel

6" x 6"
Woodcut #23
Sold

After Carpaccio
6" x 6"
Woodcut #22
Sold

Prayer Wheel
6" x 6"
Woodcut #21
$150

Annuciation
6" x 6"
Woodcut #20
$150

Inspired by some drawings I did after a painting of the Annunciation by Fra Angelico in a workshop with Louise Stanley.

Signpost

6" x 6"
Woodcut #19
$150

Drummer

6" x 6"
Woodcut #18
Sold

Dharma Wheel

6" x 6"
Woodcut #17
Sold

Altarpiece #1

6" x 6"
Woodcut #16
$150

Garden

6" x 6"
Woodcut #15
$150

Fish & Tile
6" x 6"
Woodcut #14
$150

Flicker

6" x 6"
Woodcut #13
Sold

Seedpods
6" x 6"
Woodcut #12
$150

Many of these images are inspired by objects around the house. My wife, Nancy, has collections of seedpods, pottery, and other curios.