Cut it Out!

A common phrase in our household, but today it means cool lino, wood, and paper cut images for calendars.

Dec 19, 2024

December: CALENDARS

Hello makers,

Making a calendar is a good excuse to try things you haven’t done before, like cutting stuff to make a picture! Ok so that covers collage too, but today we are talking about lino, wood and paper cutting. I’ve never tried these methods myself, but I’m in love with the sometimes clean, sometimes scratchy lines of lino prints. The way there is usually a limited colour palette, and often big blocks of bold, solid colour. Oh and how people can think in the reverse and cut away what is not going to be part of the image! So clever.

The purpose of my newsletter is not to teach you how to do things, but rather to inspire you to get curious and follow your creativity. But I will share Rich Fowler’s site, a California based printmaker and linocut artist who shares tutorials and online classes for learning lino block printing.

In the meantime, I want to brighten your day and hopefully inspire you with these amazing artists and their beautiful work.

Nikki McClure:

I first discovered the incredible art of Nikki McClure when I was hunting for a pregnancy journal that wasn’t all teddy bears and baby rabbits. Her beautiful journal, titled “Embrace” is full of stunning paper cut images and not a single cutesy teddy bear in sight. She also makes an annual calendar. Each image is cut from a single piece of black paper, whaaat!?! Her precision, her attention to detail, the way she stunningly captures the feeling of a moment is just incredible.

Check out more of her work, including her calendars on her website.

Sally-Mae Hudson:

Sally is a self-taught printmaker living in stunning Lake Hāwea right here in Aotearoa New Zealand! I first met Sally at a little market at the Arts Centre and instantly fell in love with her work. We shared our experiences studying in environmental education and subsequently following creative pursuits. It is obvious in her work that her passion and experience in the natural environment inspires everything she makes. As she says:

“My art and my passion for the outdoors are so intertwined that without one, I couldn’t do the other.”

If you love back country tramping (hiking for those who don’t know what tramping is :)), you have to check out her work. And now she has made a calendar!

Mara Cozzolino:

Mara Cozzolino is a printmaker based in the north west Italy. She primarily makes Mokuhanga - a traditional Japanese woodblock printing technique that uses water-based inks. Her work is utterly beautiful, surreal and feels like you are floating under a summer sky. If you are wondering what Japanese woodblock prining looks like, check out her instagram as she has some great process reels. But for now, drink in the beauty.

Aftyn Shah:

Aftyn Shah from Rise + Wander makes the most serene yet bold images, inspiring you to get into the outdoors. Aftyn came to creativity in what you could call a non-traditional way:

“After a life-changing car accident, living with the daily effects of a traumatic brain injury, while also navigating newly diagnosed ADHD and autism (a silver lining of seeing all those doctors!), my neurorehab counselor ordered me to get outside and to keep my hands busy. From those early, tentative weeks hiking and then coming home to carve linoleum blocks, nature and creativity became forever linked.”

The goal of Rise + Wander is to inspire people to get into the outdoors and pursue adventure, no matter how big or small. That sounds pretty good to me!

So many talented artists out there and so much inspiration to get making and creating! I’d love to hear your thoughts so please leave a comment or send me a message.

Happy making,

Esta