The video below is a step-by-step tutorial on how to create linocut prints.
From beginning to end I'll show you how my printmaking process comes to life.
Let me know in the comments section below if you have any questions!
All of the prints you see in this video are pictured below
and are available for purchase at my Etsy shop.
Judging by the title I'm sure it's obvious that I've been busy working since I've gotten home from school. Although I am expected to continue making work for my thesis exhibition while I'm home, May has been my month off from school. To be completely honest I really haven't had any time to squeeze in even just a moment for school.
Since I've been home I have worked every weekend as a sports photographer shooting and selling at lacrosse and hockey tournaments. The hours are long and gruelling, but the gig pays well and I love the company that I work for.
On Friday evenings I coach a youth indoor Atomic volleyball program (ages 9-12 girls) for an hour and a half. Last week my beach volleyball coaching began and it will continue for Tuesday and Thursday nights for the next 5 or so weeks. Finally a couple weeks after that beach program wraps up, I'll start coaching another beach volleyball program on Tuesday nights till the end of the summer.
As you can see I'm just a little busy and on top of all of my guaranteed income jobs, I've been working rigorously on selling my art. On my second week back from school I completed a commission landscape/night-scape painting. I have a couple of other jobs lined up, but I'm always looking to do other custom paintings.
I've also been working hard on creating an Etsy shop. Etsy is a website where artists, crafters, artisans, and other people who make and sell quality goods, gifts, and items host online shops. If you haven't looked at the website it's the perfect place to find meaningful items and gifts for yourself, friends, and family. Of course I would love it if you would check out my shop first. I also shot an about me video for the my Etsy shop page and new headshots too!
Click this link >http://bit.ly/etsyshop-artbymallorydonen< to check out the Etsy shop.
Art Battle: 397 Vancouver, Red Room Ultra Bar, Vancouver BC
Lastly, are some updates on other art related things I've been doing and will be doing this summer.
On this past Thursday I competed in my second Art Battle in Vancouver. Although I didn't go through to the final round I still had a blast and I felt a lot more relaxed than the previous one I had done.
I submitted to another show at Hot Art Wet City in Vancouver. This is the piece that got in to the show called "Eat Yo Self". The theme of the exhibition is anthropomorphic cannibalism.
The opening reception for the show is Friday June 3 from 7-11pm and runs from June 2-25. If you're in Vancouver be sure to check it out!
Milk-o-holic, 9x12", Black ink and water-soluble pencils on bristol, Mallory Donen
I also got into "Back Alley Artists Night". I'll be showing some of my paintings at this event in downtown Vancouver.
Here's some more info:
Here's a link to the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/565689430279336/
A couple of weeks ago I received my copy of the publication "Modern Laundry" in the mail. Two of my photographs are featured and one of them is even a full spread!
I think that's about all there is to share at this point. If you're interested in receiving my newsletter email me at info@artbymallorydonen.ca. The newsletter will include updates like these and special discounts at my Etsy shop. Also if you or anyone you know is interested in having me complete a commissioned painting or mural I am always looking for more work.
Yesterday I had my final critique of the first year of the MFA program at U of M. I installed new work I had made since my midterm critique in one room, and I installed the work that I made in the first half of the semester inside of my studio.
Staying within the medium of digital art, I've been pushing myself even further with this new approach. I am using the computer to make complex patterns from drawings, paintings, and photographs. There are multiple layers with varying degrees of transparency. Sometimes I cut and paste sections into random places on the image or I delete sections altogether. My process has become very collage based and I like to recycle old works into new ones. My practice continues to surprise me and it is in a constant state of transformation and development.
I'm so happy with the work that I have produced during my time in the MFA program. I never could have imagined this is what my art would look like. One of the most valuable things that I've learned this year is that artists need to take chances and try new things. I believe that this is the only way artists truly reach their full potential.
I'm excited to return home in 9 days! I can't wait to spend time with friends and family. I'll be working several jobs including sports photography, coaching indoor and beach volleyball. The rest of my summer will be spent playing beach volleyball, hiking, running, biking, and making art.
My first year in the MFA program is almost complete. I will be home in two weeks and I couldn't be any more impatient. I find myself missing the mountains, especially since everyone from BC has been posting photos of the nice weather all over social media. This longing for the mountains inspired me to paint a landscape in my studio the other day. Here is how it all came together.
I started by using a paint brush and india ink to create an outline of mountains, a lake, and some trees. I visualized a scene from my camping trip last summer in BC. Next I added line details using coloured micron pens.
Coming Home, India Ink and Coloured Micron Pens on Bristol, 11"x14", 2016, Mallory Donen
Afterwards I scanned the above image using a flatbed scanner. I used Photoshop to generate the panorama landscape image below.
It's amazing how much you can miss things from home that you often take for granted. Can't wait to come home and be reunited with the mountains.
Children's Museum, Winnipeg, MB
This past Friday I participated as 1 of 15 artists in a live painting competition called The Brush Off! It was part of a fundraiser for the Manitoba Children's Museum at the Forks in Winnipeg. Proceeds raised from the event will be going towards enhancing exhibitions at the Children's Museum, the creation of educational programs, and helping fund the Free2Play program which provides free museum visits for under-supported children in the community. The first round of painting was a 30 min warm up round where all 15 artists completed a painting as people were arriving for the event.
This was the 18x24" painting that I completed for the warm-up round of the competition. I kept things as simple as I could in terms of color palette and went with a combination of blues and purples.
This was the 18"x24" painting I completed for Round 1 of the competition. As with the warm-up round I stuck with a focused palette this time I chose reds, oranges, and yellows.
Shortly after the warm-up round began Round 1 of the competition. I chose my painting station last which proved to be a disadvantage. There were five artists in a square formation in the section of the museum name "Times Square", this is where the majority of people at the event spent most of their time. Although the MC announced throughout the round that there were 15 artists to check out and vote for, I am unsure how many votes or even how much traffic even came my way. Once the round began I was pretty much "in the zone" and vaguely aware of my surroundings. Needless to say I was not 1 of the 5 artists to go on to Round 2 of the competition.
Round 2 was another 30 min round of painting with all of the artists competing in "Times Square". During this round all of the paintings from the warm-up round, and Round 1 were placed in an area where they were set up for a silent auction. There was also catered food and alcohol available throughout the night.
Paintings from warm-up round and Round 1 being silent auctioned off.
Round 2 - Megan Krause (Left) and Zephyra Vun (Right).
Round 2 - Times Square. Kritaps Balodis (Left) and Megan Krause (Right).
Round 2 - Kristaps Balodis (Left) and Megan Krause (Right).
Round 2 - Gregor Awang.
Round 2 - Zephyra Vun (Left) and Gregor Awang (Right).
Two artists from Round 2 moved forward to compete head-to-head in the Final Round.
Final Round - Runner up Gregor Awang.
Final Round - Winner Emilie Lemay.
After they announced the winning artist of the evening, the two paintings from the Final Round were live auctioned off. Overall it was a very fun event with lots of art, food, wine, and of course lots of money raised for a great cause! I hope to do this event again next year :).
This semester I've had two courses that have kept me very busy with lots of reading. To be honest I haven't spent a lot of time in the studio. This is also due to the fact that I've been creating a lot of work from home on my computer using Photoshop. But the day before open studios I found some time to be in my studio and play with all sorts of different materials and processes. I decided to use this spare time to let go, relax, have fun, and experiment with whatever I had lying around.
I had some pre-mixed paint that I had been storing in some old tupperware containers for a couple months and I was going to clean it up. I then proceeded to use paper towels to scoop out the old paint. But instead of throwing out the paint, I used the paper towel similar to the way I would use a sponge to apply texture to several sheets of bristol. I also mixed some paint with crackle paste medium and used a palette knife to create shapes and textures on cardboard and card-stock. Lastly I ripped a small piece of canvas and collaged it onto a sheet of stonehenge with some of the paint and crackle paste.
Although I was creating with little intention, in the back of my mind I knew that I would be able to use these small pieces as sources to create digital patterns. The next day when everything had dried I scanned all the images using a flatbed scanner at the school. Below are the patterns that I created using the above experiments. Each source image precedes the patterns that were produced using that image.
Patterns really can be created out of anything and everything. The world is my oyster! I'm feeling so inspired these days and I don't see it ending any time soon!
- Mal
Yesterday we opened the doors to our MFA studios and shared our work with faculty, students, and the public. It was very interesting to see the range of reactions to my work depending on the background of each individual. Many of my visitors saw the connection of my patterned practice in relation to textiles, fabric, quilting, and printmaking.
I found myself explaining my process and the evolution of my work since first starting in the MFA program. My work has changed and progressed quite a bit over the course of two semesters. Being able to see the wide range of work I've created this year has allowed me to see the connections that exist within all of my work. The route of my practice is in pattern formation and obsession with details. Oliver Botar (Art History Professor) linked the idea of "horror vacui" to my obsession with pattern, which simply means "the fear of empty space". The focused meditative process of filling empty spaces with repeated lines and shapes has always been a calming ritual act that has helped me cope with stress and anxiety. Getting lost in the process takes my mind to a place without worry, its a place I can escape to whenever I feel the need to do so. Being in control of the creative process gives me a sense of calm and satisfaction, something I can relate to in almost all aspects of my life.
Pattern making is a process with infinite possibilities. Anything and everything can be repeated in order to create a new pattern. Everywhere I look I am able to find inspiration, while waiting for people to stop by my studio I found myself taking photos on my phone. Sometimes I can find inspiration in the places I never thought I would find it, such as the tape left behind after taking down some of my work.
Here's an update on what's been happening with me lately. I've been busy submitting to various shows, publications and residencies. As of right now I have not been accepted for any residencies for the summer. As for shows, I was in the Semiahmoo Arts Members Exhibition, in White Rock, BC, at the Turnbull Gallery from January 10-29, 2016.
Installation view, 2016, Semiahmoo Arts Members Exhibition, Turnbull Gallery, White Rock, BC
A Day to Live (1), 24x30", Acrylic on canvas, 2015, Mallory Donen
Wave, 24x30", Acrylic on canvas, 2015, Mallory Donen
I was also in the I Chew Chew Chew You A Pizza Art Show, an exhibition at Hot Art Wet City in Vancouver, BC, from February 11-27, 2016. My image was also published in the Pizza Zine which was a small black and white zine published alongside the exhibition. I'm waiting for my copy to arrive in the mail, but I'll post photos once it arrives. I also found out the other day that my image sold, which was surprising and exciting news!
Installation view, 2016, I Chew Chew Chew You A Pizza Art Show, Hot Art Wet City, Vancouver, BC
Gettin' Baked!, 11x14", India ink and watercolour on bristol, 2015, Mallory Donen
Furthermore, I've been accepted for a couple of upcoming publications. I will be in this year's Louden Singletree 2016 issue, which is a student-run literary and visual arts magazine at UFV. The publication will be launching in early April 2016.
Additionally I will also be published in another student magazine created as a curatorial thesis at OCAD University. Below are the images that were chosen and a description of the publication that was listed with the submission posting.
Windows Within Windows, 2015, Mallory Donen
Transitions, 2015, Mallory Donen
"PUBLICATION DESCRIPTION:
Modern Laundry is an art publication I will be curating and designing for my Curatorial thesis at OCAD University. The project is centred around the site of ruin and how it is perceived, and will be largely submission-based. Here are some ideas I'll be covering:
In the case of architectural ruin, there exists a double state between nostalgic monument to the past and revolutionary allegory for change and rebirth. Ruins are therefore caught between life and death, reminding us of the splendour of the past but also its resultant failures and shortcomings.
The concept of the ruin is complicated further when we look at the relatively recent development of planned obsolescence, in which the ruin is built into the design of consumer products, creating an endless cycle of consumption and excretion. Perceived obsolescence on the other hand does not even rely on the physical breakdown of the object, only the replacement of its sense of newness with another product, casting the first into a grey half-life.
The publication is therefore a comparison between classic and modern conceptions of ruin. How does garbage and the undead object act in relation to the architectural ruin? How do we live both functionally and aesthetically in an undead landscape, caught between growth and decay?
Topics explored include:
Architectural Ruin
Planned / Perceived Obsolescence
Re-adaptation of objects / garbage
Undead objects / architectureRelationship between growth and decay
Trash aesthetics"
Additionally, I just found out today that I've been chosen as one of 15 artists who will be painting at The Brush Off! at the Children's Museum, in Winnipeg, MB, on April 8, 2016. The Brush Off! is a live painting competition with several elimination rounds, where guests vote for their favourite artists. There will be over 35 original paintings created during the night and the paintings will be bid on, with all the proceeds going to the Children's Museum. For more information check out the website: http://childrensmuseum.com/support/the-brush-off
Finally, below are some photos of my most recent work for my MFA.
Yes, I have been a busy bee lately! I've been working hard and it's definitely paying off, I'm getting experience in so many diverse areas. Only a couple more months of my first year in the MFA program, then I'll be heading back to White Rock for most of the summer!
Mallory :)
This week I had my midterm critique/evaluation with my Thesis Advisor and two committee members. It all went very well and I got lots of good feedback. They were really impressed with the techniques and skills I've acquired since my last critique. I've been creating patterns digitally using Photoshop and my original drawings/paintings. The process is very complicated and involves multiple layers of editing and adjustments. The patterns are irregular and have moments where I purposefully disrupt what is expected of a cohesive repetitive pattern.
However, I'm happy that the feedback wasn't all positive because I wouldn't be able to grow as an artist if they didn't give me some constructive criticism to help push me even further. The main concern my committee members had was that my patterns need a more focused concept and idea behind them. After mulling over what they said, I realized that they are right. If I insert an additional element of meaning behind my patterns they will only become stronger visually and conceptually.
This upcoming week is reading week, so I don't have any classes. I'll be using this time off to de-stress, relax, and figure out what it is that I want my patterns to say. Take a look at the photos from my midterm installation below as well as a couple detail images of the larger piece. The large piece is 5ftx10ft and the smaller ones are 30"x40" each.
It's the start of a new year and my second semester in the MFA program at the University of Manitoba. I got off to a rough start and missed my first day of class due to food poisoning, which put me out of commission for a couple days. I binge watched Gilmore Girls on Netflix and soon realized that I've already seen every episode. Once the sickness passed I had lots of work to do and little time to spare.
The semester is going to be challenging and I'm sure it will push me even further than last term. I'll have a lot more writing and reading to do this semester but I'll still spend plenty of time in the studio too. I got another Teaching Assistantship job for a first year class called Open Studio. Basically the students are assigned projects with themes and it's up to them to decide which medium of art is best suited to their ideas. I gave my first "lecture" or rather powerpoint to the class this week showing them a handful of artists and works to help inspire their own projects.
As some of you may have heard or seen in the news it's finally turned into a typical Winnipeg winter with days as cold as -41 with wind chill. The first couple days of really cold weather were an adjustment, but it's all about adapting to the climate and now that I have it's really not so bad.
I finally found time to spend a solid day in the studio. I spent most of Friday producing source materials for patterns that I would eventually create digitally. Here are the initial drawings/paintings:
Then I spent the weekend working in Photoshop where I manipulated the source images and formulated complex patterns. The photos below show the original drawing/painting next to the pattern that was created from that source image.
That's all for now, I'll be sure to keep updating my blog as the semester continues.
Cheers,
Mallory
