Woodcuts
We need wetlands
We hear a lot about trees and how we need to plant a lot more of them. But in our haste to do so we mustn’t forget about other habitats too. We need insect and invertebrate rich meadows and moorlands for our ground nesting birds and we need wetlands as well. A mixed landscape increases biodiversity and wetlands are a very important part of that mix.
Wetlands are disappearing three times faster than forests yet 40% of the world’s plants and animals live or breed on wetlands. So this series celebrates these special habitats. This woodcut follows the creek out through the salt marsh into the estuary towards Denny Island and the Welsh hills.
These are my first proof prints. The image size is 15 x 15 cm. The ink is applied thickly so I can inscribe words when it is still wet.
Other Woodcut related posts
Curlew Sound
About these series of woodcuts A – Curlew Sound 3 B – Curlew Sound 7 C – Curlew Sound 8 D – Curlew Sound 9
Barn Owl over salt marsh
About these Barn Owl woodcuts A – Barn Owl variable edition 2 B – Barn Owl variable edition 3 C – Barn Owl variable edition 4 D – Barn Owl […]
Curlew postcard
Thanks to the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) asking for a postcard size donation I have discovered a new format. It has been great fun creating these postcard curlews. Applying the […]
Wildlife Artist of the Year
Curlew art selected for Wildlife Artist of the Year It is always good to have curlews represented at major exhibitions to draw attention to their plight. So I am delighted […]
Moon and Curlew
Moon and Curlew 4 On the edge of the salt marsh – the moon and curlewOn the edge of the tidecurlews calla beautiful andhaunting sound On the edge of the […]
Curlews in the Estuary – but for how long?
Curlews in the Estuary – but for how long? This new generation of prints has the curlews’ tale scribed into the ink. A winter’s walk along the salt marsh path […]
Curlews in the Estuary
About this series of woodcuts The image size is 25 x 25 cm. They are printed on Arches Aquarelle acid-free paper using Caligo Safe Wash inks. Click on images to […]
Edge of Salt Marsh
Edge of Salt Marsh is a series of hand printed woodcuts and because they are hand printed each one is different. When you apply more ink and press firmly you […]
Curlew Sound
Curlew Sound are postcard sized woodcuts. This is a variable edition so each one is different. This series is inspired by curlews flying past me in the estuary as I gazed towards the Welsh hills. If you like these you might also like the Curlew Sound series with Denny Island.
The curlew is”Near Threatened” which means it is at risk of extinction in the near future. These woodcuts highlight the curlew’s plight.
About these series of woodcuts
The image size is 15 x 10 cm. This series of woodcuts is hand printed in several layers, so each print is different (variable editions). They are printed on Arches Aquarelle acid-free paper using Caligo Safe Wash inks.
Click on image to enlarge.
A – Curlew Sound 3
B – Curlew Sound 7
C – Curlew Sound 8
D – Curlew Sound 9
Other Woodcut related posts
Curlew Sound
About these series of woodcuts A – Curlew Sound 3 B – Curlew Sound 7 C – Curlew Sound 8 D – Curlew Sound 9
Barn Owl over salt marsh
About these Barn Owl woodcuts A – Barn Owl variable edition 2 B – Barn Owl variable edition 3 C – Barn Owl variable edition 4 D – Barn Owl […]
Curlew postcard
Thanks to the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) asking for a postcard size donation I have discovered a new format. It has been great fun creating these postcard curlews. Applying the […]
Wildlife Artist of the Year
Curlew art selected for Wildlife Artist of the Year It is always good to have curlews represented at major exhibitions to draw attention to their plight. So I am delighted […]
Moon and Curlew
Moon and Curlew 4 On the edge of the salt marsh – the moon and curlewOn the edge of the tidecurlews calla beautiful andhaunting sound On the edge of the […]
Curlews in the Estuary – but for how long?
Curlews in the Estuary – but for how long? This new generation of prints has the curlews’ tale scribed into the ink. A winter’s walk along the salt marsh path […]
Curlews in the Estuary
About this series of woodcuts The image size is 25 x 25 cm. They are printed on Arches Aquarelle acid-free paper using Caligo Safe Wash inks. Click on images to […]
Edge of Salt Marsh
Edge of Salt Marsh is a series of hand printed woodcuts and because they are hand printed each one is different. When you apply more ink and press firmly you […]
Barn Owl over salt marsh
I came early to the salt marsh. The moon is full and the tide rising as a barn owl hunts for tide-flushed voles. The barn owl sees more than me beneath the tangled stems. This world is sometimes sea and sometimes land. It is home to mice, voles, crabs and fish.
About these Barn Owl woodcuts
The image size is 20 cm x 20cm. This series of woodcuts is hand printed in several layers, so each print is different (variable editions). They are printed on Arches Aquarelle acid-free paper using Caligo Safe Wash inks.
A – Barn Owl variable edition 2
B – Barn Owl variable edition 3
C – Barn Owl variable edition 4
D – Barn Owl variable edition 5
Other Woodcut related posts
Curlew Sound
About these series of woodcuts A – Curlew Sound 3 B – Curlew Sound 7 C – Curlew Sound 8 D – Curlew Sound 9
Barn Owl over salt marsh
About these Barn Owl woodcuts A – Barn Owl variable edition 2 B – Barn Owl variable edition 3 C – Barn Owl variable edition 4 D – Barn Owl […]
Curlew postcard
Thanks to the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) asking for a postcard size donation I have discovered a new format. It has been great fun creating these postcard curlews. Applying the […]
Wildlife Artist of the Year
Curlew art selected for Wildlife Artist of the Year It is always good to have curlews represented at major exhibitions to draw attention to their plight. So I am delighted […]
Moon and Curlew
Moon and Curlew 4 On the edge of the salt marsh – the moon and curlewOn the edge of the tidecurlews calla beautiful andhaunting sound On the edge of the […]
Curlews in the Estuary – but for how long?
Curlews in the Estuary – but for how long? This new generation of prints has the curlews’ tale scribed into the ink. A winter’s walk along the salt marsh path […]
Curlews in the Estuary
About this series of woodcuts The image size is 25 x 25 cm. They are printed on Arches Aquarelle acid-free paper using Caligo Safe Wash inks. Click on images to […]
Edge of Salt Marsh
Edge of Salt Marsh is a series of hand printed woodcuts and because they are hand printed each one is different. When you apply more ink and press firmly you […]
Curlew postcard
Thanks to the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) asking for a postcard size donation I have discovered a new format. It has been great fun creating these postcard curlews.
Applying the ink thickly meant I could scribe words into the surface of these individually hand printed woodcuts. I like making marks in the ink and creating textural effects. Inspiration comes from my views across the Severn Estuary. A very stylised Denny Island has sneaked in as well. I can never resist a shapely island!
Curlew Sound variable edition 5
Curlew Sound variable edition 7
Curlew Sound variable edition 8
The curlew postcard created for the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation
It is a lovely way for artists taking part in the Wildlife of the Artist of the Year (WAY) exhibition to further help the cause of wildlife conservation.This curlew postcard can be purchased directly from the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation Shop. All the donated postcards by the selected WAY artists are for sale at £60. This donation supports the DSWF’s conservation work.
Other Woodcut related posts
Curlew Sound
About these series of woodcuts A – Curlew Sound 3 B – Curlew Sound 7 C – Curlew Sound 8 D – Curlew Sound 9
Barn Owl over salt marsh
About these Barn Owl woodcuts A – Barn Owl variable edition 2 B – Barn Owl variable edition 3 C – Barn Owl variable edition 4 D – Barn Owl […]
Curlew postcard
Thanks to the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) asking for a postcard size donation I have discovered a new format. It has been great fun creating these postcard curlews. Applying the […]
Wildlife Artist of the Year
Curlew art selected for Wildlife Artist of the Year It is always good to have curlews represented at major exhibitions to draw attention to their plight. So I am delighted […]
Moon and Curlew
Moon and Curlew 4 On the edge of the salt marsh – the moon and curlewOn the edge of the tidecurlews calla beautiful andhaunting sound On the edge of the […]
Curlews in the Estuary – but for how long?
Curlews in the Estuary – but for how long? This new generation of prints has the curlews’ tale scribed into the ink. A winter’s walk along the salt marsh path […]
Curlews in the Estuary
About this series of woodcuts The image size is 25 x 25 cm. They are printed on Arches Aquarelle acid-free paper using Caligo Safe Wash inks. Click on images to […]
Edge of Salt Marsh
Edge of Salt Marsh is a series of hand printed woodcuts and because they are hand printed each one is different. When you apply more ink and press firmly you […]
Wildlife Artist of the Year
Curlew art selected for Wildlife Artist of the Year
It is always good to have curlews represented at major exhibitions to draw attention to their plight. So I am delighted that 2021 Wildlife Artist of the Year (WAY) selected these two curlew woodcuts.
However, it is a bitter sweet moment. It is always great to have your work chosen, but sad that the curlew now “qualifies” in the Facing Extinction category. Just a few years ago “facing extinction” seemed reserved for exotic creatures in far flung locations. The big hitters like elephants, rhinos and gorillas but now it has reached the curlew on my humble salt marshes.
As a Curlew Action Ambassador my aim is to raise awareness so thrilled that it is on show here and will be seen by lots of people.
The Mall Galleries in London usually hosts this exhibition but this year due to COVID it is on-line. The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation who organise this exhibition quote some alarming statistics:
- 40% of the world’s wildlife has been wiped out in the last 50 years.
- 1,000,000 species of plants, insects and mammals are at risk of extinction.
UPDATE Curlew picks up an award at Wildlife Artist of the Year . . .
Immensely honoured, thank you!
Moon and Curlew
Linked in name and nature, the Moon and Curlew, this woodcut celebrates them both.
The curlew’s ancient Greek name is Numenius meaning new moon. One of my favourite views is of a full moon tiptoeing from left to right across the top of Eastwood. It is an unusual sight as the moon’s path doesn’t often track this way.
Another marvel at this time of year is the migration of millions of birds. They move across the planet to find a favourable place to spend the winter. Curlews are one of these migrant birds and last winter I saw about 50 curlews here. So I am keeping my fingers crossed they will return again this year.
I often scribe stories into the wet ink of these Moon and Curlew woodcuts. Sometimes it is the story of the curlew whose numbers are falling dramatically; or the story of the salt marsh, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, which is also under threat.
The image size is 20 cm x 20 cm and an additional print or prints in the margin. Each woodcut is printed with Caligo Safe Wash inks on Arches Aquarelle acid-free paper.
Moon and Curlew 4
On the edge of the salt marsh – the moon and curlew
On the edge of the tide
curlews call
a beautiful and
haunting sound
On the edge of the tide
they feed as the moon
pulls back the sea
On the edge of extinction
curlews are struggling
and need our help
Moon and Curlew 5
The moon and curlew
are old friends
in name and nature
Centuries ago
inspired by the
curve of its beak
the Ancient Greeks
named the curlew
after the new moon
“Numenius”
As the moon pulls out the tide
coastal mud flats are exposed
and this is where
the winter curlews feed
So it will be
for centuries to come
if we can save the curlew
from extinction
Moon and Curlew 6
The moon and curlew are old friends in name and nature
Numenius
meaning new moon
is the Ancient Greek
name for the curlew
perhaps inspired by its
crescent shaped beak
In nature winter curlews
rely on the moon
to pull out the tides
so they can feed
on the exposed mud.
So it will be
for centuries to come
if we can save the curlew
from extinction.
Moon and Curlew 10
Moon and Curlew 11
At risk of extinction
If you don’t
know our name
If you haven’t
seen us
If you haven’t
heard us
you will not care
about us
Once you know our name
once you have seen us
once you have heard us
you will care
We are curlew
Numenius arquata
Other Woodcut related posts
Curlew Sound
About these series of woodcuts A – Curlew Sound 3 B – Curlew Sound 7 C – Curlew Sound 8 D – Curlew Sound 9
Barn Owl over salt marsh
About these Barn Owl woodcuts A – Barn Owl variable edition 2 B – Barn Owl variable edition 3 C – Barn Owl variable edition 4 D – Barn Owl […]
Curlew postcard
Thanks to the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) asking for a postcard size donation I have discovered a new format. It has been great fun creating these postcard curlews. Applying the […]
Wildlife Artist of the Year
Curlew art selected for Wildlife Artist of the Year It is always good to have curlews represented at major exhibitions to draw attention to their plight. So I am delighted […]
Moon and Curlew
Moon and Curlew 4 On the edge of the salt marsh – the moon and curlewOn the edge of the tidecurlews calla beautiful andhaunting sound On the edge of the […]
Curlews in the Estuary – but for how long?
Curlews in the Estuary – but for how long? This new generation of prints has the curlews’ tale scribed into the ink. A winter’s walk along the salt marsh path […]
Curlews in the Estuary
About this series of woodcuts The image size is 25 x 25 cm. They are printed on Arches Aquarelle acid-free paper using Caligo Safe Wash inks. Click on images to […]
Edge of Salt Marsh
Edge of Salt Marsh is a series of hand printed woodcuts and because they are hand printed each one is different. When you apply more ink and press firmly you […]
Curlews in the Estuary – but for how long?
Curlews in the Estuary – but for how long? This new generation of prints has the curlews’ tale scribed into the ink.
A winter’s walk along the salt marsh path as the tide rises is an experience like no other. As the water moves closer and closer so do flocks of redshanks and flings of dunlin. It is a mesmerising sight . . .
. . . and then you hear them. The stunningly beautiful calls of curlews. A stranger stops to ask what it is making that sound and you tell them the story of the curlew. A story which we must keep telling so others too can love this iconic bird. . . Then perhaps between us we can save them.
Our curlew population has halved in 20 years – what happens in the next 20 is up to us! Scribed into the ink of each print is a different aspect of the curlews’ plight.
I will add more of Curlews in the Estuary – but for how long? as I finish them.
About this series of woodcuts
The image size is 25 x 25 cm. They are printed on Arches Aquarelle acid-free paper using Caligo Safe Wash inks.
Click on images to enlarge.
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I am Curlew – FOR SALE -
Call of the Curlew FOR SALE
The proceeds from the sale will be donated to Curlew Action
-
Their future is in our hands SOLD
Won The Artist Award at Wildlife Artist of the Year Exhibition -
Curlew population SOLD
100% of sale price donated to Curlew Action
Find out about the groups which are trying to save our curlews : Curlew Action, Curlew Call and the WWT’s curlew recovery programme.
Other Woodcut related posts
Curlew Sound
About these series of woodcuts A – Curlew Sound 3 B – Curlew Sound 7 C – Curlew Sound 8 D – Curlew Sound 9
Barn Owl over salt marsh
About these Barn Owl woodcuts A – Barn Owl variable edition 2 B – Barn Owl variable edition 3 C – Barn Owl variable edition 4 D – Barn Owl […]
Curlew postcard
Thanks to the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) asking for a postcard size donation I have discovered a new format. It has been great fun creating these postcard curlews. Applying the […]
Wildlife Artist of the Year
Curlew art selected for Wildlife Artist of the Year It is always good to have curlews represented at major exhibitions to draw attention to their plight. So I am delighted […]
Moon and Curlew
Moon and Curlew 4 On the edge of the salt marsh – the moon and curlewOn the edge of the tidecurlews calla beautiful andhaunting sound On the edge of the […]
Curlews in the Estuary – but for how long?
Curlews in the Estuary – but for how long? This new generation of prints has the curlews’ tale scribed into the ink. A winter’s walk along the salt marsh path […]
Curlews in the Estuary
About this series of woodcuts The image size is 25 x 25 cm. They are printed on Arches Aquarelle acid-free paper using Caligo Safe Wash inks. Click on images to […]
Edge of Salt Marsh
Edge of Salt Marsh is a series of hand printed woodcuts and because they are hand printed each one is different. When you apply more ink and press firmly you […]
Curlews in the Estuary
Curlews in the Estuary
Curlews in the Estuary – hand printed woodcuts
I love to see curlews in the estuary. It is such a joy but also a privilege as they are in decline in very many places. These wonderful birds are now threatened with extinction in the near future so I am happy whenever I see them.
I cut several wood blocks for this series of Curlews in the Estuary so I can swop them around to achieve different results. I only mix small batches of ink at a time and apply this to the woodblocks using either a roller or paint brush. The image is built up in multiple layers until I achieve the results I want.
About this series of woodcuts
The image size is 25 x 25 cm. They are printed on Arches Aquarelle acid-free paper using Caligo Safe Wash inks.
Click on images to enlarge.
Curlews in the Estuary portfolio
Gallery 1 – the colours of the salt marsh are generally quite muted, after all this is no tropical paradise, especially in winter! I used more thalo blue than black to give a bluish hue.
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1 -
2 -
6
Gallery 2 is still muted but with more raw umber for an earthy pigment.
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3 -
11 -
7 -
5
Gallery 3 – sometimes I fly curlews across the margins so it adds to the sense of movement and reflects what I see on the marsh.
So I wanted to recreate this impression on some of the prints. It is always a bit of a gamble printing in the margins as you can so easily smudge a curlew or two and spoil the entire piece. But sometimes it is worth the gamble.
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9 -
8 -
10
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4
You can see more woodcuts on my Hand Printed Woodcuts page
Other Woodcut related posts
Curlew Sound
About these series of woodcuts A – Curlew Sound 3 B – Curlew Sound 7 C – Curlew Sound 8 D – Curlew Sound 9
Barn Owl over salt marsh
About these Barn Owl woodcuts A – Barn Owl variable edition 2 B – Barn Owl variable edition 3 C – Barn Owl variable edition 4 D – Barn Owl […]
Curlew postcard
Thanks to the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) asking for a postcard size donation I have discovered a new format. It has been great fun creating these postcard curlews. Applying the […]
Wildlife Artist of the Year
Curlew art selected for Wildlife Artist of the Year It is always good to have curlews represented at major exhibitions to draw attention to their plight. So I am delighted […]
Moon and Curlew
Moon and Curlew 4 On the edge of the salt marsh – the moon and curlewOn the edge of the tidecurlews calla beautiful andhaunting sound On the edge of the […]
Curlews in the Estuary – but for how long?
Curlews in the Estuary – but for how long? This new generation of prints has the curlews’ tale scribed into the ink. A winter’s walk along the salt marsh path […]
Curlews in the Estuary
About this series of woodcuts The image size is 25 x 25 cm. They are printed on Arches Aquarelle acid-free paper using Caligo Safe Wash inks. Click on images to […]
Edge of Salt Marsh
Edge of Salt Marsh is a series of hand printed woodcuts and because they are hand printed each one is different. When you apply more ink and press firmly you […]
See also the series of Curlews in the Estuary – but for how long?
Teal in the Estuary
Teal in the Estuary celebrates one of the smallest and fastest flying ducks which come to our shores.
They arrive here for winter as it is warmer here and there is more food than in the arctic north. When the days lengthen again in March or April they will head back north to nest.
They are a pretty little duck, the males especially with a teal stripe on a chestnut head. Both the male and the female have a distinctive teal green wing patch. They jinx this way and that, so I love watching the teal in the estuary to-ing and fro-ing along the edge of the salt marsh. On this stretch of coast there are three starboard-hand buoys so shipping can safely navigate into Royal Portbury Docks. So it is a frequent sight to see the teal passing these green buoys.
Teal in the Estuary V/E 1 is shown framed. It is float mounted so you can see the torn paper edges. It is then mounted onto acid-free mount board printed with a couple more teal. This mounted print is supplied with or without the frame. The frame is UK-made of ash from sustainable sources. The main print size excluding margin prints is 15 cm x 15 cm. Size of frame is 43 cm x 43 cm.
Other Woodcuts
Curlew Sound
About these series of woodcuts A – Curlew Sound 3 B – Curlew Sound 7 C – Curlew Sound 8 D – Curlew Sound 9
Barn Owl over salt marsh
About these Barn Owl woodcuts A – Barn Owl variable edition 2 B – Barn Owl variable edition 3 C – Barn Owl variable edition 4 D – Barn Owl […]
Curlew postcard
Thanks to the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) asking for a postcard size donation I have discovered a new format. It has been great fun creating these postcard curlews. Applying the […]
Wildlife Artist of the Year
Curlew art selected for Wildlife Artist of the Year It is always good to have curlews represented at major exhibitions to draw attention to their plight. So I am delighted […]
Moon and Curlew
Moon and Curlew 4 On the edge of the salt marsh – the moon and curlewOn the edge of the tidecurlews calla beautiful andhaunting sound On the edge of the […]
Curlews in the Estuary – but for how long?
Curlews in the Estuary – but for how long? This new generation of prints has the curlews’ tale scribed into the ink. A winter’s walk along the salt marsh path […]
Curlews in the Estuary
About this series of woodcuts The image size is 25 x 25 cm. They are printed on Arches Aquarelle acid-free paper using Caligo Safe Wash inks. Click on images to […]
Edge of Salt Marsh
Edge of Salt Marsh is a series of hand printed woodcuts and because they are hand printed each one is different. When you apply more ink and press firmly you […]
Edge of Salt Marsh
Edge of Salt Marsh is a series of hand printed woodcuts and because they are hand printed each one is different. When you apply more ink and press firmly you get a solid imprint. When you apply less ink and press gently you get a lovely texture. To make this series even more special I hand printed free-flying ducks in the margin.
Because no two are the same in either texture or colour the Edge of Salt Marsh prints are classed as variable edition prints (V/E).
How I printed the Edge of Salt Marsh
- I carved 3 woodblocks. You carve woodblocks in reverse so it takes a bit of thought (text can be really challenging).
- You take multiple test prints to highlight high spots and unwanted marks.
- When satisfied with the carving you can begin the printing process. I wanted a graduated background colour so inked up a blank woodblock to get a light to dark effect.
- After the background ink had dried I was ready to ink up the master woodblock.
- I printed this on top of the background colour before repeating the process with the remaining 2 blocks.
I used fade-resistant inks on acid-free paper so the prints will stand the test of time.
EDGE of SALT MARSH portfolio
The colours vary from mainly magenta and cyan in Gallery 1 . . .
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Print no. 1 -
Print no. 11 SOLD -
Print no. 9 SOLD -
Print no. 16
. . . to more cyan than magenta in Gallery 2
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Print no.12 SOLD -
Print no. 10 SOLD -
Print no. 17
. . . then more cyan and black in Gallery 3
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Print no. 4 SOLD -
Print no. 2 SOLD -
Print no. 3 SOLD -
Print no. 7 SOLD
. . . and finally more black than cyan giving a predominantly monotone effect in Gallery 4.
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Print no. 13 -
Print no. 14 SOLD -
Print no. 15 SOLD -
Print no. 5 SOLD
I hope you enjoy this series of woodcuts.
For other series please visit HAND PRINTED WOODCUTS