I’m so excited to share that I have a large collection of my work displayed as a solo show at the Garden Plaza of Valley View retirement center!
Currently, my artwork falls into two main categories: Woodblock Prints and Carved Paintings.
I used to work at a woodworking supply store where I was a woodblock printmaking teacher. My students and I carved flat blocks of basswood and rolled ink on them, kind of like making a large stamp out of the wood, and then pressed the inked block to paper to create woodblock prints.
I have kept up this practice which I usually augment by painting on the paper as well. To my surprise and delight, I also really grew to appreciate the wood blocks as art themselves! So that idea took root, and now I intentionally and often use wood as a canvas to carve and ink, burn and torch, making carved paintings.
It’s not often that I make both the woodblock and the print as finished pieces, but here’s an instance where I’ve done just that: The Good Friday Woodblock and Good Friday Print.
The Good Friday Woodblock
The Good Friday Woodblock is a large carved and inked block in somber colors, that I much later framed in walnut.
The Good Friday Print
After inking this block, I pressed it to paper to create its corresponding Good Friday Print, which is a mirror image of the block. I matted under glass and framed Good Friday Print with an African mahogany frame., which you will be able to see in person at my show!
You might be wondering about the titles of these works. Yes, I’m also the Artist in Residence (since 2017) at Boise First Congregational, United Church of Christ – and you’re right that Good Friday is part of the lead-up to the celebration of Easter.
The liturgical calendar is extremely useful as a focus of my artistic endeavors. Typically, I make work, sometimes with others, for Holy Week (the lead-up to Easter), and I also create four Advent pieces for the four Sundays leading up to Christmas.
Here are a couple of carved paintings that I created for Advent. As is often the case, my art takes a turn somewhat toward the abstract with Advent!
Deep Love
Deep Love, ink on carved basswood
For me, Deep Love feels like a celebration of God’s love of creation with notes of the James Webb telescope images, as well as notes of gorgeous and endangered coral reefs and sea life.
Joyous Spirit
Joyous Spirit, ink on carved and burnt basswood
Joyous Spirit, for me, is a celebration of creation as well, with an enigmatic and unusual bonfire we dance around.
Love and Joy, along with Hope and Peace, are the themes of Advent.
I also create work that, to me, doesn’t clearly fit into a liturgical category.
Here are some in the show:
Bright Flicker at Dawn
Bright Flicker at Dawn, ink on carved African mahogany
These are often bird images…
Death Metal
Or landscape-like scenes!
Dream of Cherry Blossoms
Dream of Cherry Blossoms (ink on carved and torched basswood) and me (Gretchen Weitemier)!
Come to the Meet and Greet
No two people see a work of art the same way. It’s impossible! All of our human brains are unique! I celebrate Creation and this diversity of thought!
Come meet me and see what you experience when you see this artwork!
The Meet and Greet for this show is coming up right away!
- When: August 14th, 2024 from 5-7 PM
- Where: Garden Plaza of Valley View, located at 1130 N Allumbaugh St, Boise ID 83704
- Why: Because you love art and want to see it up close in an indoor, air-conditioned great room that’s good for people of all ages, with wheelchairs or strollers or other assistive aids!
I would love to see you at the show on Wednesday!
Thank you for supporting the arts!
– Gretchen Weitemier