Wood Block for Earth Day

Not really a traditional mosaic, but close enough.

At the beginning of this year I took part in a Wood Block Printing workshop organized by the  Leesburg Center for the Arts. Under the wing of artist Jennifer Harper, participants carved large MDF boards with small tools sharp enough to remove your whole finger. The wood blocks would later be printed using a steam roller during the Little/Big Print Event at the 43rd Leesburg Art Festival (now delayed until Fall 2020).

In preparation for the public event, proofs were made at  Harper Printmaking Studio  in Eustis, Florida. To the right, you see the final proof of my efforts. Click on the image for a closer look.
Always admiring wood block printing, I finally got a taste of what that art form requires. In order to learn as much as I could from the one project, I made a collage of tests on my 2x2 foot board. Some panels are simply to test the various tools, others are copies of images in order to try another atists' technique (highlighted in pink below) and the rest are simply things that were on my mind. With each image, I was practicing and trying something new in the way of line, shading or style.

The natural world has always been my foremost and beloved inspiration: light, ocean, flora, all creatures; large and small. My finished print seemed like a nice birthday card to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day.
Renewed efforts are needed however, to continue the progress made in 50 years and reverse the systematic damage done in the last three.

Ironically, this month is also the 10th anniversary of the Deep Water Horizon oil spill. The very few safeguards put in place to prevent another BP style oil spill are currently being removed or relaxed. Companies who inadvertently kill birds, say in future oil spills, or during construction projects, will no longer be held responsible in any way. That has already been checked off the wish list. Also on the list:  gutting the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act... I could go on and on.

While researching for this mailing, one article after another described protections already eliminated or in the process there of. Almost 100 environmental rules and regulations, some dating back to the 1970s are targeted. One of the many items currently working its way through the courts is this administration's attempt to make the entire coastline of the United States open to oil drilling. Yes, that is still a thing.

Lamenting this assault is not enough. Share your voice, add to the many steps and the many people it takes protect this Earth.
Amid the breakout of COVID-19, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) announced in March a new rule that would limit what scientific information could be used in their decision-making process when it comes to policy making. We need science now more than ever. Send your public comment to the EPA via this link:  We Need Sound Science - World Wildlife Fund.  The comment period closes May 18, 2020.