M.C. Escher video clip printing 'Snakes'

Rare video of the great late M. C. Escher (1898-1972) doing what would be his last ever print shortly before his death: "Snakes". Notice how he registers the partial block to the printed paper...and that he was left-handed.
For more on 'Snakes' visit this link: "Snakes"

Japanese print in modern day advertising

Invest in Japan Symposium 2008. This upcoming symposium is designed to highlight investment opportunities in the Japanese market. I thought it was an interesting use of a traditional Japanese print image.
I found this while browsing the Chicago SunTimes newspaper where the same image was used and covered about half the page. The Symposium is sponsored by JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) ad METI (Japanese Ministry of Trade and Industry).
Quote:"...there has been a dramatic change in the mindset of the Japanese government and business community toward FDI. A realization has been made that in order for the economy to grow, Japan must be open to the world."
This is also interesting as 140 years ago Japan made a somewhat similar decision when opening it's door to welcome the West and it's culture.
The artist is Toshusai Sharaku one of the most famous (and short lived careers (1794-1795)) portrait artist in Japanese printmaking history. I found the same image on my PC among my collection of Japanese print images but in the advertising Sharaku's image has been reversed !
For more on Sharaku visit this link by John Fiorillo: Viewing Japanese Prints

Mokuhanga in Toronto

Here is the link: http://www.mokuhangatoronto.com/
Ralph Kiggell
Yasuyuki Shibata

Ten years ago on Barenforum.org

The way it was..... June 9th 1998
-------------------------------------------------------------------- From Dave Bull:
"Hien Pham, the friend who made the suggestion about the Vietnamese prints the other day, dropped me another line this afternoon. He suggested a new section in the 'Exhibitions' section of the Encyclopedia - a section on traditional woodblock prints from various countries.
This is obviously a good idea, and I'll start work on it right away ... but _what_ countries have such a tradition? I've seen woodblocks from China, Taiwan, Tibet/Nepal ... and now Vietnam.
Anybody else know of any others? Please let me know if you do, and if you know of any images that we might be able to use for such a page ..."
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From James Mundie: Excerpt of correspondence with Max Yela (Head, Special Collections Golda Meir Library,UW-Milwaukee. WI) on response to a James Mundie inquiry:

"Thanks for your note about american artist Danny Pierce. I'm pleased you enjoyed the exhibit; it was certainly fun putting it together and a pleasure to work with the artist. Now in his mid-70s, Danny is still very active, creating about one complete book a year, each with a dozen or more of his expressive, multi-color wood block prints. His most recent book is called The Trek (1996), and deals poetically with the subject of North American caribou migration.
There is a book artist in Philadelphia whose woodblocks and linocuts I admire, Claire Owen. Do you know her?"
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Traditional Japanese Printmaking

For more info into the artist check this website: http://bs.doshisha.ac.jp/kakushin/shokunin_e/int/int_harada.html
or for the list of shokunin: http://bs.doshisha.ac.jp/kakushin/shokunin_e/index.html