The Maasi women make these ornaments using delicate wire combined with various seed beads and metal disks.
Proofing the first block I carved.
Carving the third block.
Once I had carved and proofed each of these blocks I printed them in a variety of colors on French paper and chipboard. I was pleased with the results and used them as covers for single and multiple pamphlet journals. Take a look.
I so love the look of my press inked up and printing1
A sampling of the prints. I used a lovely brown and green color - so exciting how each block looked on the two types of paper.
An assortment of three section pamphlets all sewn up!
I was attracted to the delicate patterns of the beaded items made by the Maasi women and purchased a few to bring home. I completed a suite of carved blocks based on these objects in addition to fabric I had purchased while traveling in Ghana in 2013. I then experimented with printing these blocks on both paper and cloth. I am still exploring the blocks using them in various ways. It has been a rewarding process. Here is a sampling of the results.
Fabrics from Ghana, purchased in 2013 while travelling there.
Here is a proof of the second block I carved.
This is a proof of the third block; my favorite.
Printing on French paper.
A completed three section pamphlet journal using "The Rope" stitch.
I will now share printing on cotton muslin - the results were quite satisfying!