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Water Lilies by Gordon Louis Mortensen

Water Lilies by Gordon Louis Mortensen

Water Lilies

Gordon Louis Mortensen

Title

Water Lilies

 
Artist

Gordon Louis Mortensen

  1938 - PRESENT (biography)
Year
1982  
Technique
color reduction woodcut printed in 19 colors with 17 press runs 
Image Size
10 x 8" image 
Signature
pencil, lower right 
Edition Size
XII/XXI ap 
Annotations
titled, lower left; dated after the signature 
Reference
 
Paper
ivory wove Torinoko 
State
published 
Publisher
artist 
Inventory ID
GOMO303 
Price
SOLD
Description

An early-career woodcut, “Water Lilies” showcases Mortensen’s interest in the play of in-between light on landscapes, as seen in this dusky, rose-hued sky and its reflection in a pond dotted with the cupped blossoms of water lilies. His tender observations are expertly rendered on the sheet, and the viewer can nearly feel a late spring warm breeze and hear evening insect song.

Gordon Mortensen commented on the process he uses:

"Only one woodblock is used. On it an image is drawn in India ink. Before the first color is printed, any areas that are to remain unprinted (white or the color of the paper) are cut away from the surface of the block. Then an oil base ink is used to print the first color on all of the sheets of paper that are to be used for the edition and proofs.

After the first printing the block is again cut, removing any surface of the block that is to remain the first color in the finished print. After each subsequent color is printed, the block is cut, the process continues until the print is finished and most of the surface of the block is cut away."