Six artists create big woodcuts during XOS Exchange Street Open Studios in Pawtucket.??
Pawtucket, RI September 17th 2016 ??? Witness BIG INK’s one-of-a-kind giant mobile press in action as six talented artists demonstrate large scale woodcut printing for the public from 11 am ??? 4 pm during XOS Exchange Street Open Studios at 10 Exchange Court in Pawtucket???s Armory Arts District.????
BIG INK organizes print related programming for museums, art festivals, as well as local and nationally recognized print studios. BIG INK helps create hand printed works during last year’s XOS Open Studios, but this year the artists will be debuting their mobile press and bringing a portfolio of larger-than-life prints created by artists at similar events across the United States.
???We’re excited to show Pawtucket residents how this traditional art form is being practiced in new and exciting ways,??? said director Lyell Castonguay. ???We’re essentially bringing the artists’ studio directly to the community.??? Printmakers from throughout New England will contribute carved woodblocks to be printed throughout the day by BIG INK’s staff of volunteers. The event is an all out extravaganza where visitors are invited to help apply ink to the hand-carved woodblocks.
Woodcut is a printing process that involves carving an image into a flat wood surface. The areas that display ???white??? are cut away using a chisel, which leaves the original surface level. This surface level is then covered with ink by way of a roller. The wood is impressed into paper, transfers the ink, and results in a finished print.
The BIG INK printing event is hosted by XOS Exchange Street Open Studios, which is being held 11 am to 5 pm on Saturday, September 17 and Sunday, September 18, 2016 in studios and lofts in three repurposed mill buildings, all within walking distance of each other, in downtown Pawtucket. The event is organized in partnership with the Pawtucket Arts Festival and with support from RISCA. For more information about BIG INK, visit www.bigink.org and for XOS, visit www.xospawtucket.com.