Wuon-Gean Ho - Printmaker : A Small Seed Of Intention
The Unfinished Print
When creating mokuhanga, one requires time – time to prepare, time to plan, and time to explore. The essence of the work emerges from this delicate balance of managing one's time and integrating life within mokuhanga. In this episode of 'The Unfinished Print,' I have the pleasure of speaking with printmaker Wuon-Gean Ho. Wuon-Gean approaches her mokuhanga with a keen focus on work-life balance, emphasizing creation not at the expense of life but as a means to enrich and enhance it. Join me as we delve into Wuon Gean's unique perspective on mokuhanga, how it skillfully blends with her...
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David Barker of The Muban Educational Trust
The Unfinished Print
Several years ago, a book caught my eye, called "Lu Xun’s Legacy". Published by the Muban Educational Trust, a non-profit dedicated to the preservation of woodblock art in China and located in London, England, it opened my eyes to Chinese woodblock prints. Reading the book, I realized how little I knew about printmaking, woodblock or otherwise, from China. All I really knew was that Japanese woodblock has roots within Chinese printmaking and I was curious as to how that transpired. Today, I speak with Senior Research Fellow at the Muban Educational Trust, David Barker. David’s interests...
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Jack Moranetz - Printmaker : Evolve Next
The Unfinished Print
Embarking on the journey into the world of mokuhanga, each of us starts with a unique desire. It begins with early prints, guided by exploration, and the innate desire to create something—anything—all viewed through the prism of mokuhanga, shaping our voices in this captivating journey. In this episode of the Unfinished Print, I speak with the burgeoning mokuhanga printmaker Jack Moranetz. We discuss how he got involved in the art form, his early prints, his visit to Japan and meeting David Bull, collaborations, and how he approaches his printmaking. ...
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Hiroki Morinoue - Printmaker: The Philosophy of The Past
The Unfinished Print
On this episode I have the pleasure of speaking with Hiroki Morinoue, an artist who resides and creates on the Big Island in Hawai'i. Together, we delve into his personal journey with mokuhanga, reflecting on his experiences at MI Lab, exploring his unique color palette, and gaining insights into his meticulous process in crafting mokuhanga prints. Additionally, we uncover Hiroki’s life in Hawai'i, his ventures, and his relationships with prominent galleries such as Studio 7 Fine Arts, print studio’s like Shark’s Ink, and the arts center at Anderson Ranch. Please follow The Unfinished...
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Henry Smith PhD - Physical Chemistry
The Unfinished Print
In this episode of The Unfinished Print, I speak with Henry Smith, Professor Emeritus in the Dept. of East Asian Languages & Cultures at Columbia University. Together we delve into the scientific aspects of Meiji woodblock prints, exploring the trajectory of Nishiki-e during the late Edo and Meiji eras. Additionally, we examine the significance of cochineal and naphthol dyes, and scrutinize particle sizes. Henry's scholarly contributions include groundbreaking articles on subjects such as Hokusai and the Blue Revolution, with the introduction of Prussian Blue to the Japanese...
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Tuula Moilanen - Printmaker : Life Is An Experiment
The Unfinished Print
When it comes to the idea of longevity, my guest on this episode of The Unfinished Print has just that: the hard work and sacrifice to make a career in making mokuhanga, bringing the art form to people worldwide. Today I speak with mokuhanga printmaker, graphic designer, and writer, Tuula Moilanen. Currently living in Finland, Tuula has made mokuhanga for almost 40 years and has been an essential part of the worldwide mokuhanga community, teaching, instructing and overseeing the art form’s growth. Tuula speaks about her twenty years in Japan, her teachers, and how she...
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Hellory - Printmaker: Each Line Will Have Its Own Life
The Unfinished Print
It’s been said before, yet I feel it’s worth repeating that when making mokuhanga, you don’t make it alone. So many people influence us that it may be difficult to pinpoint who or what impacts our creative lives the most. In this episode of the Unfinished Print I speak with mokuhanga printmaker Hellory. Based in Italy, Hellory makes multi-colour mokuhanga with luxury techniques. She learned these techniques from her mentor, Giovanni Berio Ligustro. We discuss the intertwined artistic lives of Hellory and Ligustro. What learning from a mentor was like, what studying...
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Darrel C. Karl - Collector : A Responsibility of Stewardship
The Unfinished Print
As a collector of mokuhanga, I am constantly exploring the reasons behind my love of collecting mokuhanga and why I make it and educate myself about it; it seems to be layered, even for my modest collection. So it is always fascinating to speak to someone who has been collecting for many years, with a deep understanding of why they collect and how they do. I speak with mokuhanga collector Darrel C. Karl about his collection of prints, paintings and scrolls. It's one to admire. Collecting for years now, Darrel was kind enough to speak to me about his collection, how he began it,...
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Gaston Petit - Printmaker/Author : The Most Important Thing Is To Do Something
The Unfinished Print
A few years ago, I was recommended a book called Evolving Techniques in Japanese Woodblock Prints. Written by Gaston Petit, it was a new book for me. Going through it, I realized how forward-thinking it was; even though it had been published in 1977, its instruction is still relevant today. It was fascinating how it approached woodblock printmaking, taking it into the future. On this episode of the Unfinished Print, I speak with printmaker and author of Evolving Techniques In Japanese Woodblock Prints, Gaston Petit. We discuss how he got to write the book, interviewing some...
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John Resig - Digital Humanities
The Unfinished Print
When making mokuhanga and producing The Unfinished Print, I have looked towards various online tools for research and inspiration. One of these tools is ukiyo-e.org. A Japanese woodblock print database which collects and archives woodblock print collections from around the world. John Resig is the chief software architect at the who, in 2013, for his love of mokuhanga and the Japanese woodblock print, and through his own collection, developed ukiyo-e.org. Those researching, collecting, and making mokuhanga can explore some of the best Japanese print collections at the click...
info_outlineSo much has been said about the "supply chain" these days. Our resources from around the world have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, war in Eastern Europe as well as environmental concerns such as climate change, have all had their toll on the movement of goods from around the world.
On this episode of The Unfinished Print, I will be try to unpack the "supply chain," and how it affects a specific artist, and small business owner. I speak with Megan Adie, a co-owner of the Japanese Paper Company. The JPC is an online shop which sells Japanese paper, or washi, with her wife Liz Jones. Megan is herself a printmaker and musician who opened a business at the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, when new ventures quickly became a risky proposition.
Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints Twitter @unfinishedprint, or email me at [email protected]
Artists works follow after the note about them.
Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.
Japanese Paper Company - website, Instagram, Facebook, Vimeo.
Post Nord - is a state run postal service. It is operated by the governments of Sweden and Denmark. It is not a private company as referred to in this episode.
Chaveta Coffee - is a coffee shop servicing the Annex, and Seaton Village neighbourhoods of Toronto. More info, here.
The Japanese Paper Place - is a Japanese paper store located in Etobicoke, a suburb of Toronto. It has been serving the Canadian and International artistic community for forty years. You can hear the JPP's interview with the Unfinished Print, here.
conservation paper - is a paper used in preservation, disinfestation, and sterilization, wet/clearing etc of aging and old paper. Japanese paper is used in conservation as it has been known to have few impurities and is generally alkaline. More information can be found, here.
Edition/Basel - is a printmaking program located in Basel, Switzerland, and San Fransisco, California. It focuses on relief, intaglio, lithography, and photopolymer. More info, here.
kōzo - is a paper made from the bark of the mulberry bush. It is used in mokuhanga frequently, and comes in various weights.
Bicchu torinoko - is a handmade paper made from gampi fibres. Used in mokuhanga.
A4 - is a commonly used type of paper. It is 297x210mm.
Brexit - is the term used when describing the separation of the United Kingdom from the European Union, in 2020.
letterpress - is a type of relief printing by using a printing press. It was popular during Industrialization and the modernity of the West. By the mid twentieth century, letterpress began to become more of an art form, with artists using the medium for books, stationary, and greeting cards.
Mariko Jesse - is an illustrator, and mokuhanga printmaker based in Tōkyō, London, and California. Her work can be found, here. Mariko is also a part of the collective, wood+paper+box, which can be found, here.
Into the Garden
Mia-O - is a South Korean printmaker based in Tōkyō, Japan. Her work is ephemeral and powerful. She has shown all over the world, most recently at the Kentler International Drawing Space in Brooklyn, New York.
Waterfall (2019)
Mara Cozzolino - is a mokuhanga printmaker based in Northern, Italy. Her work is based on nature. She is the Publicity and Alternative Board Member for the International Mokuhanga Conference.
Rock Garden #2 (2022)
Randi Annie Strand - is an artist based in Norway. She works in sculpture, installation, and book art. Her work can be found on her website, and Instagram.
Jupiter 2 (2012) - from the Univers series.
Tami Komai - is a printmaker based in Basel, Switzerland. She has worked in intaglio, mokuhanga, linocut, and textile. More info can be found, here.
Malmö Artist Book Biennale - is an international biennale which is hosted in Malmö, Sweden. It hosts workshops, and exhibitions "inspired by the structural and conceptual properties of the book form." More info can be found, here.
Hiromi Paper - is a brick and mortar, and online Japanese paper shop located in Culver City, California. More info can be found, here.
Echizen - is a region in Fukui Prefecture, Japan associated with Japanese paper making. It has a long history of paper making. There are many paper artisans in the area. One famous person is Iwano Ichibei whom Megan mentions in this episode. He is a Living National Treasure in paper making, and the ninth generation of his family still making paper today. More info can be found here in English, and here in Japanese.
Nicholas Cladis - is an artist and paper historian who teaches and lives in Iowa. He lived in Echizen from 2014-2020 where he studied how to make washi, taught at the Fukui Prefectural University, as well as being the International liaison for the paper making union. More info can be found on his website, here.
mitsumata - is a short fibre paper used in mokuhanga, and other art mediums.
daikon radish - is a Japanese radish which has been found outside of Japan, in parts of Asia and North America.
Ogawa - is a town in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. It has a long history of paper making, from CE 774. You are able to visit Ogawa easily form Tōkyō. More info can be found, here.
Awagami - is arguably the largest paper making company in Japan at the moment. With a large International name, Awagami sponsors, and promotes its paper all over the world. More information can be found on its website, here.
tengu-jo - is a very thin machine made Japanese paper that is 100% kōzo. It has been used in archival conservation.
William Morris (1834-1896) - was a British poet, textile designer, writer, journalist and politician. His work with book press design is very famous as well as is his hand in the Arts and Crafts Movement in Britain. More information about William Morris can be found, here, at the Willam Morris Society of the United States.
Andrew Stone - is an American mokuhanga printmaker based in Florence, Italy. He is also a baren maker. The baren is a mokuhanga specific tool. Andrew's interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here.
The Three Graces
Vandercook Press - is a proof printing press manufactured by Vandercook & Sons, beginning in 1909. They made different types of presses, such as letterpress and offset. They are now a part of NA Graphics.
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opening and closing credit - Sleepy Time Time by CREAM. From their debt full length, Fresh Cream (1966).
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***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***