Jacqueline Gribbin : Printmaker - Adaptation

Mokuhanga has the ability to take the artist or craftsperson anywhere they would like to be. From the subject matter in their studio to physical movement around the world, teaching, exploring, and discovering. Wonder and beauty is what makes mokuhanga so special.

 

In this episode of The Unfinished Print, I speak with printmaker Jacqueline Gribbin, who has spent years honing her craft in mokuhanga and other printmaking techniques across Japan, Southeast Asia, and Australia. We discuss her deep connection with Indigenous communities, collaborating with the late Ralph Kiggell, and exploring the nuances of water-based and oil-based mokuhanga. Jaqueline explains her experiences traveling to isolated communities, conducting workshops, and sharing her passion for printmaking. We'll explore her teaching methods, the importance of community in her work, and how she balances creating and selling her prints.

 

Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at [email protected] 

Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.

Artists works follow after the note if available. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are given if known. Print publishers are given if known.

Jacqueline Gribbin - website 

Shifting Tides (2022)

Nagasawa Art Park (MI Lab) Awaji City - Nagasawa Art Park was an artist-in-residence program located in Awaji City, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. It was open for 12 years before evolving into MI Lab in 2012. More info, here. 

 

Keiko Kadota (1942-2017) - was the director of Nagasawa Art Park at Awaji City from 1997-2011, and then of MI Lab at Lake Kawaguchi from 2011 until her passing.

 

Toru Ueba - was a print instructor at Nagasawa Art Park, and was one of Yoonmi's instructors in 2004.

 

Ralph Kiggell (1960-2022) -  was one of the most important mokuhanga practitioners. Originally from England, Ralph lived and worked in Thailand. Ralph pushed the boundaries of mokuhanga with extremely large pieces, jigsaw carving, and by using fantastic colour. He also worked with the International Mokuhanga Conference to promote mokuhanga around the world. He will be greatly missed. Ralph's work can be found, here. His obituary in The Guardian can be found, here. His interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here.

 

 

Orange Flower On Blue 

 

Hiroki Satake - is a mokuhanga printmaker, and instructor based in Japan. He has taught at MI Lab, as well as given demonstrations regarding tool sharpening, around the world. Instagram

 

赤絵（アンドレ・マルティ「狼よ！」より) (2022) 34.7cm×28.4cm

 

registration - there are several registration methods in mokuhanga. The traditional method is called the kentō registration, where you carve two notches, straight another an "L." There is also a "floating kentō," which is where the notches are cut in a piece of "L" shaped wood and not on the wood where you are cutting your image, hence "floating." Lastly, there are removable "pins," such as ones made by Ternes Burton. 

 

bokashi - is a mokuhanga technique, where the pigment fades from a heavy colour to a softer, broad colour. Made famous by prints designed by Hokusai and Hiroshige, this technique is, for me, the most popular technique utilized by  mokuhanga printmakers. There are various types: Ichimoji-bokashi or straight line graduation, used in the above mentioned Hiroshige and Hokusai prints. Ichimoji-mura-bokashi or straight line gradation with uneven edge. Ō-bokashi or wide gradation, Ate-nashi-bokashi or gradation without definition. Futa-iro-bokashi or two tone gradation, and ita-bokashi or softer-edge gradation, where the block is cut in a specific way to achieve this style of gradation. All of these styles of bokashi technique take practice and skill but are very much doable. Below is a fine example of bokashi by Paul Binnie:

 

 

The Torii Gate at Miyajima (2009) 37.5 x 26cm

sizing paper - at times mokuhanga printmakers will size their paper. Size is made from water, animal glue (rabbit, horse), and alum. What the size does is keep the pigments the artist uses from “bleeding” into the outer edges of the paper. There are many recipes of size, here is one that artist Walter J. Phillips used.

 

intaglio printing - is a printing method, also called etching, using metal plates such as zinc, and copper, creating “recessed” areas which are printed with ink on the surface of these "recesses.” More info, here. The MET has info, here.  

 

serigraphy - is another word for the art of silk screen printing. Silk screen printing can be in on various materials, silk, canvas, paper. 

 

lithography: A printing process where images are transferred onto a surface using a flat plate or stone.

 

Yoshitaka Amano (b. 1952) - is a character designer for the Final Fantasy video game series. He uses ukiyo-e and Japanese woodblock prints as insirpation for some of his work. 

 

Takashi Murakami (b. 1962) is a contemporary artist best known for his fine art works and contributions to the commercial market. His works are heavily influenced by manga and anime, characterized by their bright colors and distinctive style.

Multicolour Superflat Flowers - archival pigment print, silkscreen, 45 cm x 17.7cm

 

Margaret Thatcher 1925-2013) -  was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990. She was the first woman to hold the office and remains one of the most influential figures in British political history. Leading the Conservative Party, Thatcher implemented a series of economic policies known as "Thatcherism," which emphasized deregulation, privatization of state-owned industries, and reducing the power and influence of trade unions. Her tenure was marked by significant economic transformation, as well as controversial measures that sparked widespread debate and protest. 

 

Tamarind Institute - was originally founded in Los Angeles in 1960 by June Wayne, and is a world renowned center for fine art lithography. Established to revive and sustain the art of lithography, which was in decline in the United States, Tamarind quickly became a leader in the education and promotion of lithographic techniques. In 1970, the institute moved to the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, where it continues to thrive as a key institution in the printmaking world. Dedicated to advancing the lithographic arts through rigorous education, collaborative projects, and the production of high-quality prints, the Tamarind Institute's influence extends globally, contributing significantly to the development and appreciation of lithography as a vibrant art form. More info, here. 

 

STPI Creative Workshop & Gallery - which stands for Singapore Thailand Print Institute is an educational gallery and workshop, based in Singapore. More info, here. 

 

International Mokuhanga Conference, 2011 - was the first international conference on mokuhanga which was separated in two parts, Kyoto and the Awaji Islands in Japan. 

 

MI Lab - is a mokuhanga artists residency located in Kawaguchi-ko, near Mount Fuji. More info can be found, here. 

 

Hiroki Morinoue - is a mokuhanga printmaker and artist living in Holualoa, Big Island, Hawai’i. He is a co-founding member of the Holualoa Foundation For Arts & Culture, the establishment of the Donkey Mill Art Center and Studio 7 Fine Arts. Hiroki's interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here. 

 

Incoming Tide 30.5 x 30.5cm

 

Keiko Hara - is an artist and Professor of Art Emerita at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. She is a painter, and printmaker in various relief mediums, such as mokuhanga. Keiko also leads the Mokuhanga Project Space based in Walla Walla, Washington. More info on Keiko's work can be found, here. More info regarding the Mokuhanga Project Space, here.

 

Verse Space M-1, lithography and stencil, 55.8 cm x 76.2 cm

 

Yamanashi Prefecture - (山梨県, Yamanashi-ken) is located in the Chūbu region of Honshu, Japan, and borders Saitama Prefecture to the northeast, Nagano Prefecture to the northwest, Shizuoka Prefecture to the southwest, Kanagawa Prefecture to the southeast, and Tokyo to the east. The capital and largest city is Kōfu. Yamanashi is one of only eight landlocked prefectures in Japan, with most of the population residing in the central Kōfu Basin, surrounded by the Akaishi Mountains. 27% of its land area is designated as Natural Parks, and it is home to many of Japan's highest mountains, including Mount Fuji, the country's tallest peak and a significant cultural icon, which is partially located on the border with Shizuoka Prefecture.

 

Tiwi Islands - which means "two islands," are part of the Northern Territory, Australia, located 80 km (50 mi) north of Darwin. They comprise Melville Island, Bathurst Island, and nine smaller uninhabited islands, with a combined area of 8,320 square kilometers (3,212 sq mi). The islands have been inhabited by the Tiwi, an Aboriginal Australian people, since before European settlement, with a population of 2,348 recorded in the 2021 census. The Tiwi Land Council, one of four land councils in the Northern Territory, serves as a representative body with statutory authority under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 and holds responsibilities under the Native Title Act 1993 and the Pastoral Land Act 1992.

 

Charles Darwin University - was established in 2003 in the Northern Territory of Australia, and resulted from the merger of Northern Territory University, Centralian College, and the Menzies School of Health Research. Named after naturalist Charles Darwin, CDU focuses on research and education tailored to the unique challenges of the region, with strong emphasis on Indigenous education and partnerships. The university offers a broad range of programs across disciplines like health, education, engineering, business, and environmental science, and is recognized for its research in desert knowledge, Indigenous systems, tropical health, and sustainable development. With campuses in Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine, and Nhulunbuy, CDU plays a crucial role in the educational, economic, and social development of the Northern Territory. The More Than Human World: North Australian Ecologies was the exhibit which Jacqueline speaks on in her episode. The exhibit catalogue can be found, here. 

 

Balgo - also known as Wirrimanu, is a remote Aboriginal community in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Home to the Kukatja people and other desert groups like the Ngarti and Warlpiri, Balgo is renowned for its vibrant art scene, particularly through the Warlayirti Artists art center, which produces art reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the local people. The community, accessible mainly via local roads and air, provides essential services such as a health clinic, school and plays a vital role in preserving and promoting Indigenous culture and traditions. A description of Wirrimaru can be found, here via Deutscher and Hackett. 

 

Printmaking Today - is a magazine published by Cello Press in England, and is published quarterly. The magazine focuses on printmaking themes and artists. More info, here.

 

Arnhem Land - is located in the northeastern Northern Territory of Australia, and is a vast and culturally rich region covering approximately 97,000 square kilometers. Bordered by the Arafura Sea, the Gulf of Carpentaria, and Kakadu National Park, it is one of the largest Aboriginal reserves in Australia, home to around 16,000 Indigenous people, primarily the Yolngu. Known for its stunning natural landscapes, including rugged coastlines, rainforests, and wetlands, Arnhem Land is also a cultural treasure, famous for Indigenous art, music, and traditions. Access is restricted to protect its heritage, and the region plays a crucial role in Indigenous land rights movements and the preservation of Aboriginal culture.

 

Foundry Vineyards - based in Walla Walla, Washington is a vineyard and art space. It has been hosting artists from all types of media such as painting and printmaking since 2010. It has exhibited The Mokuhanga Project Space, printmaker Mike Lyon,  and the International Mokuhanga Print Exhibit. More info about this space and the good it does for the art community at large can be found, here. 

 

Ozu Washi - is a paper store located in the Nihonbashi district of Tokyo. website, Instagram

 

Wood Like Matsumura - is an online and brick and mortar store, for woodblock printmaking, located in Nerima City, Tōkyō.

 

uwa senka long - is a Thai kozo machine made paper which can be used for mokuhanga. 

 

The Japanese Paper Place- is a Toronto based Japanese paper store servicing the Mokuhanga community for many years.  Interview with the Nancy Jacobi of the JPP can be found, here.

 

gouache: is a water-based paint known for its opaque and vibrant colours. Made from pigment, water, and gum arabic as a binder, it offers artists versatility in creating both translucent washes and opaque layers. Gouache can be reactivated with water and comes in a range of colors, making it a popular choice for various painting techniques.

 

The Adelaide River - is a significant waterway in the Northern Territory of Australia, extending approximately 180 km from its source in the Litchfield National Park to its mouth at the Timor Sea. The river flows through  lush wetlands, dense mangroves, and open floodplains, providing a rich habitat for diverse wildlife. It is particularly renowned for its large population of saltwater crocodiles. 

 

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