New linocut by Goddess Gruia

Check out this new item in my Etsy shop, the Goddess Gruia https://www.etsy.com/listing/576488657/linocut-print-on-handmade-paper-medieval.

It is part of a small series of three unique linocut prints on handmade paper, depicting medieval houses on Buda Hill, in Budapest. Each print is singular through the combination of colors, as each ink is applied by finger and roller in various combinations, the ink have different consistency and texture, and some parts of the lino plate are second prints. The uncut edges of the paper contribute to the antiquated look of these unique prints. Entirely hand pulled.
Fell free to check my brand new Instagram profile as well: https://www.instagram.com/ana_maria_gruia/?hl=en

Medieval Houses on Buda Hill

Detail of linocut print

Detail of the above

 

Small series of linocut prints, before signature.

Variant 1 - available on Etsy

Variant 2

Variant 3

These works best reflect the description of my shop and style:

I am a weekend painter and it gives me great joy to go to the studio [aka Goddess Gruia's holy place, her Sancta Sanctorum] for the benefit of all, mostly myself.
My job is a great source of inspiration - working with historical artifacts and depictions allows me to research past techniques and the effects of time and patina. My profession is another advantage, as an art historian's eye is always receptive to aesthetic compositions and surfaces, even in everyday life.

Exotic fish tank linocut

I have just added a new listing in my Etsy shop, Goddess Gruia, an original, one-of-a kind linocut print entitled "Exotic fish tank", entirely made by hand. Each print is unique, marked accordingly "EA" - Epreuve d'artiste, signed and dated in pencil by the artist, aka Ana Maria Gruia. The linocut also includes handmade details in gold marker that shine under oblique light and reveal new decorative elements.
The subject, exotic fish tank decoration, with tropical fish and plants, is less usual for my style, but this is part of a small series created for a special order.
Size: 14x21 cm (5.5x8.2 inches).

Exotic fish tank linocut, tropical leaf, tropical fish, original print, home gift, handmade golden details, unique artwork by Goddess Gruia

Detail of linocut with golden elements

Detail of the print with the individual lino plates used in its making

Tropical linocut project

A special order has finally seen me back to the studio the last couple of days. The clients wanted something light, decorative, to display above his fish tank. I turned to combining several individual lino plates created for the occasion, depicting tropical leaves and fish. The decorative effect resides in the differences in color, the composition and the subtle golden details.

Here are some details of the work in progress and some of the final prints, marked and signed.

"Tropical" linocut series by Ana-Maria Gruia

 

The making of Goddess Gruia

I always believed that in contemporary Romania there are two ways of becoming rich: starting a cult/sect/religion and owning a private university. The second option seems rather too complicated and with the recent political scandals of plagiarized PhDs it seems a bit less attractive. So I turned to the first idea, checking the legislation - how many signatures required and how much time. The short answer was - a lot of both. Plus, the only cult I could adhere to is the Flying Spaghetti Monster - and that is done already! So this is how Goddess Gruia was born, as a parody, self-irony, an original art project and a Dalinian avida dollars initiative. Goddess Gruia. A Monograph also employs topoi of academic research in art history (iconography) and sociology (popular religiosity, history of religion) - my specialties, naturally. It is also a "FUBU" project, mainly by me for me - well, to the eternal glory of the goddess!

Sketches for the cult image and traits of Goddess Gruia

Sketch for iconic depictions

Goddess Gruia lino plate

The first linocut prints of Goddess Gruia with some of her attributes

Goddess Gruia. The Movie

 

The motion monograph is here as well, to spread the word of Goddess Gruia and the benefices of worshiping her! Improve your life now!!

Access the pdf version HERE.

Hundertwasser as inspiration for linos

Continuing the gilded linocut prints experiment, I have used one of my older house front designs applying gold leaf as accents for smaller elements (door, windows, roofs, or narrow houses). The effects are completed by the color of the paper, reminding me of Hundertwasser's beautiful works, both on paper and in architecture.

 

Goddess Gruia in Transylvanian mandorla

The making of Goddess Gruia in Glory - using two matching lino plates

 

Color variants of the linoprint

Goddess Gruia is the only living goddess from the magic land of Transylvania. Read more about her in the specialized monograph HERE. This cult image shows the goddess surrounded by the cosmic symbols (moon, sun, stars) and the landmarks of her homeland: medieval architecture (mainly the fortified Saxon churches) and beautiful nature (with the typical haystacks -capita).
Buy this pieces of original art from the Etsy temple HERE . The piece of art is a contact relic (has been touched by the goddess) and you will immediately feel the benefices. You will love and accept yourself as you are, you will work hard for small money but you will enjoy your job, you will feel the urge to visit pharmacy museums, you will be peaceful and creative, though not able to draw a straight line, your stove will never malfunction, and the world will generally seem a happier place!

Lino project II

New afternoon at the studio to finish the latest lino project. The task at hand was to cut the lino prints, to glue them onto the canvas, ass the "mixtion" and then apply the gold leaf. I made two variants - a lazy one, with the goal applied directly to the canvas and the proper one, with a background of reddish acrylic. The second variant presents certain advantages, in that the red beneath confers a brighter glow to the gold foil and possible cracks in the foil look better when revealing red not white.

Collage with linocut prints

Waiting for the special glue to dry, in order to apply the gold foil

Applying the gold leaf

Two draco versions

Variant I - contours with red acrylic added subsequently

Variant II - gold foil against red painted background

New draco linocut project

Today's work has been dedicated to yet another linocut project, again inspired by the ancient Dacian civilization, i.e. their war standard the mythical dragon - half wolf, half dragon or serpent. On Trajan's Column the draco is seen as a wind sleeve, so I have attempted to render it similarly, though a bit more ferocious.

This is an approximation of the final composition. The work should be a collage, with three linocut prints onto canvas, the background with gold leaf. Canvas size 20x20cm.

The tricky part naturally consisted of the left-right flip and the details (teeth). My solution was to break off the drawing into smaller geometric shapes and straight lines, doing the same with the contours (aka the lino board). As the canvas is square, I thought to balance the general composition with two vertical decorative strips.

See my previous draco linocuts and collages for Atelierul de istorie HERE.For the golden background effect, see this painting HERE.

The Hintz House linocut

The Hintz House in Cluj-Napoca is a historical monument dated to the sixteenth century that housed the Baroque pharmacy of the city that is currently the History of Pharmacy Museum where I work. During the twentieth century it was owned by the Hintz family, hence the name of the monument. It seems a natural source of inspiration, thus my latest Etsy listing is a linocut depicting this architectural landmark.

The print is the second in a small series of three, in my opinion the best of the lot due to the particular color combination and effects. I have employed Van Eyck brown, red ochre, and black inks, applied by roller and by hand, and printed on white graphic paper.
 

Bouquet in brown and ochre

One of my recent linocut projects consisted of my attempt to depict flowers - in a geometric, stylized manner as it came out. The linocut series was thus entitled "Geometric bouquet" and some of the prints are available online in my Etsy Shop HERE.

For the Print Day in May I have tested the newly acquired typographic inks: Van Eyck brown and red ochre from Charbonnel. 

Here are some of the new imprints of the geometric bouquet in these colors, with the ink applied in a combination of ways: by roller, finger, and sponge. I had no time to sign them yet, but the signature will add some balance to the composition, as I have tested several variants and decided to sign them vertically, on the right side. I also like the new inks, except for the fact that they are so new and fit, that they are very predictable. I do enjoy the old colors as well, with the pigment loose or too sticky - don't get me wrong, it is just me, enjoying printmaking materials "with personality" :)

 

New apothecary jars linocut

The main part of the Print Day in May was dedicated to making new prints after the apothecary jars linocut I've prepared for the occasion. I have managed four new prints, due to their large size and the manual application of the inks. Another thing is that the paper was too large for my printing press - and it is anyway a bit off-balance and does not work well for large-size lino plates - so the printing itself was done by hand. After four prints my fingers and arms hurt, even if the actual pressing was done with grandma's old silver spoon :))

 

The more pictural effects were generated by the old black ink which got bad, with the pigment separating from the oil. It is somehow pure accidents that add that "extra something" to an art piece, the detail that makes people wonder how you did it. The paper I used was also a bit textured, and this also contributed to the antiquated, rusty look of the depicted jars - perfectly suggested their age and patina. I must confess I am happy with the results of this experiment.

 

I liked this third print best and thus made it available on my Etsy Shop HERE. Feel free to check the other linocuts there as well :)