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Vanessa McKiel

@vanessamckiel.bsky.social

170 followers 95 following 37 posts

Inspired by wildflowers Printmaker & writer in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia Artwork available locally at the Lunenburg Art Gallery and Jenny Jib or contact me through my website vanessamckiel.com

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · 6d

When printmakers carve pumpkins...
#printmaking #happyhalloween

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Reposted by Vanessa McKiel

Katherine J Barrett @kathj.bsky.social · 19d

A plant that crackles and pops! Jewelweed was our latest interviewee in the Wild Talk outdoor studio. With an original print by the marvellous @vanessa_mckiel
www.thebarnacle.ca/seven-questi...
@lunenburgbarnacle #nativeplants #jewelweed #fallcolours #naturewriting

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · Oct 1

Lovely!! Congrats!

Reposted by Vanessa McKiel

Katherine J Barrett @kathj.bsky.social · Sep 19

It has been almost a full cycle of Wild Talk. And we have a real *treasure* of a plant coming up in Oct! With original linocuts from the inimitable @vanessa_mckiel. @lunenburgbarnacle www.thebarnacle.ca/tag/wild-talk/
#naturewriting #nativeplants #naturalizedplants #ediblewildplants #weedsnotlawns

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · Sep 15

All carved and ready to print!
#printmaking #linocut #commissionedart

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · Sep 8

and every week!

Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · Sep 5

"Front Harbour with Fishes"
23" x 23" hand-coloured linocut with letterpress chine-collee is off to a new home!
#linocut #printmaking #printmaker

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · Aug 27

Tiny little prints on scraps of paper!
#queenanneslace #linocut #printmaking

Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · Jul 5

"Front Harbour with Fishes"
23x23" hand-coloured linocut with letterpressed chine colle
is now front stage at the Lunenburg Art Gallery and I am so honoured and grateful!
#printmaking #linocut #novascotiaartist

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · Jun 22

I am back from a fabulous 2 week artist residency on Nova Scotia's Brier Island. I was able to print 2 big linocuts (23x23") and now am happily hand-colouring fields of wildflowers. #linocut #printmaking #reliefprinting

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · May 17

The first ten (of 25) are finished!

'Cod's eye view'
12x12" hand-coloured linocut with letterpress chine colle

#linocut #printmaking

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · May 10

Woohoo!! My 24x24" image has been transferred to the linoleum block and I am carving!

#printmaker #linocut #linogravure #xilografia #novascotiaartist #reliefprint

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · May 7

I am excited that my idea to letterpress onto red tissue paper before gluing it on to the print seems to have worked. This technique is called chine colle, but I will have to call this letterpress chine collee!

#linocut #printmaking #letterpress #chinecolle

Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · Apr 29

More newborn prints! Finally finished carving a 12x12" lino and spent the day pulling prints. Once these have dried I will be painting the town!
#linocut #printmaking

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · Apr 21

Mayflowers in April!
Mayflowers 4x4" linocut

#linocut #printmaking #mayflowers #trailingarbutus

Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · Apr 19

When you think you are paying attention and your test print confirms that you actually were not!

It's taken a long time but my tiny books are nearly there. Just printing the covers and then binding.

#letterpress #linocut #printmaking

Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · Apr 14

Some progress on the work in progress!
#printmaking #linocut

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · Apr 10

New work in progress!

This is a 12x12" study for the larger 24x24" linocut I am planning.

#printmaking #reliefprint #linocut #linogravure #xilografia #novascotiaartist #oldtownlunenburg

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · Mar 30

Newborn prints!
Nova Scotia's provincial flower should be blooming in a month or so.

Mayflowers 4x4" linocut

#printmaker #linocut #linogravure #novascotiaartist #mayflowers #trailingarbutus

Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · Mar 27

And sometimes, spring in Nova Scotia moves so slowly that it seems to go backwards! A sugar snow covered everything last night. Luckily, snowdrops have antifreeze proteins and can create their own heat.
#flowerpower #novascotiaspring

Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · Mar 26

Spring in Nova Scotia is never in a hurry, but it is here! One day I might make a linocut inspired by these images.
#printmaker #novascotiaspring

Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · Mar 20

The spring rains have turned the lungwort lichen its lovely bright green!
Lungwort lichen 4x4" linocut
#printmaking #linocut #lichen #novascotiaartist

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · Mar 16

The snowdrops are finally emerging in my yard and my snowdrop prints are nearly finished too! I printed some with sepia ink and some with green -- not sure which I like better! Do you have a preference?
#printmaking #linocut #snowdrops

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · Mar 10

Learning Letterpress:
1. Old school: type is set and ready to ink for a test proof
2. New school: take a photo on a smart phone and flip it :)
I am sure it will get easier but it is remarkable how many typos you can make when you think you are being careful

#letterpress

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · Mar 1

It's on very textured, handmade Sa paper I bought in Nepal many years ago. It takes ink surprisingly well.

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