The 14th of April
These are works I have completed since the pandemic lockdown last March. I lost the use of my studio and press, so I began to work at home surrounded by my extended family and to explore handprinting for the first time.
The works are all related to the anxiety and isolation caused by the pandemic. The bold simplicity of the woodcut along with its status as the oldest form of printmaking seem to be appropriate for this situation that is simultaneously new and timeless.
The 14th of April series is a record of family life over the last 6 months- me recording, my son dreaming, and my daughter trying to stay connected to the rest of the world digitally and our now ubiquitous PPE. The title was inspired by Gillian Welch’s song “Ruination Day Part 2” describing this date in US history that has witnessed Lincoln’s assignation, the sinking of the Titanic, the largest storm of the dustbowl, and now a day that was part of the height of the early pandemic.
