Suminagashi

I recently purchased a very practical and inspiring book on suminagashi (floating/spilled ink), the ancient Japanese art of marbling by dropping Chinese/India ink on the surface of water, then transferring the pattern to paper. Unlike the Western techniques of marbling, the process is very simple and does not require an additive to thicken the water, nor a dispersant to make the ink separate and expand. The 80-page book, containing 64 illustrations (38 in colour), was written by Anne Chambers, with a Foreword by Akira Kurosaki.

Suminagashi: The Japanese Art of Marbling: A Practical Guide
Anne Chambers, New York: Thames & Hudson, 1991

 Many years ago, I first explored suminagashi for use as a cover for a limited edition flutterbook of short freestyle poems entitled iro—colours. I have recently become interested once again, this time in order to create end papers for a limited edition flutterbook I am working on. It will feature a poem and archival inkjet prints about a forest nymph, printed on wax infused Japanese kozo paper.

Front cover of iro—colours by the author, 1987

Lyrical encaustic artists

While browsing encaustic artists' websites, I came across a few artists whose work resonated with me. The three artists below make use of Japanese washi or rice paper infused with wax, exploiting the paper's translucent qualities. Eisenberg and Guthridge both make use of photos printed with archival pigmented inks on Japanese paper, rendering semi-abstract segmented panels (Guthridge also superimposes panels)—like small windows of time for us to pause and look through. Roland first draws with coloured wax medium on a metal hotplate, then pulls monoprints from the wax layer.

All works evoke zen-like ethereal visual haiku poems, sometimes lit from behind, sometimes suspended away from the wall, fluttering, or mounted behind clear acrylic. The works seem to whisper to us softly in passing... inviting our eyes to touch....

Jeri Eisenberg

Sugar Maple Floaters (Orange), No. 6, 2008
Archival pigment ink on Kozo paper infused with encaustic, 36 x 34 in. Ed. 4/12, triptych
Source: http://www.markelfinearts.com

Jane Guthridge

The Space Between, Triptych - 4
Source: http://www.janeguthridge.com

Paula Roland

Connecting Dots
Encaustic monotype exhibition (backlit)
Source: http://http://www.paularoland.com