Gardener

The Gardener is one of a series of designs I made using black paper and scissors. Cutting out the bold black shapes and laying them on white paper was immediately satisfying and I liked the freedom of moving the shapes around to achieve the desired effect. It reminded me of making felt-board stories as a kid. This method also lends itself very well to the silkscreen technique.

This print is a favorite of gardeners, and is also appreciated for its nurturing theme. When I made it I was remembering Voltaire's Candide that we studied in french class in high school, and the quotation: "Il faut cultiver notre jardin". (I'd better look that up. High school was a long time ago.)