Episode Details

The works of Adrian Holmes play between the traditional and the contemporary. His mokuhanga explores colour, and form in new and interesting ways.

On this episode of The Unfinished Print I speak to woodblock printmaker Adrian Holmes about his work, his process, how teaching affects how he sees mokuhanga, how he balances between his "shin-hanga" and "sōsaku hanga" prints, and we discuss the collaboration system of Japanese woodblock prints and whether there is still merit in the process within the contemporary world.

Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own print work on Instagram @popular_wheatprints, Twitter @unfinishedprint, or email me at theunfinishedprint@gmail.com

Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.

Adrian Holmes - website, Instagram

Tochigi, Prefecture, Japan - Is a prefecture in Japan and is considered the "gateway to the North" of Japan. The capital is Tochigi City. Famous for it's Tokugawa mausoleum in the mountain city of Nikkō, and the beauty of the region in all seasons. tourism website

dentōteki 伝統的- is the process of traditional Japanese woodblock printmaking produced by the collaboration system of publisher, designer, carver, and printer.

sōsaku hanga - the creative print, is a style of mokuhanga which is where the artist produces, designs, carves, and prints the prints themselves. It is also a period of woodblock printing in Japan attributed to the early 20th Century.

Kiyoshi Saitō (1907-1997) - a creative printmaker (sōsaku hanga) for over sixty years. Saitō's work's covered theatre, museum studies, cats, and women. A fantastic book came out in 2021 called, Graphic Awakening published by The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art, and can be found, here. It was based on the show held from Mar 14, 2021 – Aug 15, 2021

Ōta Memorial Museum of Art - located in the Ōmotesando area of Tōkyō, near Harajuku. It is a woodblock print museum which has rotating shows throughout the year. They also offer a grant for the research of ukiyo-e. website, is in English and Japanese.

Wood Like Matsumura - is an online and brick and mortar store, for woodblock printmaking, located in Nerima City, Tōkyō. website.

Asaka Motoharu - is a woodblock printmaker located in Tōkyō. He takes apprentices, such as Taran Casey (Gingko Hanga) from the UK and teaches at home and around the world. website, Instagram.

Cornwall, England - located in the most Southern part of England. Famous for its beaches and natural beauty. Tourist website, here.

Yoshida Family of Artists - The Yoshida's are one of the most famous family of artists from Japan. Begun with painter Yoshida Kasaburō (1861-1894), made famous by Yoshida Hiroshi (1876-1950) and his work with woodblock printing. The Yoshida family has helped shape many artists around the world. More info from the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum, here.

Kawase Hasui - (1883 - 1957) was a woodblock print designer who worked within the burgeoning shin-hanga