Wesley Bates

Wood Engravings

The images in this exhibition are Wood Engravings that create a relief print, meaning the surface of the material is cut away where no ink is intended. Ink is applied to the raised areas. Relief printing is the oldest method of making multiple images.

Wesley Bates’ method is to first develop a drawing to the exact size of the block he intends to engrave. His engraving blocks are made up of several pieces of hard, dense maple arranged so that the end grain surface becomes the working surface.

Working with a family of tools called gravers, Wesley engraves lines into the block following his drawing until he feels that he has arrived at an image that shows a proper development of form, light and texture. Wood engraving is a process that rewards patience and forethought. It is not medium that responds gracefully to spontaneity.

When the block is finished it is printed on a letterpress. Ink is applied to the relief areas of the block with a roller and pressed against the block to make the print. Wesley prefers to use Japanese papers of the Gampi variety for printing editions of his engravings.

Bob Gibson

Decoy Carver

Bob Gibson’s sculptures begin with a block of wood harvested near his farm in Washington County, Kentucky. The wood, usually cedar but occasionally walnut or cherry, is cut into a rough profile using a band saw. Further shaping is done with a flex-shaft power tool. A wood burner defines the extremely fine detail of the feathers.

Sometimes he leaves the carvings unpainted to showcase the beauty of the wood's grain. Most often, however, they are sealed and painted with artists' acrylics. A minimum of one hundred hours is devoted to creating each of these life-size carvings.