Nan Kaufenberg
2021 artist
2021 artist
About the Artist
Nan creates watercolored linoleum block prints that have a comfortable, rustic, and natural feeling. The images are made by carving into linoleum blocks, applying ink, printing on heavy paper, and watercoloring each one.
Nan creates watercolored linoleum block prints that have a comfortable, rustic, and natural feeling. The images are made by carving into linoleum blocks, applying ink, printing on heavy paper, and watercoloring each one.
Artist Statement
My surroundings inspire me, mostly southern Minnesota landscapes and buildings.
It all started with a linoleum block print in art class in the fourth grade. I thought it was pretty neat that I could carve pictures and print them. With block printing, everything comes out in reverse -- the image is backward on the print and the black and white are not always where you thought they would be.
50+ years later I'm still trying to distill my subjects into a simplified design and to get the black and white in the right places and to play for the reversed print. It often takes hours of carving on the block so the brain gets accustomed to viewing the subject from left to right. Once the block is inked and printed, the image is reversed and it is always a bit of a surprise! Occasionally, it's not what I wanted it to look like, but it somehow still works.
Along the way, I started dabbling in watercolors and about 30 years ago tried painting my dired block prints. i liked the effect so I continue to hand paint each print. If they are in a numbered edition of prints, they need to be as close to the first print as possible -- both in the printing of the image and the watercolor on the image.
I hope you find some joy in viewing the artwork. I have great satisfaction in the making of it.
My surroundings inspire me, mostly southern Minnesota landscapes and buildings.
It all started with a linoleum block print in art class in the fourth grade. I thought it was pretty neat that I could carve pictures and print them. With block printing, everything comes out in reverse -- the image is backward on the print and the black and white are not always where you thought they would be.
50+ years later I'm still trying to distill my subjects into a simplified design and to get the black and white in the right places and to play for the reversed print. It often takes hours of carving on the block so the brain gets accustomed to viewing the subject from left to right. Once the block is inked and printed, the image is reversed and it is always a bit of a surprise! Occasionally, it's not what I wanted it to look like, but it somehow still works.
Along the way, I started dabbling in watercolors and about 30 years ago tried painting my dired block prints. i liked the effect so I continue to hand paint each print. If they are in a numbered edition of prints, they need to be as close to the first print as possible -- both in the printing of the image and the watercolor on the image.
I hope you find some joy in viewing the artwork. I have great satisfaction in the making of it.
Image Gallery
"Farmer's Market" - a hand-colored linoleum block print
Hand-colored linoleum block print by Nan Kaufenberg
Nan's technique relies on a combination of traditional rustic wood carving and an attentive application of watercolors
A hand-watercolored linoleum block print by Nan Kaufenberg
