Award-winning artist Leon Loughridge is a master of the multi-step
reduction process in woodblock art. His latest exhibition features
woodblock prints, watercolors and serigraphs of the special places
in New Mexico that represent his spiritual roots and personal story.
Using the Japanese printmaking technique of moku hanga, all of
his woodblock prints are created by hand, not a printing press. The
hand-printing process is simple, yet labor intensive, and achieves
its own vibrancy and originality as well as a unique fidelity to the
landscapes of New Mexico that inspire him. The artist will be in the
gallery demonstrating his print process July 11 – 15.
These familiar locations are a never-ending display of beauty. They
are sites where I am continually inspired, where I am familiar with the
folds and creases of the land, so much so, that I can mentally step
into the landscape and walk those folds while standing at my easel.
As one becomes more and more devout in caring for the landscape
and observing its beauty, the ground begins to take on a sacred
aspect, becoming a portal or apparition of a state of mind. My artwork
from these sites are devotional statements of my encounters with the
reality and beauty they offer. — Leon Loughridge
