Sometimes to make great art you need a delicate touch, and sometimes you need a steamroller.
Indiana University Kokomo students opted for the latter, as they demonstrated their skills Friday on Union Street in front of the university’s Union Street Gallery. It was part of the university’s relief printmaking class and a chance for students to interact with the public.
“It’s just fun because people come and watch,” said IUK Associate Professor in Fine Art Minda Douglas. “They get to see their prints pulled off of the woodblocks.”
To create a print, students first spent hours meticulously carving plywood or medium density fiberboard with hand tools and power tools. On the day of the event, each piece was covered with ink, and the steamroller was used to slowly press the design onto a piece of fabric.
Once the image was pressed, the fabric was hung to dry and then moved into the gallery where it is for sale throughout May. Prices generally ranged from $25-$100, varying depending on the size and nature of the artwork.
Douglas said the event was a unique chance to create art with heavy machinery and give students important face time with potential buyers.
“It just allows the students to interact with the community, show their work to the community and also just raise awareness for the university, for the art program,” said Douglas. “It brings culture to the community and benefits everybody involved.”
For third-year student Mary Schrock, it was also a chance to draw from her artistic roots.
“I grew up watching my dad do a lot of woodworking, and he taught me how to whittle,” said Schrock. Her intricate image of a tree took more than 60 hours to craft.
“Trees have been my muse,” Schrock explained. “I see human forms in a lot of trees and personalities. And a lot of my work is kind of bringing those personalities out.”