George A. Walker – författare

“Ink and paper are my muses. Using hand press printing and printers’ ink to create original prints has absorbed me for the last 47 years. I love the qualities of all papers, especially fine rag papers and washi papers. Their tactile and soft surfaces beg to receive ink and I am always happy to oblige them.” — George A. Walker. George A. Walker is one of the world’s foremost woodcut artists. Over the past 40 years Walker has created more than 1,000 wood engravings to illustrate seven wordless books and countless prints covering subjects ranging from literary works to half-remembered dreams, to historical figures and events. Ink & Paper is a collection of the best of Walker’s work from the 1970s to the present. The book is a complete survey of his career, with over 250 prints — including many from his wordless novels about important figures in art, politics and history — as well as photos of Walker’s handmade limited edition books. Each carefully selected image, complete in itself, is paired on the facing page with a complementary image that enhances the visual experience. Ink & Paper is capped with an afterword by Tom Smart, curator, essayist and director of the Beaverbrook Art Gallery. Walker attributes his fascination with woodcuts and their use in wordless novels to attending an exhibition featuring the work of Frans Masereel, the first master of the wordless novel. After the exhibition he began an obsessive pursuit to find books illustrated with woodcuts, wood engravings and linocuts, and to learn everything he could about fine art printmaking and the art of wood engraving. The result of that obsession is a four-decade career and an astounding body of work — celebrated here for the first time in this gorgeous retrospective.

The history of woodcuts goes back more than a thousand years. Working carefully and with great precision, the woodcut artist carves a mirror image of a design on wood or other suitable material. The design is then inked and pressed against paper. The technique allows the artist to create an almost unlimited number of impressions of the same work. The precision of the work and the ability of the artist to create multiple impressions allow many fine woodcut artists to create pieces at a reasonable price, which an average collector can afford. The Woodcut Artist's Handbook provides the basics of this craft with a detailed analysis of its tools and media. This improved second edition features two new chapters that teach artists step by step how to make an engraving and linocut. Artists can improve and develop considerable skill in this art by following these instructions and the author's professional tips. Beginners and advanced woodcutters and collectors will gain a deeper understanding of and appreciation for this craft and art. This profusely illustrated book is ideal for artists, printmakers, designers and collectors.