DRYFIRE PRESS

GOODBYE BLOGSPOT

2011-08-16T09:19:00.002-05:00

I've never been quite happy with blogger,
and can't fight tumblr's temptation any longer!

You can find a continuation of this blog at: dryfirepress.tumblr.com
See my new adventures in Qatar at!: midwest-mideast.tumblr.com

--Zach--

Wanderjahr

2011-03-27T00:48:00.001-05:00

Wanderjahr, German for "Year of Wandering," is what European journeymen did before they settled on a vocation. In the 15th century the young Albrecht Dürer left Nuremberg to roam around for a year, in search of the Italian artist Martin Schongauer.

I love the idea of the wandering artist, and have named one of my current projects after that European tradition. Carrying around a small maple box on my back, which contains a piece of paper and graphite ball, I record my 2.6 mile trip to the studio, working my up to a total of 100 miles. I am only wearing my drawing device to and from the studio, so this project will require me to make approximately 38 trips. The end result will be the accumulation of 38 separate drawings, on a single piece of paper.

18.2 Miles (7 studio trips)

Josh Black: Sunrise to Sunset

2011-03-26T22:00:00.005-05:00

My friend Josh Black just did an amazing performance piece. He had a few thousand clay pigeons left over from a previous installation (top two photos), and from sunrise to sunset, flung them into sheets of steel using a trap thrower. In order to use up the 4000-and-some pigeons during the full day of light, he had to launch one every 20 seconds, or so. (www.joshblack.org)

M.F.C.C. and Shiva

2011-03-11T15:14:00.005-06:00

Below is the print I made (in collaboration with the Men's Flyfot Correspondence Club) for the States of the State print exchange. Shortly after finishing the edition I traveled to India, and found the Shiva oleograph in an antique store.

M.F.C.C. Lithograph and Mezzotint, 2011

Shiva as Kashi Vishwanath (Ravi Varma Press), Lithograph, 1910-1920

Arts and Crafts in North India

2011-03-10T01:59:00.002-06:00

During January I spent three weeks studying abroad in India. Here are a few of the 1000's of pictures I took, mainly consisting of the traditional arts and crafts in New Delhi and Jaipur.

These blocks are used to print textiles.

The Block Carver has a record of the various designs his family has carved over the years, and keeps them in an album as a record of his "family tree". These patterns are very old.

All of the tools are made by hand--this is used to hold the bow drill in place.

Carving demo.

Paper mill.

Hanging the paper to dry.

Paper drying loft.

Grinding the cobalt pigment for the blue glaze--this takes two days.

Elementary Astronomy

2010-12-09T18:59:00.002-06:00

I'm currently working on an astronomy book, which is loosely based off of an illustrated pamphlet of the planets I made in grade school. I just finished printing all of the text from hand-set metal type, the rest of the color lithograph images are yet to come... The above image is the title page spread.

Mezzotint/Lithograph (in-progress)

2010-11-06T22:07:00.001-05:00

Press in Action--watch the weight return the bed.

2010-10-02T02:58:00.017-05:00

Press Refurbishing

2010-10-02T02:06:00.009-05:00

This is a Kelton press that was manufactured in Brooklyn, NY, roughly between 1850-1910, for production printing (bank notes and certificates). Many of of its design features allow the press and printer to function more efficiently: the bed is weighted so it can be operated from one side, eliminating the extra walking, and the handles of the star-wheel are counter-balanced to hold the top D-roller in place, allowing the bed to move beneath it on the return. I found the press in Seattle and restored it this summer. It was completely disassembled, sandblasted, powder coated, polished, and then put back together (with a few of the missing parts made by a machinist).

(Before)

disassembled

This box was built to hold the bottom roller off of the frame, allowing me to assemble/disassemble the press by myself. It weights around 400 lbs together, but I can lift each individual part.

The press after the powder coating/roller polishing.

(After)

Micah Bloom at the helm, helping me print it for the first time in a long time.

Micah's mezzotint

New Image

2010-09-30T20:16:00.001-05:00

Cove, Lithograph, 8.75" x 9"

Pastimes Exhibition Images

2010-04-28T21:26:00.006-05:00

Images from my MFA exhibition. (thank you Micah for taking the great pics)

Pastimes MFA Exhibition

2010-04-28T20:29:00.006-05:00

Below are a few pieces that were included in my recent MFA exhibition. Since my main website is doesn't allow me to upload high-resolution images, I've decided to post a few of the larger ones on my blog.

Shale Pit, Lithograph

11" x 15", 2009

Foster, WI, Graphite

20" x 30", 2010

Flash Spot, Graphite

23" x 25", 2010

Felsenmeer, Lithograph

16.5 x 22.5, 2010

At the Environmental Summit Broadside

2010-04-19T13:18:00.003-05:00

Collaboration between myself and Andy Eklof.
Lithograph and Letterpress

Dryfire Press Presents: Recent Print Works

2010-03-20T12:36:00.005-05:00

Show poster

Group photo

David Dunlap and Andy Moeller

This semester I put together a group show of collaborative print projects I have done with my friends over the past year or so. Check out my website (www.zachstensenart.com) for images and more info. Click "Projects" -----and then----> "Dryfire Press"

Spring Break

2010-03-20T12:02:00.006-05:00

Last semester I found an internet post by a gentlemen who was selling an old etching press and 15 litho stone he inherited from his neighbor. Even though he lived on the other side of the country (WA), I couldn't let the opportunity slip by...

Cattle herding in Montana

Mountains in WA

Dad (left) and Lee (right) loading the press into Lee's truck

And then we transferred and secured everything into my Dad's truck

Once back in WI everything was then loaded into my truck

Iowa arrival

After traveling nearly 4100 miles, the press is in the studio!!...to be refurbished this summer.

Flying Fire

2010-03-20T11:49:00.001-05:00

Collaboration between myself and David Dunlap

Intro to Printmaking, Spring 2010

2010-03-20T10:48:00.003-05:00

For the first relief project, I assigned my Intro to Print class (12 students) to divide into two groups and create a large woodcut that was at least 48" in one direction.

The main theme of this project was collaboration. Once the groups had their initial ideas, everybody participated in the preliminary drawing on the board, and once finished, the groups carved and then printed the blocks collectively.

When drawing and carving, the students periodically rotated around the block so that there was more of an overall cohesiveness between everyone's individual cutting style.

This project was based around the collaborative nature of some old master's work, such as Albrecht Dürer, and even more contemporary artists such as Chuck Close and Jeff Koons.

International Miniature Invitational Exhibition

2009-11-08T12:37:00.000-06:00

Peninsula, 4" x 6"

Lithograph, 2009

Helping David

2009-11-08T12:23:00.000-06:00

Dress-form for David's human building

Shrine

Other shrine (inside coffin)

Giant Oar

My professor David Dunlap has a show at the Cue Art Foundation this November, so I have been helping him get some of his things ready.

Free Money

2009-03-14T14:17:00.000-05:00

Prints with the bartered objects (installation view)

Final Portfolio

In the Intro to Print class I'm teaching this semester, I assigned my class to make their own personal currency. In conjuncture with the making of the actual etching, my students also had to use one of their prints in a transaction, (a trade with a friend, business, etc.) and then present that object/story to the class during the critique.

This assignment was inspired by the work of J.S.G. Boggs and Mel Chin's Fundred Dollar Bill Project. It was indented to encourage the students to think about how something they create can serve as a component to a larger idea, and how their choice to work in a specific medium can be more conceptually relevant if it ties into the overall concept (a dollar is an actual editioned intaglio print).

This was also a class collaboration because it was a portfolio exchange--the above image is my contribution to the project.

(In)finite Opening

2009-02-26T11:01:00.000-06:00

Micah Bloom and Me

360 degree view of the installed show

Entrance

Pose

Micah's Painting

Work

Ball Bearings w/ Box

Sand Jesus

2009-02-26T10:54:00.001-06:00

When I was about 5 years old I had a cart with a hole in it. I discovered that if I filled the cart with sand it would act like an hour glass, and if I pushed the cart, the draining sand would create a line. I then drew a 60-foot portrait of Jesus on my parent's driveway. (my mom took this picture from my bedroom window)

finding your way

2009-02-06T17:21:00.000-06:00

My grandfather was a celestial navigator in the navy during the Korean War. Shortly before he died he left me a note describing how to find my bearings, and asking me to find him a book on the constellations. In this image you will find the the note, and my drawing about it.

MA show with Micah Bloom

2009-01-27T21:02:00.001-06:00

Drawing

2009-01-27T20:59:00.001-06:00

Working on the Roche Limit Series.

Introduction to Printmaking - Spring 09

2009-01-27T20:57:00.001-06:00

New Tank of a Vandercook + Visiting Artist Bryan Baker

2009-01-27T20:48:00.000-06:00

Bryan prints on dice...lots of them.

Dice.

Bryan showing how to use the press.

There are only probably a total of 5 presses like these
in the entire US.

1-20

2009-01-27T20:45:00.000-06:00

I was there, just not in body.

Print Collaborations

2009-01-27T20:38:00.001-06:00

Mike's print and source drawing, Travis' Print

Michael Perrone Lithographing.

Lithograph I made with Travis Head.

Undergraduate Relief

2009-01-27T20:35:00.000-06:00

Last semester Eric Parkin was one of the students in
my undergraduate relief class. This was his final print.

Drawing with David D.

2009-01-27T20:31:00.000-06:00

David's Bag

David working on our drawing on my new table.