WOODCUTS

I stumbled upon this beautiful book, Woodcuts, the other day and as I flipped through the preview I started to think that the pages would be perfect for framing in a grid. Unlike the predictable botanical or Audubon book (which I love as well), these woodcuts are unexpected and intriguing - they aren't your typical pressed flower or nest of robin eggs. The Connecticut-based artist Bryan Nash Gill created large-scale relief prints from cross sections of trees. Their rings create the most unique, detailed patterns that have always been a beautiful mystery. Here is how he creates the prints,

"The artist rescues the wood from the property surrounding his studio and neighboring land, extracts and prepares blocks of various species—including ash, maple, oak, spruce, and willow—and then prints them by carefully following and pressing the contours of the rings until the intricate designs transfer from tree to paper."

I know buying a collection of nice prints can be pretty pricy, so a great alternative is finding a gorgeous book and carefully removing the pages to frame yourself. You can arrange them like these to make a dramatic statement and occupy a lot of space without paying an arm and a leg for a piece of large artwork. Here are some snapshots of his beautiful work: