Claudio Orso

artist statement

I found in the carving of woodblocks the greatest treasure of challenge and satisfaction because of the oftentimes antagonistic nature of the wood’s grain and density, an issue that one tackles with sculptor’s problem-solving strategies, learning from countless serendipitous accidents. The hand printing of the woodblock is also an occasion of wonder and discovery, like when an ink sounds right on the brayer, its color biting into the paper, the circular burnishing motions of the wooden spoon, the joy of peeling off the print… I learned how to make a print in seventh grade, and i still enjoy it today, ever more.