Taking Inspiration Where You Find It

Red-eyed Vireo on Nest. Multiple block reduction woodcut by Ken Januski.

Well perhaps inspiration is too strong a word. I was looking through photos and sketches for something that I thought might work as a woodcut or linocut for a Season's Greetings card. When I saw my Red-eyed Vireo on nest photos I realized I could get a seasonal red and green theme by using a red border and a red eye along with the green leaves.

I almost never work in this way. But then again I'm rarely looking for something to meet a commission, in this case my own, that has specific requirements, like Season's Greetings. It was really quite a stretch to think that just the color combination would be enough to seem seasonal. So I designed it in such a way that the leaves, which are actually Beech, look a bit like Poinsettia. One more stretch.

Still I think it is what I wanted: a simple design that does, at least to me, seem seasonal.

If I happen upon one of the many Snowy Owls that have invaded Pennsylvania along with nearby states, then maybe I can think about a Happy New Year print. But I'm not at all counting on it.