Lockwood Dennis (Return to Dennis' main page)

Nine Days in Kobe

In November 2005 Lockwood Dennis traveled to Ichikawa, Japan, on a Sister City exchange between Port Townsend, Washington and Ichikawa. He lingered nine days more in Kobe, walking around the city and the other cities within a short train ride from Kobe.

The images of Japan in this current show of hand-colored woodcuts are derived from the sketches and photographs from those nine days. Dennis has combined painting and woodblock printing by making a linear print in black, and painting over it with alkyd oil paints - going back and forth between the two processes until he is satisfied with both. In these images, Dennis’ focus is on pictorial space. He explores the way a flat surface can have great dimension, a still image can seem animated, and dull colors can become vibrant. Together, a feeling of life is created.

• Bodies of Work: Nine Days in Kobe, Paintings, Castles & Ruins, Roadbuilders and Co., Cars 1985-1986