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Discover the wonder of art during a BIG INK demonstration near you! Watch individuals gather to use The Big Tuna, a giant mobile printmaking press, to create large-scale woodblock prints. Each event is free and open for the public to attend and observe the printing process.
Make Art Part of Your Next Adventure
BIG INK LLC, an art education company based in New England, collaborates with organizations across the United States to host demonstrations of fine-art printing. Each event features local and regional artists’ work. Participants sign up for an online workshop to learn how to carve a woodblock. They work from home, receiving guidance from their instructor, BIG INK’s Co-Founder, Lyell Castonguay. The workshop culminates with an in-person meeting, where everyone gathers and prints their carvings together.
Castonguay and Co-Founder Carand Burnet set up a portable print shop on location. They apply special ink to the woodblocks that workshop participants carve, lay a sheet of paper on top, and run it through a mobile printing press called The Big Tuna. Like the fish, The Big Tuna is large and powerful. It can print a wood carving up to 40 by 96 inches. Most equipment its size weighs several tons, but this model is truly one-of-a-kind and custom-made for travel.
“The woodblocks we print represent hundreds of combined hours of wood carving on the part of my students,” states Castonguay. He adds, “I encourage the public to attend and show their support for the artists who craft these beautiful pieces. It’s an opportunity to celebrate the joy of artistic creation and learn about the oldest form of printmaking.”
the Anchovy
Witness the awe-inspiring Big Tuna, our giant mobile press print workshop participant’s wood carvings. This special demonstration is open to the whole family. While attending, visit our mini print table. Choose a two-by-three-inch carved mini woodblock animal design. A volunteer will print your selection on sticker paper, which you can take home as a delightful keepsake! Each sticker is printed with The Anchovy, a 3D printed press made possible by the Open Press Project.
All suggested donations from the mini print community activity directly support environmental non-profits, including the World Wildlife Fund.
Catch us at one of these locations! All events are free and open to all ages.