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Charles Spitzack – Woodblock, Washi, and Dabbling: Notes from an Artist Residency in Japan (Online)

Charles Spitzack will discuss the history and process of Japanese woodblock printing, the relationship between mokuhanga and washi, and the lasting influence of woodcut printmaking across cultures and generations.
Saturday, October 24 – 3:15pm PT / 6:15pm ET / 11:15pm UK Time

Zoom Meeting ID: 845 2561 8057
Passcode: wac

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Class Description

Artist Charles Spitzack reflects on his six-week artist residency in Echizen, Japan, where he studied mokuhanga, traditional Japanese woodblock printmaking, and worked closely with handmade washi. In this one-hour artist talk and demonstration, Spitzack will discuss the history and process of Japanese woodblock printing, the relationship between mokuhanga and washi, and the lasting influence of woodcut printmaking across cultures and generations. He will share images and experiences from his time in Echizen, including what he learned from contemporary mokuhanga artists and papermakers, and how those traditions have influenced his own approach to making and teaching woodcut. The session will conclude with a live demonstration of a simple white-line woodcut print, a technique developed by the Provincetown Printers in the early 20th century. Combining elements of Western relief printing with ideas drawn from Japanese color woodblock printing, white-line woodcut offers a direct and accessible way to create a multi-color print from a single block.

If you enjoy this presentation or make work inspired by it, please leave a comment below.

Charles Spitzack is a Pacific Northwest-based artist specializing in woodcut printmaking. He first discovered printmaking at Highpoint Center for Printmaking while attending Perpich Arts High School in Minneapolis and continued his studies at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. His work is represented by Armstrong Fine Art, published by Pomegranate Communications, and has been exhibited at institutions including the Tacoma Art Museum, Bellevue Art Museum, Cascadia Art Museum, and the Museum of Northwest Art. In 2024, he received the Kobaien Prize at the International Mokuhanga Conference in Echizen, Japan, and in 2026 participated in the advanced MI-LAB mokuhanga residency. Spitzack teaches woodcut and mokuhanga workshops throughout the Pacific Northwest and online, and serves as Board President of Seattle Print Arts.

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Classes Available with Charles Spitzack:
  • Charles Spitzack - Layering Landscapes through Woodcut (Online); Tuesdays, November 17-December 8, 2026

    Charles Spitzack – Layering Landscapes through Woodcut (Online); Tuesdays, November 17-December 8, 2026

    $295.00
    Add to cart
  • Charles Spitzack - Woodblock, Washi, and Dabbling: Notes from an Artist Residency in Japan (Online); Saturday, October 24 - 3:15pm PT / 6:15pm ET / 11:15pm UK Time

    Charles Spitzack – Woodblock, Washi, and Dabbling: Notes from an Artist Residency in Japan (Online); Saturday, October 24 – 3:15pm PT / 6:15pm ET / 11:15pm UK Time

    Free!
    Read more
  • Charles Spitzack - Mokuhanga: Japanese Woodblock Print Demo (Recording)

    Charles Spitzack – Mokuhanga: Japanese Woodblock Print Demo (Recording)

    Free!
    Read more
  • Charles Spitzack - The Art of Woodcut Printmaking Demo (Recording)

    Charles Spitzack – The Art of Woodcut Printmaking Demo (Recording)

    Free!
    Read more

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