Greetings, here is my print for the traveling exhibition. It is made with intaglio, chine-colle, and mixed media. To see more of my work, check out http://masharyskin.com

Title: And winter was between him
Date: 2009
Medium: linocut
Dimensions: 9 x 12

Hello everyone! I thought I would tell you about my print that I have entered into this show. I got an email from Derrick Riley telling me about this project which called printmakers to compose a print that would be based on the themes of the movie, "And white was the night." I haven't seen the film before and went solely off of the description of the movie that was downloaded from the film's website and came up with this piece. I wanted to tackle the themes of the film that I found were the most intriguing to me, once I read the synopsis of the film. What jumped out to me the most was the description of one of the character's most treasured possessions; his Bible and his gun. I would portray in my piece the redemptive qualities of the Bible and how could erase his past by entering into a relationship with Jesus Christ and by reading the Truth of God in His Word. I am depicting the winter of his life that is between the light of communicating with God in a relationship with Him by reading the Bible and the darkness of rejecting God by taking matters into your own hands and carrying a gun and the dangers of the duality of existing in both frames of mind. It took me several hours of researching, drawing, carving and then actually printing the piece at a printmaking cooperative here in Portland, Oregon, where I now reside, called Atelier Meridian which is run by master printmaker Jane Pagliarulo. It was a very easy print to pull and there were not very many troubles with it at all.

"And White Was The Night" Helsinki/United States Traveling Exhibition

Helsinki ~ USA Traveling Exhibition
Eva G. Farris Art Gallery
Thomas More College
January: Friday 15th- Feb. 6th
Opening Reception: Friday, January 15, 2010 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Thomas More College’s Eva G. Farris Art Gallery and Helsinki Galleries in cooperation with the upcoming film, 'And White Was The Night'


About the film:

The theme in the film “And White Was The Night” is the evil created by social systems (in this case various crime organizations) and their power over individuals. The film touches a number of important topics, including drug and human trafficking and child soldiers. The story is set in the forests and suburbs of Helsinki (Finland), but it periodically takes you back to the jungles and towns of Colombia. This I think creates an interesting contrast. Even more of a contrast is the white night of Finland and the pitch black darkness of the jungle.

An important aspect of this film was to break the traditional genre boundaries. So the film has many elements that could be identified either as drama, action or even horror. To some it might even be experimental at times. I hope this shows in the art as well.”

-Mika Rantonen / Director
For more information on the film, please visit:

http://www.andwhitewasthenight.com/

http://www.andwhitewasthenight.com/trailers.html