iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

A sneak peak of something new! Transferring my sketch to the lino block. This piece will combine letterpress with linocut and the extra mental acrobatics involved in that is keeping me on my toes. #linocut #printmaking #novascotiaartist

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

More ultramarine! I am working on a letterpress-linocut piece that I want to print in ultramarine. When I went to get ultramarine ink, it was only be available in very large tins. So, now I am playing around with old blocks to see how they look in blue. #printmaking #linocut

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · 22/02/2026

Printed some seaweed with ultramarine ink the other day just because! #printmaking

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Reposted by Vanessa McKiel

Katherine J Barrett @kathj.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

A plant that crackles and pops! Jewelweed was our latest interviewee in the Wild Talk outdoor studio. With an original print by the marvellous @vanessa_mckiel www.thebarnacle.ca/seven-questi... @lunenburgbarnacle #nativeplants #jewelweed #fallcolours #naturewriting

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Reposted by Vanessa McKiel

Katherine J Barrett @kathj.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

It has been almost a full cycle of Wild Talk. And we have a real *treasure* of a plant coming up in Oct! With original linocuts from the inimitable @vanessa_mckiel. @lunenburgbarnacle www.thebarnacle.ca/tag/wild-talk/ #naturewriting #nativeplants #naturalizedplants #ediblewildplants #weedsnotlawns

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

"Front Harbour with Fishes" 23" x 23" hand-coloured linocut with letterpress chine-collee is off to a new home! #linocut #printmaking #printmaker

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · 05/07/2025

"Front Harbour with Fishes" 23x23" hand-coloured linocut with letterpressed chine colle is now front stage at the Lunenburg Art Gallery and I am so honoured and grateful! #printmaking #linocut #novascotiaartist

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · 22/06/2025

I am back from a fabulous 2 week artist residency on Nova Scotia's Brier Island. I was able to print 2 big linocuts (23x23") and now am happily hand-colouring fields of wildflowers. #linocut #printmaking #reliefprinting

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · 18/05/2025

The first ten (of 25) are finished! 'Cod's eye view' 12x12" hand-coloured linocut with letterpress chine colle #linocut #printmaking

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · 10/05/2025

Woohoo!! My 24x24" image has been transferred to the linoleum block and I am carving! #printmaker #linocut #linogravure #xilografia #novascotiaartist #reliefprint

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · 07/05/2025

I am excited that my idea to letterpress onto red tissue paper before gluing it on to the print seems to have worked. This technique is called chine colle, but I will have to call this letterpress chine collee! #linocut #printmaking #letterpress #chinecolle

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · 30/04/2025

More newborn prints! Finally finished carving a 12x12" lino and spent the day pulling prints. Once these have dried I will be painting the town! #linocut #printmaking

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · 19/04/2025

When you think you are paying attention and your test print confirms that you actually were not! It's taken a long time but my tiny books are nearly there. Just printing the covers and then binding. #letterpress #linocut #printmaking

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

New work in progress! This is a 12x12" study for the larger 24x24" linocut I am planning. #printmaking #reliefprint #linocut #linogravure #xilografia #novascotiaartist #oldtownlunenburg

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · 30/03/2025

Newborn prints! Nova Scotia's provincial flower should be blooming in a month or so. Mayflowers 4x4" linocut #printmaker #linocut #linogravure #novascotiaartist #mayflowers #trailingarbutus

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · 27/03/2025

And sometimes, spring in Nova Scotia moves so slowly that it seems to go backwards! A sugar snow covered everything last night. Luckily, snowdrops have antifreeze proteins and can create their own heat. #flowerpower #novascotiaspring

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

Spring in Nova Scotia is never in a hurry, but it is here! One day I might make a linocut inspired by these images. #printmaker #novascotiaspring

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

The spring rains have turned the lungwort lichen its lovely bright green! Lungwort lichen 4x4" linocut #printmaking #linocut #lichen #novascotiaartist

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · 16/03/2025

The snowdrops are finally emerging in my yard and my snowdrop prints are nearly finished too! I printed some with sepia ink and some with green -- not sure which I like better! Do you have a preference? #printmaking #linocut #snowdrops

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

Learning Letterpress: 1. Old school: type is set and ready to ink for a test proof 2. New school: take a photo on a smart phone and flip it :) I am sure it will get easier but it is remarkable how many typos you can make when you think you are being careful #letterpress

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · 21/02/2025

"What the people want is simple - they want an America as good as its promise." --Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, born on this day in 1936, and as relevant as ever With gratitude to amos paul kennedy jr and his school of bad printing 😊 #letterpress #printmaking

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · 16/02/2025

Pleased with the test print but not pleased with the inconsistent ink transfer in some subsequent prints. I think this is why carving is my favourite part of the process: the image is done, and the trials of printing are a theoretical thing. There is just being present in the carving 😊 #printmaking

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

Believe me -- there are snowdrops under all that snow in my yard, and I am conjuring them up with a new linocut! #printmaking #linocut #novascotiaartist

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

Excited to share that I am starting to learn about letterpress! A huge thank you to @gaspereaupress.bsky.social for a terrific day of inspiration & teaching yesterday. But fear not, I am still in deep with inky hands, working on several new linocuts! #letterpress #printmaking #linocut

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Vanessa McKiel @vanessamckiel.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

This morning in Nova Scotia: minus 20C windchill on the outside, morning sun & tulips on the inside.

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