FUMI MATSUMOTO       “Black & White”  Exhibition   May 7-30 2021

Matsumoto’s block prints are created from various sized carved linoleum blocks and each image may contain a variety of individual block images. The papers she prints on are actually brewed teabag papers which have been carefully taken apart and glued together.  

As an Alaskan artist she gravitates to the animals of the region. “The intelligence of birds, particularly Corvids (ravens, jays, magpies and crows) is impressive. Watching the ravens loitering in the downtown parking lots waiting for handouts and morsels of discarded food reveals their resourceful and adaptable nature. Likewise watching a ‘murder of crows’ dive bombing a raven or eagle in the act of protecting their young and territory, shows the plucky, tenacious attitude of these little black birds.”

Fumi’s use of recycled papers is not only clever, but demonstrates a conscientious respect for the environment in which her subjects live. Fumi is a tea drinker, however many friends and collectors save teabags for her. The lighter sheets are from green tea or herbal teas, darker sheets from black teas such as Earl Grey or English Breakfast. The round teabags and small square teabags each have an interesting color and texture adding to the unique quality of each print.

 “Printing on tea bags.”  Fumi descibes her process.

Thank you to Currents Online and Bill Baran-Mickel for this feature article.   https://www.bainbridgecurrents.com/first-friday-focus-fumi-matsumoto