This handcrafted linocut is inspired by the loon in the wild and in folklore. There are countless folktales of women who are mothered and nurtured by birds, reminding us of our belonging to the flock, folding us back into the feathered wings of a universe that mothers. On a quiet night in loon country, there seem to be three skies—the stars overhead, their reflections on the lake, and the stars scattered across the loon’s back. The call of the loon becomes the thread between them all. I wanted to weave that sense of motherly comfort, cosmos, and belonging into this original design—to make visible the thread that runs between stars, water, loon, and self.

A handmade keepsake for the soul who hears something ancient and familiar in the loon’s call, and wants to bring a little of that wildness home.

PRINT SIZE: 6” x 6”

PAPER SIZE: 8” x 8”

INK: This is handprinted with Cranfield safewash printmaking ink in two colors - Black and Prussian Blue.

PAPER: It is handprinted on a variety of local and imported papers including:

1) Handmade Okawara, Bunkoshi, Hosho and Kitikata traditional printmaking papers made in Japan. These are rustic textured, and come in a variety of different color tones, with deckled edges and either lightweight or medium weight paper. Please see the accompanying photos for a closer look at the unique qualities and differences.

2) Professional grade modern white toned printmaking papers: Arnhem from the Netherlands is a cardstock weight; and Strathmore, a local printmaking paper made in Massachusetts is a regular weight white paper. All of them are professional grade and archival quality.

These papers are priced differently to reflect the sourcing and material costs of the papers, and also added to the price is a flat rate $5 shipping fee.

✨Complete the pairing — pair this print with another loon-inspired work and enjoy special bundle pricing when you purchase them together. Indicate in a note when you check out which handmade paper you want. You can see details of the larger loon print in a separate listing in my shop.

HANDCRAFTED: Because every print is individually hand-carved, slight variations and natural carving marks are part of what makes each piece a distinctive work of handmade art. Authentic carving textures and small handmade variations are a beautiful part of the process, adding depth, character, and one-of-a-kind charm to every print.

PACKAGING: This print will be packed in a recycled clear bag and shipped in a rigid cardboard mailer. A one-page insert including a description of the folktale is included with the print.

SHIPPING: All orders are mailed within 1-2 days. International customers, please order this print in my Etsy shop.

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