Dan Filler, woodcut printmaker

I am a printmaker based in Bellingham. I work primarily with woodcut, using multiple blocks and reduction techniques to create a print. I work with wood because of the beauty of the grain, which I let shine through in my prints. My goal is to achieve a sort of alchemy between my design and intentions and the wood grain itself. I find endless inspiration in the mountains, hills, and seascapes of the Pacific Northwest. 

Part of what draws me to printmaking is the element of surprise inherent in the process. Although I start each new print with a design drawn out and carefully chosen pieces of wood, I never know exactly how a print will look until I pull the completed print for the first time. There is always something unexpected that happens along the way that makes the final print so much more than my original idea. This could be how different grain patterns interact or subtle shifts in color caused by the grain.  For me, printmaking is very much a case of 2 + 2 = 5.