Wood Engravers from around the country are spending this week in Rhinelander.
It’s the annual workshop for the Wood Engravers Network.
Tony Drehfal is a local wood engraver with a studio at ArtStart. He’s attended many of the workshops hosted by the group over the last 25 years.
“I can't get a very big ego, because I look at things and go, ‘Wow, I got a lot to learn.’ It's a lifelong trade, just about everyone in our group freely share their technique and how they do things, which is really nice,” said Drehfal. “Some of the other fine arts people have their secrets. There's no secrets with wood engraving. Some of them, they'll even show you, knowing that you won't be able to do what they're doing anyway.”
Drehfal says the wood engravers will be working on projects throughout at the week at ArtStart in between different presentations and field trips they have planned.
There are about 140 engravers that are members of the networks.
Drehfal expects at least 16 to attend this week.
“If you come visit any time during the week, you'll see us with our tools and our box engraving,” said Drehfal. “There'll probably be a little proof press. What you can do when you engrave is you could ink it up right away, put paper on it, and make a proof of it, and look at it, and go, ‘Oh, I need to engrave more, I need more detail.’ That'll be set up.”
There will be a presentation on the "A Survey of Natural History Wood Engravings" on Monday, June 22 at the Hilgermann Center by Sarah Finn. She’s a special collections librarian at the Milwaukee Public Library.
That’s starts at 1:00 p.m. It is free and open to the public.
There are also two wood engraving exhibits at ArtStart.
One is the Network’s Travelling Show.
The other is Drehfal’s personal collection of engravings he’s acquired over the last two decades.
“In the Glass Gallery is basically wood engravings that I've collected over a span of 24 years, or traded for, or Black and Burn, our publication, if you become a member, there is sort of an additional packet of prints that go out with each issue of Black and Burn, called the bundle. There's a couple of bundle prints that is in that exhibit,” said Drehfal.
The open reception for the exhibits is Thursday from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. The collections will be on display at ArtStart through August 8th.
Drefhal also donated prints of his Hodag engraving to ArtStart. They’re for sale for $25 with all proceeds benefiting ArtStart.
They’re available for sale at ArtStart or Child’s Frame Co. on Brown Street.
