One of my Spear Lily’s Doryanthus palmeri – is just starting to flower on its long ‘spearlike’ stalk. The flowers slowly emerge along the stalk – they are full of sweet nectar and the local birds love them.
Planning a linocut design using them.
In the garden today….Spear Lily
Wildflowerings - Art Studio Diary 
Hi Lyn, This is such an interesting plant – Does the flower open out a lot more? I look foward to seeing how you tackle the linocut – and I must say that really appreciate seeing your lino blocks. They are such wonderful things. Your skill in carving them out is exceptional. I can see that I don’t carve mine deeply enough – perhaps because my tool is not sharp enough, or do you heat your lino before carving? I need to do this in Tasmania! Thanks very much for your inspiration!
Hi Linden,
Sometimes i think my linocuts are “too neat”!! I also love the rough expressive cuts of people like Noel Counihan. I have been learning how to sharpen my blades – it makes a huge difference! I bought a fine oil stone (from Bunnings only about $25) and some sewing machine oil which I use but I also have a piece of leather with some fine honing paste (my dad had some really old stuff in his shed but it works really well). I saw on Neil’s Artstore website that they have a leather hone and paste. I have found this the most helpful (I also got tips from Evon Zerbetz in Alaska). I was planning to put some tips on this blog but haven’t got to that yet. I also use one of those 1970’s table top electric casserole warmer to warm the lino if needed. Up here in Northern NSW it is a tad warmer than Tasmania!! So I would suggest warming the lino…I posted a little while back about different sorts of lino – some more softer than others. My local artshop has got used to me coming in and ‘checking’ the softness of their latest lino delivery!!
regards
Lyn
Thanks very much Lyn – very helpful! – I will look up Noel too!
Thanks for the beautiful pictures of the spear lily. I appreciate you sharing.
Cheers,
mark