This silkscreen print emerged after I had made several prints based on pine beetle galleries. I started with a colour photograph of a blaze cut into tree bark on the trail to Mount Murray, just outside Wells.

Photo of blaze scar on tree, Mount Murray trail near Wells.
After changing it to greyscale, I “posterized” the image with five tonal thresholds.
- Black & white version of blaze photo.
- Posterized version of blaze photo.
The next step was to generate film positives and make photostencils.
- Film positive from posterization.
- Film positive from posterization.
- Film positive from posterization.
- Film positive from posterization.
- Film positive for background gradient (1st stencil).
The first screen was a split gradient for a solid, printed background. Then I printed the darker positives with lighter inks and vice versa until I ended up with this:

“Blaze” – silkscreen, 12.875″ × 16.75″ (32.5 cm × 42.5 cm)
Months later, while making an espresso in the gallery, I looked down at the drip bowl that sits under the machine and saw this:

Espresso grounds in drip bowl.
Ok, not quite the same pattern and colours as the silkscreen print, but a visual cousin 😉
Back to the pine beetle bark.
This section intrigued me; something seemed familiar.
Following my same work flow, I changed the photo to black and white, posterized it, then created the film positives to make photostencils.
- B&W version.
- Film positive.
- Film positive.
- Film positive.
- Film positive for “sky”.
Here’s the resulting print:

“Banff Beetles” – silkscreen print 4″ × 6″ (13.3 × 7.9 cm)
Which reminds me of this view of Cascade Mountain as seen from downtown Banff, Alberta:

Cascade.
Again, not quite the same, but reminiscent enough for me 😉
Love your thoughtful and still serendipitous creative process. Isn’t it great when it all comes together. Few people realize how convoluted the journey can become. Happy New Year Bill and Claire.