I have been in Dhaka, Bangladesh for 12 days now and have gotten the first batch of woodblocks made — they look fantastic! The woodblocks were made from drawings that I made, based on recurring motifs in my own work. I also added some words that the women of Katakhali have learned to read and wanted to include, such as “Katakhali,” “water,” “rice” and the local river names. Two more large blocks are being made still. I have also purchased the 24 saris, inks, and other printmaking materials. We need to run test prints next. We are waiting for the weather in the islands to improve — it’s the monsoon season and there has been non-stop rain down there.

Thanks to all of you for your support! I welcome your ideas, comments, and questions and hope that you’ll be a part of this project.

Photos of Woodblocks: