Ambos Lados International Print Exchange: Henry Morales Carving the Sandia Mountains

Henry Morales (of the Desert Triangle Print Carpeta) carved a large woodcut for the Steamroller Printing Event in Albuquerque during Labor Day weekend, September 4th, 2020.

The Sandia Mountains in the background

from Kinney Dam in Albuquerque, New Mexico

September 1, 2020

Carving backwards

Henry carved on site, but with his back to the Sandia Mountains. He looked into the mirror for reference. The mirror gives a reverse image of the mountains, which Henry faithfully copied onto his woodcut. However, the printmaking process always gives a reverse image of the plate, so that the final masterpiece will be the correct view of the Sandia Mountains. Very clever!

Henry carving with his back to the Sandia Mountains

Half done

I wonder if Henry noticed what was lacking at the top of the Sandia Mountains. The Great Unconformity is a billion year gap in the Geologic Record. What if he used artistic license to put back a billion years of geologic strata, would the Sandias be bigger than the Himalayas?