spitzack woodblock woodcut mokuhanga print printmaking washi seattle art artist

This print exemplifies Charles Spitzack's sustained engagement with mokuhanga, the Japanese water-based woodblock technique that differs from Western relief printing through its use of water-soluble pigments, nori paste binder, and the baren — a hand-held disc used to transfer ink to washi paper rather than a mechanical press. Spitzack's Seattle-based practice positions him within a growing American mokuhanga movement that has emerged largely through the influence of the International Mokuhanga Conference and dedicated study programs in Japan. Working with hand-carved cherry or shina blocks and absorbent kozo papers, Spitzack participates in a tradition that prizes subtle tonal effects achieved through bokashi, a wet-on-wet wiping technique in which pigment is graded across the block surface before each impression. His recognition at the 2024 IMC in Echizen reflects mokuhanga's continued vitality outside Japan and the medium's capacity to register contemporary American sensibilities through historically Japanese technical means.