Reed Griffin with Laurel 2020 Linocut
My daughter was graduated from Reed College in Portland in May 2020, and like many graduates the world over in 2020, our family missed celebrating at a graduation ceremony. I wanted to make her a special gift, which I just sent to her (she elected to stay in Portland as she finishes the year remotely). This linocut is the school mascot, a griffin, with my addition of a laurel leaf and the year 2020.
The laurel leaf is significant because at Reed, seniors write a senior thesis, and after they defend it, they are presented with a laurel-leaf crown, doused with champagne, and invited to toss a draft of the thesis into a bonfire. COVID-19 robbed her of this ritual. This is my way of giving her laurels anyway.
I printed the griffin black, the laurels gold, and the 2020 in dark red using Cranfield inks. I mounted the print on acid-free black paper. I put the design on paper as well as on a t-shirt and a tote bag.
If anyone has a Reedie 2020 who would like to use this design, I have uploaded a high resolution copy below (the one above is low res). I uploaded two versions, which you should be able to access a zip file of by clicking on the links or by dragging the photos to desktop or right clicking to access download image. If you have trouble downloading Contact Kim Peasley and I will email you back the images.
- The design I did in Photoshop that I then transferred to the lino block to carve.
- A photo of one of the actual lino prints.
Feel free to download and print either version. One idea is to print on nice paper, then paint the laurels with gold paint or ink. Congratulations to all Reedies 2020! And congratulations to all graduates 2020 around the globe!
