Luz Marina Ruiz "Portadores Del Mar" Carousel Book, Linocut Paper Sculpture in Black, Bay Area California Art, Original 12 X 11 Inches, 2021

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A black ground carries a jungle of carved lines in lemon yellow, cream, coral and turquoise, with a cream disc … Read more A black ground carries a jungle of carved lines in lemon yellow, cream, coral and turquoise, with a cream disc dotted in black rising at the center like a sun or a full moon. Leaf forms curve and overlap, a spiral winds near the upper left, and small letters are tucked among the foliage. The cut, folded structure stands open and fully visible from the front, and the linocut lines flash against the dark like light on water at night. Portadores del Mar means carriers of the sea, and the piece feels like a procession of tides, boats and creatures.

A striking object for a console, a sideboard, a bookshelf or a coffee table, where it can stand open and be seen from several angles. The black, gold and turquoise palette is dramatic against white, gray or dark walls, and it looks wonderful with brass, glass, dark wood and plants. It suits a living room, a study or a collector's shelf of books and objects.

Carousel Book, linocut, watercolor and gouache, 12 x 11 x 5 in (30.5 x 27.9 x 12.7 cm).

A carousel book is an accordion-folded structure that opens into a free-standing form, so the printed scenes can be seen from many sides. Luz Marina Ruiz prints her images as linocuts, adds watercolor and gouache, then cuts and folds the sheets into a piece that works as both a book and a small sculpture, carved with lines that catch the light.

Luz Marina Ruiz was born in Cali, Colombia, and raised in New York. She earned her BA, MA and MFA at the University of California, Berkeley, and is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she teaches printmaking at the California College of the Arts.

Her practice moves between painting, drawing, printmaking and book arts, with linocut, collagraph, monotype and woodcut often turned into sculptural tunnel books and carousel books. Inspired by dreams and nature, she returns to water and boats as images of life's journeys. Her work is held in public collections including the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, UC Berkeley's Environmental Design Library and Mills College Special Collections. See less