Etched by hand, then printed one-color-at-a-time, Putnam County Artist Matt Rees’ delicate process of creating woodblock prints is centuries-old. Funded by a grant from the Indiana Arts Commission, four unique woodblock prints will be created over the next year. Each will depict a scene of a natural area in Putnam County and include a bird particular to the area.

Each print will be limited to eight originals and 20 giclée’s, or copies printed on high-quality paper, and all will be hand-signed and numbered by the artist. Sales will benefit the Friends of the Park of Putnam County endowment, whose annual interest income provides funding that supports outdoor recreation development that adds to residents’ quality of life.

Each print in the series will be released quarterly, beginning with the first unveiled at the Friends of the Park annual members’ meeting in September.

Matt’s love of nature, birds and Putnam County encouraged him to make this commitment and create this limited art series.

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A few words from artist, Matt Rees:

“I’m very excited to announce a year-long collaboration with the Putnam County Visitors Bureau and Friends of the Park of Putnam County to create four woodblock prints between now and next September. Each print will celebrate a different iconic Putnam County Parks location and a bird common to the area. These prints will be used to raise money, awareness and hopefully increased membership for our amazing parks, natural areas and People Pathways.

“When we first discussed possible subjects for the four prints, Houck Covered Bridge came up as a contender. Of course, I wanted to know what birds were in that area, so my wife and I went out and had a nice picnic on top of the hill at the Boone-Hutcheson Cemetery overlooking the bridge. It didn’t take long before the cliff swallows nesting beneath the bridge began hunting the valley before us. It was a beautiful sight, and I knew immediately how I wanted to compose the portrait of Houck Covered Bridge.”