Staff photo by Clay Schuldt Printmaking artist Brad Hall, current artist-in-residence at The Grand, applies ink to his press.During his residency at The Grand, Brad Hall has created six sets of lino-blocks, which will be used to create images for a 2023 calendar.

NEW ULM — Brad Hall, a print artist from Granite Falls, will complete his artist-in-residency at The Grand on Friday.

Hall’s residency at The Grand began Feb. 21. During his stay, he has been working on creating lino-block prints for his 2023 calendar.

Each year, Hall creates a 12-month calendar. The images on the calenders are made from hand-carved lino-block prints. The prints are two colors, so for each image Hall needs to carve two versions — one for the color and the other for the outlines.

It can be a time-intensive process to carve out two blocks for a single image, but Hall has never thought of it that way.

“I say it takes a slowed-down pace,” Hall said. “You don’t think of the carving in terms of hours, but days.”

In his three weeks at the Grand, Hall has managed to finish six pairs of block prints for his calendar and could complete two more by Friday.

Most of Hall’s work is inspired by the country and nature. Many of his calenders include barns, tractors and wildlife.

He often starts from a photograph. He draws the image on paper, making alterations. Once he has the right image, he starts carving into a lino block.

“You’ve got to think in reverse,” Hall said.

In the traditional drawing, he said the artist adds lines to create positive space but the print block requires the artist to think about the negative space first — removing the negative space to leave a raised positive stamp to make the print.

Hall said he got into printmaking after a friend, Andy Kahmann, suggested he try it. Kahmann also brought alerted him to the Grand’s artist-in-residency program. Hall described his time at The Grand as “fantastic.”

“I have my own studio,” he said, “but it is great to get away from distractions.”

During each day of his residency, Hall worked from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in The Grand’s cellar pressroom. For lunch and dinner, he could head downtown. Everything he needed to work is a short distance away.

The Grand’s cellar pressroom is lined with press-making equipment and has inspired the process.

Hall even brought his own press to work with. His press is a Chandler and Price model sometimes called the clamshell press.

The press gives a special handmade quality to the art. Hall said you can tell it was made by hand instead of with a computer. This can also give a softer and more old-fashioned quality.

Print copies of Hall’s work are available on bradleyhallgallery.com.

The Grand’s next artist-in-residence is Sara Everson from Minneapolis. Everson will reside in The Grand from April 10-30.

The Grand will start accepting applications for the next artist-in-residency season this summer.