Penn's Sylvania--Etchings by Tom Norulak

Cook Forest in Northwestern Pennsylvania is one of the largest virgin forests east of the Mississippi River. After hiking many of its trails, I understand why the area is known as "The Magic Forests." It's a special place for me, filled with mystery and providing a sense of awe. The forests have inspired me to create these visual images of my experiences there.

Most of the images in this exhibit are scenes along the paths of Cook Forest: from the tops of its mountains, or alongside the Clarion River and other streams of the Forest. Other images are from Frick Park in Pittsburgh, or other woodland trails in Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

There is magic also in the printmaking process. Through the interaction of metal, ink, press and paper a transformation takes place. The magic occurs as you remove your paper from the plate. No matter how much the design has been planned, it is always a surprise to see how it turns out when printed. It is an artistic parallel to hiking the trails. You never know what is around the bend or behind the hills.

Cook Forest Autumn--New Serigraph!