A Single Joy of Song is Betty Woodman’s last print. We began discussing this project with her in 2016. She sent a large three part study that would make a wonderful woodcut. Betty made plans to come to Shark’s Ink. to begin work on the triptych but had to postpone the visit. We picked up the project again in November 2017 while Betty was in Italy. She said we should start cutting woodblocks and proofing colors. We sent her proofs in Italy and had numerous phone calls and emails as the work progressed. She was pleased with the way the print came together.
Betty returned to New York and we were close to finalizing the woodcut when she went into the hospital and died January 2, 2018. We received permission from her son Charlie Woodman and the estate to make the final changes we had discussed with Betty and to complete the edition.