I was first introduced to the woodcut while studying art at America's oldest art institution, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. The following images on this page are from various book-art projects.

There are great similarities between the art of the wodcut and fly tying. Intricate and precise, a pattern of natural and synthetic materials are tied to a small hook, just as gauges and chisels are used to cut and detail the surface of a piece of wood. Crosshatching cut lines with a single-edge blade to create depth, tone, and shadow is a difficult task in the world of realism. In some cases, a tyer of great ability creates a bug that is, to the blind eye, an exact replica of a creature called an insect. 

In 1942 Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson met on the big stage in the House of Thrills for a duel in the Negro Leagues World Series. In Pittsburgh, PA. the two met for bragging rights to see who was the best in the league. Wit and wisdom versus sheer strength and power.