"In the fall of 2022, I took a walk with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute along the Portland, Maine waterfront. We experienced the flooded wharves of a King Tide, a phenomenon which used to happen 3-4 times a year, and is now happening 20-25 times per year. I was amazed by the slow creep of these changes, concerned with their impact but awed by the beauty they created. I began to use a Gelli plate monoprinting process to ponder this double edged sword. Over the past winter, this daily printmaking technique has helped me process the impact of rising tides and storm surge on the Maine coast."
Wall text from the 3S Art Space Printmaking Exhibition, Portsmouth, NH, August 2024
"In the fall of 2022, I took a walk with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute along the Portland, Maine waterfront. We experienced the flooded wharves of a King Tide, a phenomenon which used to happen 3-4 times a year, and is now happening 20-25 times per year. I was amazed by the slow creep of these changes, concerned with their impact but awed by the beauty they created. I began to use a Gelli plate monoprinting process to ponder this double edged sword. Over the past winter, this daily printmaking technique has helped me process the impact of rising tides and storm surge on the Maine coast."
Wall text from the 3S Art Space Printmaking Exhibition, Portsmouth, NH, August 2024
Over Time
Acrylic on paper, 4ft x 20ft
Acrylic on paper, 4ft x 20ft
In early 2023, I took an Advanced Painting & Drawing Critique with Judy Glantzman through the NY Crit Club. Around the same time, I saw an artist on Instagram using a Gelli Plate to create mono prints. During art school, I did some printmaking through the Daguerrotype process. but always felt that the process of printmaking was daunting, with too much reliance on special equipment and a different type of reproductive quality than photography.
But those Gelli plates...they were easy and fun, often used by children, and somewhat kitschy. I ordered a 6in square one for about $12.00. With Judy's encouragement, I made a few rules for my process to keep me focused, and I spent hours and hours making print after print with acrylic paints, dry pigments, texturizing materials, hanging them in long rows from laundry lines in my studio. I experimented with different papers, and then, again at Judy's urging, went BIG. Acrylic paint dries quickly so I was able to use long scrolls of drawing paper and vellum to create long pieces that could be rolled up in between studio sessions.
The slide show below has examples of my first attempts with the Gelli Plate; the single images below are examples of the larger scroll pieces.
But those Gelli plates...they were easy and fun, often used by children, and somewhat kitschy. I ordered a 6in square one for about $12.00. With Judy's encouragement, I made a few rules for my process to keep me focused, and I spent hours and hours making print after print with acrylic paints, dry pigments, texturizing materials, hanging them in long rows from laundry lines in my studio. I experimented with different papers, and then, again at Judy's urging, went BIG. Acrylic paint dries quickly so I was able to use long scrolls of drawing paper and vellum to create long pieces that could be rolled up in between studio sessions.
The slide show below has examples of my first attempts with the Gelli Plate; the single images below are examples of the larger scroll pieces.
