I am still embarked on my madrona series, finding continuing inspiration in the trees’ presence and beauty. Meanwhile, a synergy of other influences has beckoned. First of all, the medium: a few years ago, a neighbor gifted me with awesome Gamblin oils — she worked there and got cast off tubes as a bonus — and these have been waiting for me to explore. Secondly, I have on loan a Nolan Corp. 1950’s era proofing press (thanks to a dear friend). And finally, I picked up a call for entries from the excellent Corvidae Press located in Port Townsend on the Fort Worden campus. This combination of subject, medium and purpose got me going into the realm of oil monotypes.
I worked from a watercolor sketch I made of a lovely madrona in Cape George, overlooking Discovery Bay. Using that sketch as a visual reference, I painted in oils directly onto a plexiglass printing plate, adding Gamblin’s burnt plate oil to the paint to retard its’ viscosity.
I pulled the first print on dampened Rives BFK, and it was ok — some areas dry-textural, and some very wet. It did not feel intentional or complete. A couple of days later, I painted the plate again, and pulled a print on dry Rives BFK. The effect was more textural, not so intensely colored, and also not quite what I was wanting. Today, I painted the plate again – this time barely looking at the reference sketch, just painting on top of what went before. I deepened the intensity of paint coverage and color. This time I soaked the paper again… I like how the oils take to the damp paper better than dry. And pulled the print. (Magic time!) I feel this last one achieves the combination of texture, paper and intensity of color that I was looking for.
I will keep working in this direction for a little while. The unfamiliarity of the medium is forging new neural pathways! My monotype adventures are satisfying interludes, that I can (and will) return to again and again.