Working Small

An exhibition of small works at The Arts Center 

I’ve chosen four wildly different pieces for this show, which opens November 20— a book, mezzotint print, stitching, and a drawing on canvas. They are all exploratory experiments, which is one reason they’re small.

Mezzotint “Blue Moon”, 4″ x 4″

Page from accordion book “Cyclops”

I’ve switched to less toxic media with these printmaking projects. The hand-bound book with intaglio print illustrations is my first collaborative project with author (and partner) Gregory Newell Smith.  It uses ferric chloride rather than nitric acid to etch the copper plates.  The mezzotint print also uses a copper plate as the printing matrix.  I switched to water-based inks from Akua (less toxic and easier clean up).  The color is built up by printing layer after layer of transparent ink.

Stitched and waxed print ” Amorphous #7″, 7″ x 3″

With Amorphous #7 I was looking for a way to attach a small print to a larger paper, using something besides glue. Stitches worked, and to a calligrapher, they looked like Neuland letterforms. With this piece, I’d stumbled into a way of combining image and text that was integral to the form.

Charcoal on canvas “Doug is Good”, 5″x 7″ x 2″

I’m currently working in the studio with charcoal on canvas.  This drawing, life-size though small, is an experiment with going frame-less.  A local artist, Jana Johnson, generously shared with me her method for frameless pastel drawings, building up layers of charcoal and PVA size on canvas.