So many people today are growing up in cites or suburbs without any contact with nature.  They’ve been deprived of the spirit connection with the earth that happens when we grow up exploring the woods and ponds of our backyards.  Most people in their 40’s and 50’s or older, can remember that special place where they went to be alone and reflect, surrounded only by the sounds and sights of nature.  I was one of those fortunate ones who spent most of my free time in the woods of Washington State, as a child and teenager.  Moving to Alaska when I was 25 years old, seemed like a temporary adventure, but I fell in love with the beauty of this land and the wild nature of Alaska.  She has never failed to inspire me. 

      This show is dedicated to Alex Combs and Marian Beck, two artists that have encouraged me in different ways.  Alex served as a mentor, (as he did for so many artists) during the summers I spent in Halibut Cove.  When he asked me, “So, when are you having a show?” as he peered over my shoulder while painting watercolors in the cove, I thought he was joking.  He assured me he wasn’t.  His faith in my ability gave me the courage to have my first art show. 

      Marian’s oil paintings and her monotype workshops in the cove were another source of inspiration.  She demonstrated how to do a monotype print with and without a press, and turned us loose with plates, paints and paper.  Marian still offers workshops in Halibut Cove each year, as a fund raiser for Kachemak Heritage Land Trust.  After taking two workshops over the years, I knew I wanted to try more.  It was an exciting departure from my usual watercolor paintings. 

The Process

      These monotypes are prints of a painting done in reverse on Plexiglas.  The scene is painted with alkyd oils, an oil paint that dries quickly in a couple of hours.  Black paper is laid on top of the painting, pressed by hand, and lifted off, becoming the mono-type print that you see displayed.  Some areas of paint dry faster than others and don’t lift off as readily or evenly, giving different texture to different parts of the print.  The artist doesn’t know how the paint will transfer from the Plexiglas plate until she lifts the paper off.  That is the element of the unknown that can be frustrating but also exciting.