Collagraph - Printmaking ink over Rives BFK paper, 8.5x6 in.

Printmaking ink on Rives BFK paper, 9.25 x 7.5

I am taking a printmaking course with Eleanor Anderson, who is so incredibly talented, in printmaking, and in ceramics! I love her work, she is highly inspiring to me.
The first week was lino cut, which I like, but didn't create anything transcending.
This week we did collagraphy, which is is a printmaking process in which materials are applied to a rigid substrate (such as paperboard or wood).  Ink or pigment is applied to the resulting collage, and the board is used to print onto paper or another material using either a printing press or various hand tools. The resulting print is termed a collagraph. A variety of materials can be used in creating the collagraph plate. I used vinyl onto mat board. After I sketched my composition, I put it together, which took a while. The result feels like magic and I want to explore that medium further as it was totally thrilling.

Floral dream - Acrylic over encaustic on board, 10x10

This painting is built on a previous one. The warm layer underneath is from encaustic work, and I saved the parts I like best. Painted with acrylic over that waxy part, I like the depth it gives to the work. A friend of mine mentioned it looked surrealist, and I see her point. I like the looseness of it all: from usually working in a fairly detailed way, I'm learning to be playful and let things happen as they want to.

Soulful

One artist, Nicholas Wilton, absolutely inspires me. I took 2 of his workshops a few years ago, and learnt a lot, and found a way to let my abstract ideas come to life. Since it's also good to learn by mimicking artwork we like, I set to do so and came up with this piece, which I"m pleased about. I used the structure of his painting as the basis, but did my own thing, and I find the result quite lovely, with a choice of hues that is different yet works. So I only take credit for that and the fact that I put my own touch in it. Do click on it to get a larger view.

Very helpful to have done this, I should now try a masterpiece by Caravaggio!

Oh, and here is Nicholas Wilton's site, his blog rocks, and his listed work is amazing... to my eyes and hopefully yours!

http://www.nicholaswilton.com