Prints Done at Guanlan Residency 2023
During my residency from October to December 2023 at the Guanlan International Printmaking Base, I completed four prints.
I continued the work I had been doing at home with aperiodic monotiles. The geometry fascinates me. Seeing them appear out of a hexagonal grid is amazing. I continue to be impressed with David Smith’s insight. But now I’m less interested in the geometry and more interested in what I can do using it as a starting point. There was an interesting article in the New York Times showing some things artists have been doing with these forms. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/10/science/mathematics-tiling-einstein.html It looks like a lot of other artists have also seen artistic possibilities.
Landscape has always been central to my work. I did two in Guanlan. The first was a landscape with geometric forms. I see change, the passage of time and conflict between the natural and human made. There is also stillness and equilibrium in these images. The second was pure linear geometry and it was done entirely in drypoint. I printed the edition myself.
Making Some Changes 19.5” x 23.25” Drypoint and Collagraph on Copper
This was the first plate I started in Guanlan, continuing the work I had been doing in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. The edition was printed by Liu Hongliang.
Afterthought 23” x 35.5” Silkscreen
This was the first silkscreen I had done in almost 50 years! It was also the last print I did during the residency. The image started with the photo of a collagraph with pencil and pastel I did at home. Silkscreen has changed a lot in 50 years and Miya, the Silkscreen Technician, was a big help. There were a total of 15 layers of ink, and I could have continued making changes. For me this was the most exciting print I did in Guanlan. The edition was printed by Miya and Tiger.
Dawn 23.25” x 19'.25” Etching and Drypoint on Copper
I had done landscapes during previous Guanlan residencies and I wanted to do another. I had a lot of trouble printing with their inks and papers. Liu Hongliang printed the edition and he was able to resolve the problems by first printing an off-white flat from a thin steel plate and then printing the copperplate etching over it.
Geometric Garden 19.25” x 23.5” Drypoint
I didn’t expect to do this print but I had some extra time and a sketch that I used as reference. This could lead to something else now that I’m back in Pennsylvania.