First and Third Friday are over and 3 of 4 Saturdays too. One more Saturday next week and this show will come down. Fifteen months of work - challenging, interesting, failures and successes, but mostly all fun and satisfying. I have sat at the front of the gallery looking at the work on 3 walls and felt pretty proud of myself. The work is beautiful and everyone seemed to respond to it at that level. The gratifying part for me has been the emotional connection people made of a deeper level. I appreciate the kids and the elders and the various age groups in between who braved the traffic and craziness of First Fridays; and the friends and art lovers who attended my reception last night. I felt loved and connected. For those who couldn't attend, here are some images of the pieces which received the most comments.
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Microplastics
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| Muro-Ami |
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Pirate Fishing
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| Flushed Prescription Drugs |
The above prints are diffused relief prints. This is a process created by Moniker Meler of Stockton California. We saw it demo'd at a printmaking conference in Philadelphia in 2010 and tried it unsuccessfully upon returning home. A couple years ago we brought Monika to Phoenix to teach us directly and what a fun and impactful 3 days we had with her! We are still trying to master the process - to be able to predict an outcome. But the beauty of it for me is it allows me to let go. After the restraints and controlling nature of my reduction relief printing, the randomness and mystery is so freeing.
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| By Catch II |
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Gill Nets I
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| Coastal Erosion |
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| CO2 Emissions |
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| Bottom Trawling |
The five prints above are monosilkscreen prints. The first two have reduction relief prints collaged onto them (the 4 small images). Coastal Erosion and CO2 Emissions have some pieces of diffused relief collaged onto them.
If you are able, please come next Saturday (May 28th) for my last day with these prints at Five15 Arts Gallery. (515 E. Roosevelt, in Phoenix).
I would also like to thank Marlys Kubicek and Diana Hartley, who hung the show for me and provided support in so many other ways. I am humbled and grateful for their friendship, understanding and assistance. For the beautiful and delicious charcuterie at my reception I thank my sister, Nancy Willis, whose creativity in painting and printmaking has been born in, part out of, and spills back into, her culinary skills. She is still the best role model Artist I could ever have. I love you all!
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