Monoprints

Abstracting Emotions #8

ABSTRACTING EMOTIONS #8 is the eighth in my “Abstracting Emotions” Series which uses two different types of my handmade paper. The printing, a hand inked and hand pulled dark field monotype, was done on paper made from scrap watercolor, BFK, and business correspondence paper which were shredded, boiled together, sheeted and Plexiglas dried to create a white/off white relatively monochromatic and smooth printing paper. The print was then mounted on a different sheet of my handmade paper which was made from scrap black and brown BFK, watercolor and business correspondence in order to create a patterned and textured counterpoint to the print. In a way ABSTRACTING EMOTIONS #’S 6 and 8 are companion pieces. (16” x 16”) (2019) ($250.00)

Abstracting Emotions in MRAC

I am pleased to announce that juror Joseph Borrelli has selected my hand inked and hand pulled monotypes ABSTRACTING EMOTIONS#3 and ABSTRACTING EMOTIONS #5 to be part of the Manayunk/Roxborough Art Center’s Annual Juried Show. Both of these pieces are printed on handmade paper I made using scrap watercolor, printing, and business papers together with abaca pulp. They were then mounted on different sheets of handmade paper I made using abaca, cotton linter, and salvaged natural fibers such as asparagus stalks, corn husks, and old blue jeans. The Show will run from Sunday, July 21, 2019 through Sunday Series , July 28, 2019 at MRAC’s gallery located at 419 Green Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19128. There will be an opening reception from noon until 3pm on the 21^st.

Abstracting Emotions #7

ABSTRACTING EMOTIONS #7 is the seventh in my “Abstracting Emotions” Series which uses two different types of my handmade paper. The printing, a hand inked and hand pulled dark field monotype, was done on paper made from scrap watercolor, BFK, and business correspondence paper which were shredded, boiled together, sheeted and Plexiglas dried to create a white/off white relatively monochromatic and smooth printing paper. The print was then mounted on a different sheet of my handmade paper which was made from corn husks and abaca in order to create a patterned and textured counterpoint to the print. (16” x 16”) (2019) ($250.00)

Abstracting Emotions #6

ABSTRACTING EMOTIONS #6 is the sixth in my “Abstracting Emotions” Series which uses two different types of my handmade paper. The printing, a hand inked and hand pulled monotype, was done on paper made from scrap watercolor, BFK, and business correspondence paper which were shredded, boiled together, sheeted and Plexiglas dried to create a white/off white relatively monochromatic and smooth printing paper. The print was then mounted on a different sheet of my handmade paper which was made from kozo and black dyed kozo in order to create a patterned and textured counterpoint to the print. (16” x 16”) (2019) ($250.00)

Abstracting Emotions #5

ABSTRACTING EMOTIONS #5 is the fifth in my “Abstracting Emotions” Series which uses two different types of my handmade paper. The printing, a hand inked and hand pulled monotype, was done on paper made from scrap watercolor, BFK, and business correspondence paper which were shredded, boiled together, sheeted and Plexiglas dried to create a white/off white relatively monochromatic and smooth printing paper. The print was then mounted on a different sheet of my handmade paper which was made from an old pair of blue jeans. (16” x 16”) (2019) ($250.00)

Abstracting Emotions #4

ABSTRACTING EMOTIONS #4 is the fourth in my “Abstracting Emotions” Series which uses two different types of my handmade paper. The printing, a hand inked and hand pulled dark field monotype, was done on paper made from scrap watercolor, BFK, and business correspondence paper which were shredded, boiled together, sheeted and Plexiglas dried to create a white/off white relatively monochromatic and smooth printing paper. The print was then mounted on a different sheet of my handmade paper which was made from abaca, cotton linter and dryer lint in order to create a patterned and textured counterpoint to the print. (16” x 16”) (2019) ($250.00)

ABSTRACTING EMOTIONS #3

ABSTRACTING EMOTIONS #3 is the third in my “Abstracting Emotions” Series which uses two different types of my handmade paper. The printing, a hand inked and hand pulled monotype, was done on paper made from scrap watercolor, BFK, and business correspondence paper which are shredded, boiled together, sheeted and Plexiglas dried to create a white/off white relatively monochromatic and smooth printing paper. The print was then mounted on a different sheet of my handmade paper which was made from corn husks, and pineapple leaves, together with abaca in order to create a patterned and textured counterpoint to the print.(16” x 16”) (2019) ($250.00)

PARADISE LOST

With all due respect to John Milton, the inspiration for PARADISE LOST was not his iconic 1667 poem but rather the devastating 2018 Camp Fire which destroyed the town of Paradise, California. While the ending may be the same in both cases, and both were caused by human actions, there are differences. PARADISE LOST is a hand inked and hand pulled monotype and is intended to be a companion to my 2017 print WILDFIRE. $275.00

Midnight Blues

MIDNIGHT BLUES is intended to be an ambiguous and amorphous; bringing different feelings to different people. To some it will evoke an exotic night sky; to others an end of day sadness, or the muted wail of a saxophone, while others will experience something else entirely or perhaps nothing at all. MIDNIGHT BLUES is a viewer’s narrative piece. A hand inked and hand pulled monotype it is matted and framed to 22” x 28”.

ABSTRACTED EMOTIONS #1

ABSTRACTED EMOTIONS #1 is a hand inked and hand pulled monotype printed on paper I made using scrap watercolor and business paper which is in turn mounted on another sheet of paper I made using banana peel and abaca. ABSTRACTED EMOTIONS #1 is the first in a series which will try to match abstract prints with handmade papers from materials such as banana peels, corn husks, asparagus stalks, kale stems, pineapple leaves and cantaloupe rinds each of which produces a paper with a unique texture and color. I am finding that the more I become involved in creating art, the more I become interested in using found, salvaged, and recycled objects and materials as part of it, whether it be ceramics, paper making, print making or collage.

John Fansmith

Artist