Collograph

GOOD MORNING

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As I continue to sort through the detritus and debris of my studio I keep finding bits and pieces of unfinished projects. GOOD MORNING is one of those. Originally planned as part of a four or six part series of collographic prints with slightly different facial expressions and palettes reflecting different periods of the day all of which would be matted and framed as a single item GOOD MORNING is the only one completed. My notes don’t indicate why I didn’t finish the project – I still like the concept, but given everything else going on this is one project that may not get done for a while, if ever. So, I’m posting this to remind myself that the sun will rise tomorrow and it might even herald a good morning. (12” x 12”) (2020) (NFS)

FRONTIER’S EDGE

FRONTIER’S EDGE is an experimental “process” piece, a monotype created by using different colored inks applied at different degrees of dryness and with different brayers. No brushes were used. At a distance there is little to see, but at about 10 feet away a log cabin emerges on the right and then a smaller partially obscured building on the left. If your eyesight and imagination are particularly good you will see a very large reddish bear carrying the cabin off. While the cabin was an intended part of the image, the bear was not, but then I guess that is life on the edge of the frontier. Matted and Framed to 11” x 14”. (2020) (11” x 14”)

Staying Home

STAYING HOME is a collage made out of hand inked, hand pulled collographic prints that were originally intended to be part of my LINEAR THOUGHTS OF AN ARTIST and NAVIGATING THE ROUNDABOUTS series. I came across them as I was simultaneously getting ready to move to Ann’s Choice and diligently observing the covid-19 “stay at home” order. STAYING HOME is thus both a commentary on existing conditions (including the chaos in my studio) and the result of one of the many “keep/discard/utilize” decisions that I’m having to make every day. Creating it was also one of my self-reward for making a couple of them. (2020) (18“ x 20“)

Saints and Sinners #4 & #5

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Saints and Sinners #2 & #3

Saints and Sinners

SAINTS AND SINNERS is a new collograph print series which uses a complex and layered, but nevertheless, monochromatic palette throughout relying on the interstices to carry the image. SAINTS AND SINNERS #1, the first print in the series (and like all the others) leaves the viewer to decide whether it is the image of a saint or a sinner. While each piece in the series can stand alone, they are intended to be viewed in groups of at least three. Hand inked and hand pulled and matted and framed to 24” x 10”.

AN AMERICAN FACE: SELF – PORTRAIT

Our family has a saying, “You don’t grow old on this side of your eyes”. AN AMERICAN FACE: SELF – PORTRAIT, is my way of putting that saying to the test as well as my eye sight and artistic abilities. Not really sure if any of the three passed it. AN AMERICAN FACE: SELF – PORTRAIT is a hand inked and hand pulled collograph. Matted and framed to 18” x 14”.

TEMPERED

TEMPERED is a two part, layered print/collage in which the background is a hard surface monotype, and the overlaid facial image is a collographic monoprint using a plate from my AN AMERICAN FACE Series. The word “tempered” can mean different things, particularly in this context, and I will leave each viewer to decide what it means to them. Image: 9” x 5”, Matted and framed to 14” x 10”.

Untitled

In most of my work, regardless of medium, I’m a story teller making a comment or statement from my own particular (or peculiar) point of view and the title is an integral part of the piece. UNTITLED is different: I’m leaving it up to each individual viewer to see what they will in the piece and to set their own narrative as to what has happened, is happening, or is going to happen. UNTITLED is a hand inked and hand pulled double plate collographic monoprint which uses one of the plates from the AN AMERICAN FACE Series and an offset mat. Matted and framed to 16” x 12”.

AN AMERICAN FACE #3

AN AMERICAN FACE #3, a hand inked and hand pulled collographic monoprint, continues the experiment of using hand woven paper as printing surface that I started with DANCE OF THE PENGUINS: SOLO # 11. It is part of a series of images designed specifically for hand woven paper, attempting to combine the angles and features of the human face with the textural aspects of the woven paper and a layered application of ink. Matted and framed to 18” x 14”.

John Fansmith

Artist