Memento, recent work

Memento, recent print work by Tammy Ratcliff at Renann Isaacs Contemporary Art November 2 - 25th Please join us for the opening Thursday November 2nd, 6-9pm at 5 Gordon Street, Guelph

Memento The pieces in Memento - hand-pulled prints inspired by observation and memory, photographs, plant clippings and traditional decoration - each represent a souvenir of a significant moment in time for the artist, and collectively serve as a type of personal travelogue of the literal and metaphorical journey she has undertaken over the last year and a half. This journey includes the bittersweet milestone of having one’s child leave home, the exhilaration of a month spent in the Norwegian arctic, and the painful and frustrating experience of confronting personal illness. This body of work represents the arrival at a point of resolution, where the impressions of place and time - some joyful, some painful - have been digested, distilled and given a fresh new airing, aided by the clarity of hindsight and context. Objectively, the works stand as sensitive and thoughtful interpretations of nature, employing varied print techniques to render the expansive sensations and rugged beauty of a landscape, or the more intimate investigation of a botanical study. More subjectively, each is coloured with subtle emotional undercurrents that touch alternately on fear and melancholy, admiration and wonder, and hint at the artist’s desire, and the universal impulse, to make sense of one’s place within these intertwined narratives.

Copyright © *2017, Tammy Ratcliff All rights reserved. the view I, monotype with chine collé Our mailing address is: 123 Woolwich St. 3rd floor Guelph N1H 4E8 I apologize if you received this email in error. You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Reduction Monotype

Monotype and Monoprint are two printmaking techniques that I have always gravitated to in my print practice. Both are a single unique image created from a plate. A monotype is made from printing ink from an unmarked surface, in this technique the image cannot be a multiple. After printing the ink from the plate, very little remains. What little ink remains after printing, can be printed again to make a 'ghost' of the first image. A monoprint is a unique print that is created from a plate or surface that could be more than one, but the choice has been to print it only once in that way. (i.e. printing an etched plate with different colour inks or styles of wiping, etc.) 

Over the years, I have collected many images and demonstration documentation and thought it might be good to share them here in a series on various types of monotypes and  monoprints.

Reduction printing is one of the techniques used in creating a monotype. It is sometimes called, the painterly print. I love the hands on immediacy of working in this way. Degas enjoyed this technique for being able to quickly capture people and events in a painterly style but with a bit more graphic results. In his practice he would later work on the second (or ghost image) print with chalk pastels or paint. 

Below are a variety of examples of my reduction monotypes from over the years.

This last image is Degas. The rest are mine. For more examples, google search 'reduction monotypes' in images. There is a huge range of what is possible.

Print workshops in November

Printmaking Workshops  

Open studio, semi-independent sessions in printmaking

Open printmaking sessions on Thursday and Sunday afternoons in my downtown studio to begin on November 2nd. These sessions are an opportunity to work in a print studio with an etching or book press creating monotype, drypoint or relief prints. You are welcome to start new projects or bring previously etched and prepared plates for printing. This is not a formal class but an opportunity to work on individual projects semi-independently. I will be present for support and any technical questions.  Previous printmaking experience is preferred.

You will need to bring your own paper for printing but ink, newsprint, gloves, and a monoprint plate, etc. will all be supplied.  If you are working on a specific plate you are welcome to bring this as well.

Thursday evenings: 7-10pm, November 6, 13, 20 and 27    

$120. +hst 

or

Sunday afternoon:  1-4pm,  November 2, 9, 16 and 23

$120. +hst 

Monotype/ Monoprint workshop with chine collé

This workshop is open to the beginner as well as the more experienced artist, with a focus on water based etching inks (Akua and Charbonnel) for monotype printmaking using the etching press. We will explore the many ways in which we can create a one-of-a-kind painterly print; additive and subtractive methods of applying ink to the plate surface, the use of brayers, brushes and stencils, chine collé, texture transferring, multiple plate printing and registration.

Monotpe printmaking can be a very spontaneous and satisfying way to work and often inspires work in other mediums because of quick results and the variety of techniques used.  Lots of wonderful papers and only the best of inks will be available for inspired experimentation.

All materials are included. 

Tuesday evenings:  6-9pm, November 4, 11, 18 and 25

$180. +hst

Collagraph printmaking workshop

The collagraph print is made from collaged materials that make up the printing plate.  The collagraph print begins with a cardboard plate that we build onto with various found materials to create the impression we want. We will be printing the plate as both an intaglio and relief print, which will allow us to print multiple colours in one pass. This workshop is open to the beginner as well as the more experienced artist.

All materials are included. 

Friday mornings:  9:30- 12:30am, November 8, 15, 22 and 29

$180. +hst

*Class sizes for all workshops is small so there is plenty of opportunity to use the press.

To register or for any questions, please email me at taratcliff(at)gmail.com or phone 519-760-0889

Please let me know if there is a print workshop you would like to see run in January.

Akua Monoprint video

I have been dabbling with water soluble intaglio inks in my monoprint workshops in my studio lately. So far I have used Charbonnel and most recently, Akua. They are not the same as oil based inks but they do have some definite benefits and it may just take a bit of time and play to understand their full potential. It is hard to change something like this but I am keen to give it some serious time and testing. You can find lots of good instructional videos online about the different products available and how to use them.
Here is an inspiring video put out by Speedball, demonstrating the making of a monotype print using Akua water soluble inks. Click here for video.

I would have liked to post some pics of the lovely monotype prints being made in my Wednesday morning open session but I do not have any yet.  So just another photo of my semi clean studio. Soon I will share some of the lovely prints with you here.
ps
There is still room for 1 or 2 more in this Sunday's workshop.