General
Is it an original, or is it a print? Nancy uses the etching press as an integral part of creating her original artwork. Her medium is monotype. A monotype is hand made on an etching press yet it is called a “print”. In this context, “print” does not mean “copy”. So monotype prints are original artwork. The question “Is it a print or is it an original?” can tangle up terms. All of these images began as original artwork. Some were printed, going back and forth between classifications until they were finalized, framed or mounted. The monotype, cyanotype or hand-embellished Giclée prints are absolutely unique. The hand of the artist is apparent in all her pieces; even the seamlessly created photographic dreamscapes, made by overlaying multiple images, reflect her personal vision. Nancy produces the highest quality final artwork possible.
The Seven Sutras, draw inspiration from The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire, by Deepak Chopra. The artwork begins as a multi-step monotype which is digitalized with typography added. The piece is then either mounted on cradle board or beautifully framed as an art print.
Generally, the hand-embellished Giclées* in this series are digitally enhanced original images** which I hand draw on spontaneously after the prints are made. Each drawing is unique. In some cases I add foil to the Giclées. *The Giclée process is commonly used for high quality fine art “prints” combining archival pigment inks and excellent cotton paper. Some Giclées in this series are printed on canvas and wood as well as paper. The highest quality printing and materials are used in this process and great care is taken to ensure the color consistency of the artwork. **Original Photos / Original Photo
The Giclée process is commonly used for high quality fine art “prints”, combining archival pigment inks and excellent cotton paper. Some Giclées in this series are printed on canvas and wood as well as paper. The highest quality printing and materials are used in this process and great care is taken to ensure the color consistency of the artwork.
Printmaking
A cyanotype begins with photo emulsion which is brushed on to watercolor paper. The prepared paper and the art image are sandwiched under glass and exposed in natural sunlight. When the exposure is complete, the paper is submerged into water to complete the process. This organic process produces the characteristic blue (cyan) color. This process can also be applied to fabric.
A monotype is created by painting an image with printmaking ink onto a flexible plate. Once the plate/s are complete, the image/s are transferred to paper by squishing the paper and plate together under the heavy rollers of an etching press. Generally, the paper has several layers of ink applied to it before completion.
Printmaking is the process of making hand-made artwork that transfers “ink” from a “plate” to a substrate (generally paper), through some type of press. Monotype printmaking, which is the type of print I create, uses an “etching” press. The ink is applied to a plexiglass plate using rollers, brushes, templates, stencils and stamps, and is then transferred to the paper when “run” through the press.
MY GRIFFIN PRESS
Unlike other cities around the US, San Diego can be challenging for a print maker, due to very few facilities with presses to rent. So owning a press is almost a necessity and quite a commitment! My Griffin came came to me via Taos. It's old, beautiful, and weights 1500 LBS. Once in place in the studio, it's not going anywhere. It needs room. Room for the bed to move and room to walk around it... and because of this, it's right in the middle of my studio. You can't miss it when you walk in. You need to pay attention to it... it calls out to me to make something! And for that I am grateful!
I also have a small press—an Ettan. It prints 1/4 sheets. It's fast, immediate and fun, as you can crank out prints quickly. The plates are much smaller so they take less time to ink. I use this press to warm up, to work out ideas, to test materials and for fun. Because I am also really well versed in digital media, I sometime use these small prints in my Giclée work. This allows for flexibility and variety in my process.
