Urban Folk Artist Mhiachnoti at Press Works

On Saturday PRESS WORKS hosted urban folk artist Mhiachnoti (Mac for short).  We had a great time making prints while listening to FIFA's World Cup.  Go Ghana!  They tied the favored Germans 2-2.  If USA beats Portugal today they will be first in their group!

Urban Folk Artist Mhiachnoti working on his first monotype.

Mac is a professional photographer who worked with many of the Spanish newspapers in the 1960's and 70's as well as a host of other freelance photography jobs.  In the past ten years Mac has transitioned into painting, drawing, and printmaking.  I first met Mac at Santa Monica College when he took my beginning screenprinting class.  He has since moved on to Pasadena City College where he has really found his imagery and vocation as a screenprint artist thanks to Kristen Pilon, John Miner, Erika Ruvell and others in the Graphic Communications Technology Dept.  Just off a successful exhibit at John Miner's Serio Press, Mac is exploring other aspects of printmaking by creating a series of monotypes and monoprints at Press Works.  I introduced several techniques to Mac during our session and we hope to have a nice series of prints done by this Fall so stay tuned.

20"x26" Monotype using Akua Kolor and Akua Intaglio inks. This thumbnail image doesn't quite capture all the wonderful textures we built up using ordinary window screen mesh and drywall mesh tape and corrugated paper.

Mhiachnoti combines found imagery and textures with his own drawings.  With this series of monotypes Mac is concentrating on using textures with abstract figurative drawings.  He is also planning on incorporating some of his screenprint stencils over the drawings and textures.  We can't wait to see how they progress.  He is definitely turned on to the monotype technique.

Printer Todd Smith inks up textures under Mac's direction.

Mac applies the Akua inks over his drywall tape.

Hilary Norcliffe at Press Works

Mixed Media artist, Hilary Norcliffe came by PRESS WORKS today and began a series of monoprint drypoints based on her pen & ink/watercolor Tree Series.  Hilary and Todd printed numerous proofs and tried several different approaches to adding color but in the end decided on an a la poupee technique combined with a final drypoint etching.  Another session is needed to complete the series.

Testing out the Akua Kolor inks directly onto a drypoint print

Todd had Hilary try out a three-color reductive technique. The slow process and inability to fully know how the image would come out proved a bit frustrating.  Sorry Hilary, I won't put you through that again.

Hilary working on a three color reductive print with a black key drypoint plate

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Upcoming Printmaking Workshops

MONOTYPE WITH AKUA WATER-BASED INKS  

Saturday/Sunday June 28 and 29 

PRESS WORKS offers a monotype workshop using Akua water-based inks.  Learn how to use these non-toxic inks to create colorfully vibrant prints without solvents and smelly oils.  These non-toxic inks clean up with mild detergent water and have many different application possibilities akin to oil and watercolors.

$75 for a 6-hour session and $125 for a two-day 10-hour session. 

SOLARPLATE:  ETCHING WITH THE SUN

Saturday/Sunday July 5 and 6

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Saturday/Sunday July 12 and 13.   

PRESS WORKS offers SolarPlate etching workshops for all skills.  Sign-up for a one-day workshop or more depending on your interest level.  SolarPlate is a photographic etching method using photopolymer plates, the sun, and water.  No exposure unit, acids, or rosin dust needed to create really cool images.  Paper, inks, and transparencies included in the workshop price.  SolarPlates are extra and depend on the size and pricing at time of purchase.  We usually work in 5x7 and 8x10 sizes.
  

$100 for a 6-hour session.  $175 for a two-day 12-hour session. 

Contact us to sign up for the workshop. Each workshop is limited to four people and is held from 10am-4pm.

Printing with Chris Trueman

PRESS WORKS is thrilled to be printing with California painter Chris Trueman this week.  Chris expressed an interest in exploring the layering and masking techniques he uses in his paintings in monotypes.  His work ethic is inspiring and he brought his full game to the print studio yesterday to create a number of beautiful monotype prints that utilize a monochromatic color palette of cyanotype blue.  Expect to see a few teaser images soon as the prints are currently in process.  Chris and printer Todd Smith have decided to combine traditional additive/subtractive monotype methods with photo screenprint images that Chris will create on the computer.  We hope to have these images ready for viewing and purchasing within the month.  Stay tuned..and thank you Chris, it is a pleasure to work with you.

Artist Chris Trueman working the plate.

With just a few simple tools and a limited palette Chris created a series of monotypes that reference some of the energy and mystery found in his paintings yet explore new ground in value and mark making.  The screenprinted portion of the prints will act as a visual contrast to the subtle variations of value and color emitted by the printing inks.