January 2017 – Print of the Month

Fire & Ice on the Hudson II

2002

Monotype, oil on rag paper, 8 x 10 inches

Of recent years, the monotype has offered opportunity to make the kind of oil paintings on paper that I’d always wanted to. That is, to work swiftly or slowly, boldly or delicately, densely or thinly–and still to maintain the freshness and directness that comes only with a first vision.

I suppose it is because the “battle” (or dialogue) between artist and subject takes place on the surface of the plate (zinc, copper or plexiglass), running its inevitable course of conflict and change–second, third-and-after-thoughts. Paint it in. Paint it out. Scrape it, punch it. Kick it into that elusive shape/form/color. And then, by the simple, rational process of running it through an etching press (sometimes two, three, four times) take that image to the surface–receptive and responsive–of good rag paper and come away with the entire encounter and image fresh and whole and intact.