The Art of Seeing and Perception

Monoprint is a special technique that lends itself to the art of ‘seeing and perception.’ I take a monthly workshop led by Candis Cousins at the O’Hanlon Center for the Arts in Mill Valley, CA. We begin with a reading from the founder of the Center, Ann O’Hanlon, from her book “Seeing/Perception, Looking at the World Through an Artist’s Eye.” Then we have a short demonstration of the possibilities of monoprint in which we all participate. It’s a warm-up for the next step which is to go to our individual tables for 2 hours and begin to experiment in a spirit of curiosity and exploration. The process of making a monoprint is quick and engaging. Paint or ink is placed on a plexiglass or a gel plate. Paper is laid upon it and pulled up. A response is triggered. Do I like it? What more does it need? Texture, color, line? An action is required which might include waiting. My attention is riveted. Try another piece of paper. Try incising into the plate … or add a texture both onto the plate and then with the ink on a stencil, press that onto the paper. What happens? Add another layer. Wait, if I add 2 or 3 layers of ink onto the gel plate, let the last layer dry, what will that bring me when I place paper on it? I know all the ink will be pulled up onto the paper, but what will it yield? When is it done?

Now I’m following and listening myself and to the ‘voice’ of the line, gesture, shape, color. Might my next action be a mistake? Try it out! I’m interested in what happens to be there. This is the beauty of the monoprint process.

“When we can look upon A seemingly random work of our own With interest in what happens to be there Rather than what we wish to be there We will encounter the same fulfillment As that experienced On an unknown wilderness trail” Quote from Ann O’Hanlon Recently, I’ve been monoprinting on top of prints inherited from my father from the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. They provide the substrate and an opportunity to respond first to each print, whether to its line, color, shape, rhythm, gesture, content, or mood. I begin with a layer of complexity and then add my own layers.

Last, we take 2 hours to look at everyone’s pieces. Our task is to look carefully, to find the quality of beauty, surprise, comfort/discomfort, essence in our work and to support the artfulness of each participant. These are the many reasons you’ll find me at the monoprint workshop here in Mill Valley the first Sunday of each month.