New Project—Floppity Flop

Posted on | January 6, 2010 |

At the end of last year I discovered gelatin printmaking through the good graces of wondrous print-maker, Julia Talcott, who gave a relief printmaking class just down the hall from my studio at the art center. I absolutely love the medium. It’s quick and expressive and easy. Well, that’s what I thought.  Last night I made a gelatin plate at home then carefully schlepped it to the studio this morning. It’s my intention to make a series of gelatin prints each week this year. I want to see what happens when I just show up and immerse myself in the process of art-making. I have no particular goal other than to see what emerges organically from showing up. That’s very different from how I often am with art. Often I have ideas first and I want to execute those ideas and even bring the work into the world. Often I think I’m supposed to be totally in charge! That’s how it’s been for a lot of my art career but I now see things in more organic ways.  I hope!

With these gelatin prints I want to cede control. I want to just show up, be in the moment and play.  See what happens.

Today I showed up and soon discovered that I’d not made the gelatin plate quite thick enough or strong enough.  It was too watery and too thin. It fell apart almost immediately.  Not only that, the colors I used lacked subtlety and punch—both at the same time. They were neither here nor there. I noticed, of course, what was happening as it was right in front of my eyes! Dismal, flippity-flop results. Into the recycling bin they went.  It’s harder than I thought.  The first time I did these I got interesting results like the piece here.  I got lucky. I was in a better space with a better plate. But this time—nada.  All so interesting.

Still, the experience of being there, fully immersed in experiment was a fine thing.  So, next week—try, try, try again!  That’s how it goes with art. Who knows where it leads.

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