Through the Veil by M. Pia De Girolamo © 2012 Acrylic on Canvas 36" x 36"

An artist, Joyce Wycoff, who I follow on Twitter and Facebook wrote a blog post http://joycewycoff.blogspot.com/2012/01/artist-statements-evaluation.html about creating a strong artist statement. We corresponded about ways to craft a good one and she suggested a helpful (and fun) exercise which consisted of writing down at least 15 sentences describing “why I am an artist”.

I made my list and recently while  revisiting it, I noticed certain words and phrases which jumped off the page and I highlighted them. Here they are:

Energized

Euphoric

Connected

Delight

Powerful

Sharing

Interacting

Extraordinary

Enriched

Insight

Heightened awareness

Precious gift

Accepting

Bursting to come out

I’m sure the artists among you will claim all or some of these powerful words but I think that many apply to the experience of the viewers of art as well. The viewer, when really engaged with the art, will feel the same things as the artist who created it.

My primary goal in applying for an artist residency was to challenge myself. I needed a place where I would have the time and physical space to focus solely on my painting without interruption. Being able to create in a supportive and community oriented environment also has its rewards and this residency involves me providing classes, workshops and volunteer time as part of it’s requirements.

I had been painting in a variety of genres and was using old family photos as  subject matter reference in my paintings. However, I keenly felt a need to execute a more cohesive body of work for this upcoming exhibit. I chose the goal of producing one hundred 5” square portraits primarily due to the encouragement of friends who were moved by some of my very small portraits. Portraiture has the capacity to stir deep emotions, evoke memories and present us with a profound sense of mystery and narrative.

See more at: www.kickstarter.com

I AM HONORED.I WON FIRST PLACE-AGAIN. My painting “Juliet”, 36″X24″, acrylic on canvas, won BEST In SHOW. March 24, Da Vinci Art Alliance at Lantern Theater, Philadelphia, Envisioning Shakespeare “Love & Loss:Reflections on Romeo and Juliet.

Check out some new work by artist Anna Shukeylo! www.annashukeylo.com. She also has a new website for small works on paper http://www.wix.com/ashukeylo/smallworks . Enjoy!

Weatherwise is an app for iphone and android that gives users a unique way to interact and view the current and forecasted weather. Local Wisdom, the app’s creator, wanted to build their themes by focusing on local artist talent to display the weather in an experience unlike any other before. They asked Sean Martorana to be one of the first to help develop the process and create a custom theme for Weatherwise.

Sean’s approach was a little bit different than the other very technically designed themes. “I wanted to go in a different direction than the the existing (and very well done) computer-generated themes.” Weatherwise’s original themes include a 8bit RPG inspired theme, a robot in a garden, and personas that change according to the weather. “I took a more hand-painted approach with my theme. I literally painted each element separately, cut out the elements, and reassembled them in different ways based on the different atmospheres.”

Even when the weather is not that nice outside, it still can look good on your phone. You can download the theme for free here: http://weatherwiseapp.com/ and then cruise and install the themes through the app itself.

See Sean create this theme in the time-lapse video below.

Labyrinth at St. Thomas Church, Whitemarsh, PA

For reasons now forgotten, a few weeks ago I was looking up labyrinths on the internet and found to my surprise there was a large one installed practically “in my own backyard”, on the grounds of St. Thomas’ Church in Whitemarsh, PA.  It is a replica of a labyrinth that is inlaid in the floor of Chartres Cathedral in France. It is speculated that the medieval labyrinth may have provided a path for prayerful walking but from what I gather, this is not conclusive. Today, however, walking a labyrinth is put forth as a meditative exercise. You follow the same path into the center as it twists and turns and follow the same path out. There are no dead ends or branches. The process is said to quiet the mind.

Today, feeling cooped up, a little irritable, and in need of a walk despite the gloomy, drizzly day, I took myself over to St. Thomas’ and located the labyrinth on the grounds.  Walking at a regular pace, I made my way in.  I found I was just the slightest bit off balance when it came to the switch-back turns, which made me focus on the walk. I think that because of that focus my head was cleared of the cobwebs I had brought in with me. I became aware of the reflections of surrounding trees in the puddles on the ground, the abstract patterns made by horse chestnuts and oak leaves strewn across the path, and the sounds of birds and distant traffic.

I got home and began to get to work in the studio. I made a small collage but I spent most of the time preparing for new projects by writing an art supply shopping list, collecting materials I already had, and building stretcher frames.  Do I think the labyrinth walk helped me focus on getting that preparatory phase going?  Very possibly. Was it enjoyable and calming and did it provide a little exercise, balance training, and fresh air? Definitely. Will I do it again? Yes, I will.

The Backyard Monotype by M. Pia De Girolamo ©2012

If you’ve seen my posts on my Facebook artist page you’ll know I’ve recently been working on monotypes. A few years ago I learned printmaking techniques from instructor Christine Stoughton at the Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA.  Being a painter, I gravitated toward the monotype or monoprint as it is also sometimes called, because it combined what is essentially painting with printmaking technique and aesthetic.

Several years ago before I learned the technique, I bought a large monotype and in talking to the gallery owner about how it was made I had trouble visualizing the process.  It was a print but it was marked “1/1″ meaning there was only one and it was not part of an edition (a limited run of multiple prints made using a wood- or linocut block or etching plate.) But if that was the case, how was it a print and not a painting? The image had not been incised but rather painted on a plexiglass plate, applied to paper and run through a hand-cranked roller press.

If I once had trouble picturing the process, you might too so I thought I’d walk you through and show some photographs of the basic steps.  Because I am working in my home studio and do not own a manual printing press I am using a burnishing tool (the back of a flat wooden spoon).   If you have an Art Center nearby you can often pay a small fee for open studio time using their full-size press.

Mixing the inks

Using Akua (non-toxic, soy-based) inks from Rostow and Jung, I use a palette knife, paintbrush and/or roller to apply the ink to a plexiglass plate (buy at art supply store or ask Home Depot to cut to size). I have found that mixing a little release agent into the paint helps the inks transfer more easily when home printing. I also use blending agent when brushing on paint to blend strokes.

Applying the ink

Inked plate with scraped off negative spaces

I may scrape off ink in areas to allow the white of the paper to show through and be part of the composition.  Using other scraping “tools” like sponges, brushes, pieces of netting, etc. will create textured effects.

A key point to remember is that what you paint on the plate will be reversed when you print! Even when working in a very abstract and spontaneous way there may be a consistent pattern in which you apply your paint that is satisfying to you. If you don’t take this into account, you will be surprised, pleasantly or unpleasantly as the case may be, by the resulting composition of your piece. The print-making process can thus reveal an aspect of your practice previously unknown to you.

Plate inkside down on paper

 Flipped inked plate and paper

After painting and scraping, I very carefully place the plate ink side down on special printing paper (I got a good deal from Utrecht; BFK Rives and Arches make excellent papers), press down, then carefully flip over the plate and paper together.

With strong downward pressure, I begin to burnish the back of the paper with the flat of the spoon and sometimes use a pin press (like a very heavy rolling pin) to get maximal transference of ink to paper. I lift up the corners to peek and rub some more until satisfied with the result.  I can repeat the process by re-inking the same other plates and layering on color if I choose, or stop there.  If there is enough ink on the plate I might be able to eke out one more print called a “ghost”, due to its delicate, ephemeral look.

Plate with re-inked areas at the bottom

Unforeseen results occur as the ink gets “squished” onto the paper. It takes time and practice to be able to control the transfer of ink. The print can turn out too light if there’s not enough ink, or “blobby” in areas of too much ink. Here I have added more ink to the plate and then I re-printed. I did this several times with this print. The finished monotype is at the start of the blog post. It helps to start with easy compositions and smaller papers before attempting more complex subjects and larger sizes.

A great printmaking resource: Rostow and Jungs website http://www.waterbasedinks.com/

Her Philadelphia Tales, The Art of Lilliana S. Didovic by DoN Brewer is an artist book with a unique perspective. Based on blog posts by DoN on the websites DoNArTNeWs Philadelphia Art News Blog and Side Arts Philadelphia art blog, the book began as a way to promote Lilliana’s artwork. As we collaborated on the design of the book a missing element emerged in the narrative about how the Didovic family settled in Philadelphia; the tale of how they found a home here is harrowing and beautiful.

To celebrate the publication of Her Philadelphia Tales, The Art of Lilliana S. Didovic and Lilliana’s birthday, you are cordially invited to join us Saturday, February 25^th, 2012, 6 – 9:00pm at Smile Restaurant, 105 S 22nd St, Philadelphia 19103 (between Chestnut & Sansom Sts.) for wine and hors d’oeuvres. Lilliana and DoN will be autographing books, available for purchase at the party for $25., or bring your own copy available on Amazon.com.