Making Some Discoveries

Yesterday I had the pleasure to reintroduce myself to Mitch Lyons. I first met Mitch a couple of weeks ago at the annual PA Guild of Craftsmen Fair held in my hometown of Lancaster, PA. If you have never attended this arts and crafts fair... IT IS A MUST... I encourage you to visit the PA Guild of Craftsmen website and mark your calendars. I also highly recommend visiting Mitch's website you will not be disappointed! Mitch is a master at making clay monoprints. YES I said CLAY!! I had never heard of such a thing and Mitch informed me "it's because I invented it". Thanks for sharing Mitch! God Bless.

1.Colored slip is added to the leather hard clay slab.

Until you are able to make your own personal pilgrimage to PA to visit Mitch enjoy these photos I took yesterday (with Mitch's approval of course) which captures the intricate, beautiful, monoprinting demonstration Mitch so graciously presented at his home art studio located in New London, PA.

2. Introducing more color by sifting in chalk and pastels.

Mitch is planning to hold a two day weekend workshop in April 2012 and I am already saving my pennies to make sure I am there!  See his website for details. If you are not able to visit his studio he does sell DVDs on his art making process. Either way his artwork and process are so inspiring and captivating you will not be satisfied with just one peek at his website you will want to meet him in person - he is planning to host some traveling workshops and he is open to doing one day demonstrations.

NOTE: I have added my personal captions to these photos but to read how Mitch explains his clay monoprinting process in details click on this link.

3. Getting ready to make a monoprint.

As I stood next to Mitch yesterday I could not help but to be re energized about the art making process and re discovering the joy it brings me. Mitch is just what I needed to boost up my creative spirits and I left eager to jump into my little attic art studio to explore what my own emerging art journey had to offer.

4. Creating a charge with a brayer (Mitch said "it's a pizza roller").

I am so blessed to live so close to such remarkable artists like Mitch who have been making art for over 40 years; yet Mitch still holds the enthusiasm of a mindful artist discovering his pleasure in art making for the first time.  THANK YOU, Mitch for sharing your love of art making, answering all of my "Curious Girl" questions and I look forward to revisiting your studio in April for your weekend workshop.

As for the fruits of my labor upon my return from visiting with Mitch see the pictures below of the fun I had creating and exploring my own recipes for making an original mixed media collage art project.

Enjoy;-)
~ Sandra

The elements: a recycled iPhone box I painted with white gesso, my hand painted mixed media papers, and a laser copy of an old fashion hand plow (the plow image shows up in other artwork I'm currently creating inspired by my summer volunteering at my local CSA at the Lancaster Farmacy). I miss the farm.

Close up of the hand painted papers adhered to the substrate using Golden Soft Gel Matte Medium with some additional handmade markings layered on using a Faber-Castell watercolor pencil (black).

Adding on additional hand painted paper (remains from another project - nothing goes to waste). I just let the negative shapes created by the cutouts dictate the orientation of the layout. 

Front view of the piece thus far. I love how you can still see some of the Apple wordage seeping through the gesso.

Close up of the overlaying papers and the texture they create.

The final piece with the hand plow image added on using a gel medium transfer.

Defining the size: 3-1/4 x 5-1/2 inches.

"Winter PLOW" mixed media collage