Who's who...

or behind the scenes of my MGNE First Place Award artwork.

I am often asked what triggers the urge to start a new artwork, how the inspiration presents itself, where my imagery comes from... These are all great questions and their answers give the viewer a clear path to understanding the way thought, psyche, determination, lack of fear to be judged,  and absolute indifference to surroundings, contribute towards the artist's realization and execution process.

My favourite medium is "monotype", a printmaking process where the artwork is created on a matrix,  subsequently transferred  onto the paper through the pressure of an etching press resulting in the creation of a unique print. I then combine collage, embroidery, pleating, and other folding manipulation techniques acquired by my work in the textile/fashion designing field, treating paper as textile, using its drape, grain qualities and limitations to add volume, thus transforming a 2 dimensional surface into a three dimensional art-object.

my aunts Valentini and Marika

My narrative is based on family issues that trouble and define me. 20th century's wars and political crimes marked my grandparents' and parents paths, wounding their souls, influencing their life choices, eventually passing their pain and search for "home" to my generation. In my continuous quest to understand the past in order to realistically shape my identity,  I often use family members' photographs, letters and notes from their journals, reconnecting to their histories through my art.

And so I submitted my work "she could hear the piano playing" to Monotype Guild of New England 4th National Monotype Juried Exhibition believing in its visual impact and also its showcasing a variety of techniques associated with the medium. This work was achieved by incorporating monotypes, ghost impressions, trace monotypes, archival pigmented inkjet print, on a multitude of surfaces. The photograph of the girl is my aunt Marika who lived a life brightly colored at its beginning, rapidly shading into gray and into total black the last three decades of her life. Last time I saw her, the only color left was the brilliant blue of her eyes.

I am thrilled for this award, for giving me the opportunity not only to celebrate, but also to revisit the steps, the purpose, the hours dedicated in the pursuit of art making. Reading juror's  Andrew Stevens thoughts on his selection process, provided me with new insight to the extensive history and promise of printmaking, and opened new horizons into the scope of my art practice.

“Of all the print processes, [monotype] is the most spontaneous and simple. Its ability to capture a deft stroke of the artist’s hand gives it great appeal to the skilled sketcher, while its simplicity makes it an ideal platform for the sorts of experiments that have intrigued American artists.” 

– Andrew Stevens, Introduction, American Monotypes in the Baker/Pisano Collection