Erewhon II - Limited Edition 1 of 1 Print

I am inspired by the age-old tradition of botanical documentation, a process of inking the plant itself and by applying pressure to make an impression. Known as Nature Printing, Naturselbstdruck or Gyotaku in Japan, these printmaking traditions date back to the 1800's. My training as a printmaker influences my choice of the monotype medium, a direct unique transfer of ink to paper through an etching press resulting in a one of a kind image. I create these images with a contemporary spin on traditional nature printing, creating pictures that give the feeling of being surrounded by wildlife, as if you are in a forest or lush garden on a beautiful day. They are created with freshly gathered local vegetation that I collect from neighborhoods in San Francisco. I bring the plant trimmings to my studio at the Hunters Point Shipyard where specimens are inked and layered creating delicate impressions of the plant matter itself. These images include an enigmatic woman, bathing in a natural body of water. Her innocent yet strong female presence evokes the mythological feminine. The surrounding flora and colors evoke the movement of the water and the reflections from the foliage and sky surrounding the figure.