Prints Unforgotten

I've got a huge stash of print 'seconds' in my studio, a large boxful. This is one of the issues of being a monoprinter - for me, there are many more unsuccessful prints than successful prints that I frame and sell.

Recently I came across a few prints of wrens that I did back in 2012.  Most of the series has been sold but the last few remaining prints I feel need 'something' to resolve them.  So I decided to dig out the paper stencils I used in that series -luckily I'm a bit of a stencil/paper hoarder so I still had them, and more importantly, knew where to find them!

So I recomposed the images using the original prints which I cut down to bleed prints (that is, no blank paper margin). I then used the stencils overtop of the prints to create a new scene, ensuring that the stencils extended beyond the background image. I feel that this gives a fresh dimensionality to the original image.

The prints are now rehomed in new raw wood frames with fresh mats, and ready to go back into the world and find new homes.

Moral of the story:  Never ignore your past work.....perhaps just rethink it in the context of your current art practice.

The original monoprint

The stencils used to create the 'Dance' series -
the monoprinting process transforms paper stencils
 into beautiful collage pieces

Recomposing the original print by adding stencils -
looking at colour, shape and balance.

The new work 'In the Shadows'.

Detail of 'In the Shadows'

Reworking old prints into Artist Books

You know you've got too much art stuff when you can't find something you know you have, especially if you saw it yesterday......  OK, I admit its also to do with getting older, but I know I have too much paper and art supplies.  Something has to be done!

So this was the impetus for a reorganisation of my art studio and storage room, starting with the recent acquisition of new plan drawers in which to store my extensive paper collection.  And I've continued to use that energy to keep sorting through the rest of my studio.

Sorting through folios, I've found heaps of prints. Mostly reject monoprints from past series, where I've sold the best ones and I'm left with the not-so-good ones.  The ones where the composition or colours aren't quite right, they don't work as a whole but have plenty of interesting marks and textures.  Not a frame-able masterpiece but not worth shredding for the compost bin.

These are the prints that are destined to become artist books.  Cut down, folded, glued and taped - they become a new object with a fresh story.

I saw an interesting book design on facebook.  The book starts with a hexagon shape (I love hexagons!), with 3 valley folds and 1 mountain fold.  The hexagons can be joined all facing in the same direction so the book stands up on its own (as per my examples) or you can alternate the direction of the hexagons for an interesting 'reading' experience.

Here's photos of a couple of artist books that I've made recently using that design.  It was an experiment just for fun to see what these old prints could give me second time around.

Ok now its time to get back to sorting, labeling, shredding, and adding to the growing pile of goodies to donate.......

My new plan drawers, filled with my papers and labeled appropriately.
Now that I can find all of my papers, I know I DON"T need any more ...!

Looking down at the book of Scrub Turkey images,
turkeys running in all directions  :-)

The covers of the book were made with mat board offcuts
and covered with prints

One of the pages of the turkey book,
showing the folds

Another book of the same design, this time
using prints from a Silvereye series.

Another view of the Silvereye book,
I love the textures and imagery in this one.