"Hope in the Balance" at the Maryland Federation of Art

Andrew Smith’s clay monoprint, "Hope in the Balance," was juried into the Maryland Federation of Art's Landscape exhibit, running from August 31st through September 24th, 2022. Juror Al Gury, Professor of Art at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, selected 37 artists and 61 works from 630 entries.

Elemental: Earth, Fire, Water, Air 2021

Visual Realia was pleased to have a print in the juried Maryland Federation of Art online "Elemental: Earth, Fire, Water, Air 2021" exhibit.

“Shattered Earth”

Clay Monoprint Workshop — November 2021

Andrew Smith is offering a one-session clay monoprint workshop at the Adams County Arts Council in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday, November 10th, from 1-4 PM. Participants will use printmaking techniques with colored clay slips to create vibrant monoprints. Basic techniques will be introduced, followed by an open studio format where artists can explore and create their own works. Everyone will leave with two completed prints.

Questions may be directed to Andy at ostman4200@comcast.net. Registration information is available at:

https://www.adamsarts.org/portfolio-item/printmaking-with-clay/

Visual Realia "Pigment" Exhibit Running

The "Pigment" exhibit continues at the Adams County Arts Council. The Gallery may be in use at times during the day but ask at the front desk if you can view the exhibit.

Feel free to contact me to arrange a visit during an evening or weekend. I'd be happy to meet you there and answer any questions.

Eight of the thirty works have sold, so this is the last chance to see some of these works.

Upcoming Visual Realia Events

I am pleased to note an upcoming exhibit of my clay monoprint works in the Gallery of Gettysburg's Adams County Arts Council. The show will open on June 4th and will run through June and July. (The Arts Council holds a reception for its artists on First Fridays, so plan on a great Gettysburg evening on July 2nd.)

I'll also be selling unframed monoprints at a pop-up art market outside of York's awesome I-ron-ic coffee house on June 12th.

More info on both coming soon.

Anatomy of a Clay Monoprint

For those new to the medium, the artist creates a design using colored clay (slip) on a clay slab, known as the matrix. Material is then placed on some or all of the slab, and the print is transferred to the material.

After the print is made, some of the clay design remains on the matrix. An interesting aspect of the medium is that the next print is designed over top of the previous rather than starting over. This results in a bit of randomness as portions of previous designs appear along with the new design.

For the Machinations print, I used all of the slab/matrix for the print — the first time in a while, so elements of different, smaller prints are combined. In fact, most of the elements in this print are remnants of previous designs. I did, however, add the 3x4 set of blocks in the first noted area and the dark teal line in the center at area 3.

Area 1 - You'll see three rows of three squares, using red, yellow, and orange. Above this set is another row of three dark teak clay.

In the image, you'll see a black rectangle "above" the blocks. This shape was actually from a previous print, with the new small squares placed on top. When the new print was made (pulled), the clay from the squares transferred, but so did the black rectangle underneath, reversing the order on the pulled print. (There's that randomness!)

Area 2 - If you look closely, you'll see a line of a few black dots. Not only wasn't this in the new design, but it was from several prints ago and hasn't appeared in a print since November! Sometimes these "memories" from previous designs create happy accidents. (Your clay slab is a diary of your work.)

Area 3 - The dark teal line was added last, and I almost made the print without it. A last-minute look at the matrix led me to feel the object was necessary. Interestingly, Caetlyn mentioned in the previous look at this print that she thought this line was necessary. I'm glad I added it!

Area 4 - Persistence. I've been doing geometric art lately and wanted to minimize this unusual black shape, so I painted a layer of plain off-white clay over it. It did soften it a bit, but it still raised its voice!

The clay monoprint artist never has complete control; sometimes, the clay speaks for itself.

“Machinations” — Clay Monoprint on Pellon by Andrew Smith of Visual Realia