January in the studio and more

January is almost done. I am teaching six great students in Printmaking. The class did a hard ground etching and tried various ground techniques. The first critique is tomorrow. After critique we will talk about monotype and how to layer some color and additional elements using a watercolor or oil monotype. I produced a couple of prints as well.I wanted to post a few of my monotypes from last semester and the two new proofs from this past week.

Here are some monotypes from last semester :

"Streetscape"

"Safely into the Illusion"

"Aerial View"

"Floating Peace"

Here are the two new proofs:

These latest prints seem to combine my circular forms from my monotype Aerial that was inspired from a view of landscape from above with the nets. I am intrigued by repeated form and mathematical regularity of patterns in nature. For further study I am reading Patterns in Nature: Why the Natural World looks the Way It Does by Philip Ball, Patterns in Nature by Peter S. Stevens. Both refer heavily to D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson's text On Growth and Form.

I also spent a few hours yesterday getting familiar with John Berger.

He recently died and this NYT obit gives the highlights of his career.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/02/arts/design/john-berger-provocative-art-critic-dies-at-90.html?_r=0

I watched 'Ways of Seeing' from BBC 1972 broadcast on Youtube and will read the book which has been in print since that time.