First Friday of March and Demo by Denise Weaver-Ross

At New Grounds and Matrix Fine Art we started March with new shows by artists Carol Mell and Denise Weaver-Ross, who later that evening gave a demo of multi-color, multi-plate printmaking.

Intern Robia and gallery assitant Tanya take a moment to pose for a photo as they greeted guests at the door.

This evening kicked off Carol Mell's first solo show at Matrix. Carol stands in front of one of her newer works on canvas. The dancer turned photographer's work is concentrated on capturing movement and light within nature.

Artist Pam Wesolek stands in the entrance of Matrix.

Guests check out work in New Grounds by Denise Weaver-Ross. Weaver-Ross's work is inspired by personal memories and geography and how both overlap and intertwine.

Denise stands with fellow artist Jackie.

Gallery assitant Tanya speaks with guests as Jackie photo-bombs the picture!

Both Carol and Denise's shows were well attended by both friends and local art enthusiasts.

Dressed in black, Director Regina Held greets and informs visitors.

Intern Karissa takes time to pose.

With an introduction from Regina, Denise begins the evening's demonstration.

Denise has in front of her two copper plates and a palate of Akua Kolor water-based inks on a locally made Takach press. She chooses colors very intentionally based on what she knows will blend nicely together.

Ink is applied to a copper plate using small squares of mat board. Denise plans where each color is placed ahead of time.

In order to neatly wipe away excess ink without blending the different colors on the copper plate too much, Denise places a phone book page over the plate and then wipes the plate with a clean tarlatan.

In intaglio printmaking paper must soak in water in order to be pressed in to the etched lines of copper.

Denise carefully registers her inked plate onto the press.

Because Denise uses two separate plates, she uses a heavy paper covered brick to hold her paper in place as she switches her first inked plate for a second plate covered in a transparent base that will give her image a beautiful finished look.

Denise shows off her finished image.

Photos taken and blog written by Kaitlin Reese, New Grounds intern.

Be sure to join us for next month's First Friday!!!

Japanese Masters in Printmaking and Phil Peterson's Retrospective

Friday night was the First Friday of Feburary where we at New Grounds and Matrix fine art kicked off two new shows! In New Grounds work by contemporary Japanese artists were displayed and in Matrix Phil Peterson showed off decades worth of paintings and talked about the benefits of using non-toxic water-based materials.

Gallery Assistant Tanya Landin and myself greet guests, inform them of the art, and have fun while doing it!

New Grounds artists Mary Sunstrom and Diane Alire hang out in the kitchen.

Director Regina Held chats with guests in the New Grounds Studio.

Phil Peterson has a conversation before he talks about his show.

Phil Peterson gives a demonstration of his painting process and the benefits of using non-toxic media.

Please be sure to join us for the next First Friday!

First Show of 2013

 At New Grounds Print Shop and Gallery and Matrix Fine Art 2013 started off right with the first art show of the new year on January 4th! It was the last day of the holiday sale and all the artists' new work was on display. Not only was the event successful, but also a lot of fun!

New member to New Grounds, Wayne Chinander, stands next to his linoleum cut print entitled Maiden. Wayne has been a member since December and this is his first time showing art here at New Grounds.

Visitors explored New Grounds and Matrix checking out all the amazing art that was part of the holiday sale and new work by the artists.

Artists Phil Peterson and Katherine Noe.

A guest visits with artist Pamela Wesolek.

Myself and fellow new intern Karissa greeted people at the front as they walked in!

Artist Jeff Simpson stands in Matrix taking photos of the night's event.

Artist Dan Noyes and Artist Ray Maseman have a conversation in New Grounds.

Ray Maseman's twins Ben and Norah are both charming and very entertaining!

A guest speaks with artist Adabel Allen.

Cheers! Artist Deborah Donelson and a friend.

Fellow intern Erik was the bartender of the evening.

Artists Susan Evans and Pat Berrett

Artist Jessica Krichels and her daughter pose for a picture before leaving.

Phil Peterson hangs out in the offices as he showed me yoga poses for sleep.

Photos by Jeff Simpson and Kaitlin Reese. Be sure to join us next time!

-Kaitlin Reese, New Grounds Intern

This year's Rachel Allen Memorial Fellowship Recipient!

We want to congratulate and welcome Nance Mc Manus as the annual fellowship recipient, to New Grounds! The fellow receives a month long membership and a workshop of their choice. It is a wonderful way to meet artists and introduce them to non-toxic printmaking.

Nance is a dedicated pastel artist who enjoys the rich colors and immediacy of the process. At New Grounds, she is wanting to learn more about the monotype process using Akua water-based inks.

Karl Koenig, a Memorial Exhibition

The passing of Karl Koenig this January left a huge gap in the world of photography. He wrote the definite book on gumoil photography and was primarily known for his work in this medium although he practiced a variety of photographic and printmaking techniques. However, it was his imagery that he was most well known for: Striking shots of concentration camps, majestic trees, lonely grain elevators, remote places in New Mexico, and haunting French cemeteries. 

Karl's wife, Frances Koenig chose the images for this show that gave an overview of the gumoil process and a variety of images.

Each gumoil image is hand-crafted after coating a sheet of 100% rag paper with sensitized liquid gum arabic and contact-exposing it to a transparent or translucent positive under intense ultraviolet radiation. The coated sheet is then developed in water, thoroughly dried, and later rubbed with a dark pigment such as lamp black oil paint.
Excess pigment is wiped off and the paper is briefly dipped in a bleach bath to oxidize away (etch) some of the light-hardened residual gum arabic. This leaves the next tonal region of the picture open to a second pigment application.
The sequence is repeated until the print is finished over the course of several days or weeks. It is the successive etchings and applications of oil colors which lead to the richness and dimensionality of the finished print.   (From Karl Koenig's website www.http://www.gumoil.com/gumoil-process/)

Tanya, Gallery Assistant and former member, Deb Weaver