Distant Views - Monotypes by Jacob Matteson

Jacob Matteson discusses his work with a viewer

Jacob Matteson's monotypes

On First Friday, February 5, 2016, New Grounds Gallery hosted an artist reception and exhibition opening for Distant Views - Monotypes by Jacob Matteson.

This colorful body of work is fresh from Jacob's studio, combining layers of monotype, paint and colored pencil in eye-catching ways. 

The artist, Jacob Matteson, poses with his work

Jacob is an internationally known printmaker who enchants the eye with fresh landscape monotypes. Matteson’s colorful abstraction invites the viewer to observe the interaction of light, color, shape, pattern, and motion. 

His unique form of environmental abstraction creates drama, blending multiple places into a dreamlike memory that suggests a moment in time, while resembling familiar terrain. Each surreal horizon is a metaphor of space, location, emotion and even ancient mysticism.

An Albuquerque native, Jacob received his MFA at the University of New Mexico and shows his work regionally, as well as internationally. 

Jacob's demo monotype

Jacob inks up his monotype plate

Jacob Matteson provided a detailed monotype technique demo during the opening, showing the audience how he mixes color, builds layers, creates his signature sun/moon, and prints. 

If you missed the opening, don't worry! We'll be editing and sharing the video of his demonstration soon on our YouTube channel.

The exhibition itself runs through Friday, February 26, so be sure to stop by if you haven't seen it in person yet.

New Year, New Works Exhibition

Viewer enjoying the new work

New woodcuts by Kendall Murakami

On January 1, 2016, New Grounds Gallery hosted our opening exhibition - New - New Works by New Grounds Members. The show featured a rich array of fresh works, completed at the very end of 2015, and most of our current members showcased pieces.

Works by Shirley Levy, Dan Noyes and Wayne Chinander

Works by Wayne Chinander (L) and Pamela Wesolek (R)

The colorful, sophisticated body of new work demonstrated a variety of traditional and experimental printmaking techniques: from relief (linocut, woodcut and reduction relief) to multi-plate etching, monotype, monoprint, mixed media and gravure.

A viewer enjoys pieces by Elaine Soto

Work by Jessica Krichels (L), Lincoln Draper (C), Ray Maseman and Knicki Markolf (R)

Pieces L-R, left wall - Bruce Carpenter, Ren Adams, Jessica Krichels

Featured artists included:
Ray Maseman, Knicki Markolf (Canada), Jorge Tristani, Jessica Krichels, Ren Adams, Lincoln Draper, Bruce Carpenter, Elaine Soto, Kendall Murakami, Jessica Weybright, Dan Noyes, Wayne Chinander, Shirley Levy, Mary Sundstrom and Pamela Wesolek.

We also rang in the new year in style!

Other shots from the exhibition:

Works by Bruce Carpenter (L), Ren Adams (R)

Our excellent intern Allison talks about Kendall Murakami's work

The gallery!

Work in the foreground, right - Jessica Weybright, Jorge Tristani

3rd International Juried Print Exhibition - Opening Night

Viewers crowd the 3rd International Juried Print Exhibition at New Grounds

Works by Manuel Lau, Riley Breen, Charles Barth and others!

On December 3rd, 2015, New Grounds Gallery hosted an opening reception for our 3rd International Juried Print Exhibition, which features work from more than 25 different artists from around the globe. This yearly event always offers an exciting, fresh look at the state of printmaking and is well attended by collectors, art lovers and other printmakers from our local community.

This year's exhibition drew quite a crowd and generated a lot of conversation about different printmaking methods. We are consistently impressed by the talented artists that submit work each year and it's always such a hard jury process.  

Viewers get in close to view Joh McKaig's work

Viewers admire work by Eun-ji Choi, Barbara Handler, Rosemary Mortimer and others!

One corner of the installation, including the extra pieces available in the
print rack--we wish we had room to display all of the work framed!

Work by Tonia Matthews, Olesya Dzhurayeva and Hiroko Ryusekido

The International exhibition is an exciting event for Albuquerque, as we're able to present new work to local collectors and art lovers. Some of the participants are globally recognized artists, others have the opportunity to show work for the first time in New Mexico, or in the United States, thanks to the event. The result is a talented array of ideas and techniques, rich in texture and concept.

We frame a selected piece from each artist, then have additional works on hand for buyers.

This year's group represents Canada, Mexico, Ukraine, South Korea, Japan, Argentina, Netherlands, Italy, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, the United States, and Estonia, Europa. 

A viewer gets in close!

Works by Judith Klugerman, Barabara Fallini Babiscia and Eun-ji Choi

Works by Aidan Flanagan , Bernadette Madden and Rozanne DiSilvestro

Works by Aidan Flanagan and Bernadette Madden

A viewer gets in close to see Peter de Leur's piece; to the left is Hyejeong Kwon, Manuel Lau,
Riley Breen, Charles Barth, John McKaig and Anais Gerber

The artists worked in a diverse array of printmaking techniques, including mezzotint, waterless lithography, etching, linocut, serigraphy, monotype, drypoint, collagraph, stone lithography and mixed printmaking with chine colle. 

Work by Hyejeong Kwon, Peter de Leur and Reti Saks

Rozanne di Silverstro and Judith Klugerman

If you missed our opening reception, don't worry! We will be sharing videos of the installation, plus all of the work is viewable online on our 3rd International Juried Print Exhibition web page. 

Because the exhibition features so many artists, we'll be sharing highlights here on the blog and on Facebook all month. We'll also be sharing videos of the installation for those who would like to see it, but can't make the journey to our space.

More shots from opening night:

Kim Miro, Aidan Flanagan, Bernadette Madden, Rozanne di Silvestro

The diversity of prints drew many visitors

Ren Adams Multi-Layer Serigraphy Printmaking Demo Video

Ren Adams prints an image in front of the crowd

On First Friday, Nov. 6, 2015, Ren Adams gave a live printmaking demonstration at New Grounds, featuring the multi-layer serigraphy method she used to create the unique pieces in her Desert (Loss) series. 

Ren Adams provides a detailed serigraphy demonstration

Ren discussed some of the ideas behind her latest series, including her reasons for using serigraphy in such a freeform manner. This useful demo also provides insight into various approaches to silk screen printing, image making and layering transparent layers to create finished works. 

If you missed the live, demo, don't worry! The video is available on our YouTube channel. You can view it below:

Don't forget to follow us on YouTube!

Ren Adams gets ready to clamp a screen into the hinges

Desert (Loss) - Mixed Media Prints by Ren Adams, Exhibition Opening

First Friday, November 6, 2015 marked the artist reception and exhibition opening for Desert (Loss) - Mixed Media prints by Ren Adams.

Ren Adams produces richly layered hybrid and mixed media prints, often combining five or six different printmaking techniques, and rarely producing a work with fewer than four layers. Each piece in Desert (Loss) is composed of thin, abstracted and colorful layers of serigraphy, with Akua monotype and image transfer components.

Pieces installed for Ren Adams' exhibition

Ren says of the series:
"Desert (Loss) investigates the suspension between loss and distance, through the language of a fractured desert. These remixed landscapes imply the weirdness of the West; vastness and density become memories of memory, mutations of a white-hot encounter. Historian Simon Schama says “landscape is a work of the mind. Its scenery is built up as much from strata of memory as from layers of rock,” just as our own stories and memories are constructed of layered moments."

"Sylmar Suspension (in my nothing)," 2015.
Layered serigraphy, image transfer, monotype. Ren Adams. Sold. 

Ren remixes a haunting combination of Hollywood-infused desert moments. She says of these landscape 'memory strata'
"My strata are flattened, graphic layers, which suggest the way recollection develops a fictional sheen, with pinpoints of lucid detail; certain moments burn and remain. The play between flatness and depth asks what it means to inhabit the space between memory and experience, where fleeting exchanges flare and dissolve. My compressed imagery is remixed, just as we shuffle memories like tracks on a playlist—moments fade and recur. Some details get replayed."

"Mojave (always)," 2015. Ren Adams. Layered serigraphy and Akua monotype. 9 x 12".

During the opening, Ren also gave a demonstration on how she uses serigraphy to create these densely layered images. She showed various different photo screens, printing and also discussed the dynamic, responsive way that she creates overlaps and transparency. Watch for the video on our YouTube channel. Also, Ren teaches serigraphy workshops at New Grounds!

Ren Adams giving her serigraphy demo. Photo courtesy Michelle Marie Sharp. 

Ren also says about the pieces in this series:

"In processing a personal sense of dislocation and loss, I am drawn to the landscape of media and television—complex spaces I’ve inhabited in life and through the ambiguity of fact-fiction. Like memory, TV offers a dual sense of place, a spark of the ‘here’ and ‘elsewhere.’ Imagery inDesert (Loss) remixes my own media-infused artwork, drawing on television, personal photographs and even Google Street View to form a composite desert; a California-New Mexico-Hollywood of past and present."

You might be wondering why there are so few action shots from the evening! In addition to being our main workshop instructor here at New Grounds, she is also our press photographer and videographer, and was too busy running around! We'll add a few more installation and action shots before the show is over. 

More shots of the work in the exhibition:

"Inglewood (substance of now)," 2015. Ren Adams. Layered serigraphy and Akua Monotype. 9 x 12".

Ren Adams' vibrant, layered Serigraphs channel a technicolor Hollywood desert. Poetry is hidden in each piece, as well. 

"Foothill Freeway & Balboa (I see you in all things)," 2015. Ren Adams.
Layered serigraphy, image transfer, Akua monotype. 9 x 12".

"Vasquez Canyon Road (in this distance)," 2015. Ren Adams. 
Layered serigraphy, Akua monotype. 9 x 12".

Each piece grapples with the distance between loss and experience, memory and contact... set to a hybrid desert that combines California and New Mexico.