2017 residency artists
Colleen Sullivan @ The W.O.R.K.S. with Thomas Wojak
In my CSP AIR of July–August 2017 with Thomas Wojak, I printed two large-scale screen prints under his guidance. His W.O.R.K.S. studio in Vallejo is efficiently outfitted for printmaking, and he was extremely generous in opening up his space, offering his materials and equipment to me, and sharing his time and knowledge with patience and enthusiasm.
The two prints I produced were challenging large, 30″ x 40″, editions of at least 10. They are part of my projected and ongoing series dealing with the endemic failings of our humanity and its consequent reverberations on a global scale; we are hurting each other and ourselves. One of these screen prints highlighted global financial inequality and its hopeless imbalance; the second focuses on gut-wrenching immigration issues growing out of racial discrimination and self interests.
In my travels I have been absolutely struck by the sheer volume, artfulness, and intelligence of street graffiti. I have incorporated some of these actual voices in this series through photographic reproduction. Some of the imagery is from historical records while some of it is my own art. These are the voices that rarely find their way into the upscale galleries and museums.
This opportunity has made a huge difference in my thinking and working as an artist. It opened up yet another avenue of possibility.
Susan Belau @ Gruenwald Press
My residency at Gruenwald Press in San Francisco was such a wonderful experience. Working with master printer John Gruenwald, I completed six stone lithographs, which were combined with monoprint, hand coloring and collage to make variable editions.
I began my two-week residency by drawing from observation, directly on the litho stones. Drawing on these prepared stones is unlike drawing on any other surface – it is smooth and velvety, cold and solid. It had been years since I worked with lithography and John’s expertise in stone lithography made it possible for me to embrace the process with confidence that what I was drawing would be accurately translated to the printing paper.
My subjects were cuttings from my backyard garden, and my intent for the residency was to work within themes of landscape, place, color as poetry for internal and external spaces, and the tension between represented space and real space. Having the time and space to sit and draw was one of the gifts of this residency. Another gift was the responsiveness and flexibility of printing with John. His guidance and command of stone lithography allowed us to follow the unknown of daily studio practice – problem solving within process, improvisation, and response to each day’s work that can change the direction and output of the project. I will always be grateful to have had the opportunity to work at Gruenwald Press.
Kim Vanderheiden @ Mullowney Printing
Right: Paul Mullowney and Erin Mcadams pulling the offset monotypes on the Dufa press.
I was thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Mullowney Printing for the CSP AIR program. Working with Paul Mullowney and his staff, we combined the torn paper collage techniques I had recently been using, and media in which I had the greatest skill, such as letterpress, pen & ink drawing, and monotype, with papers and a way of collaging that were new to me. We also used an unusual offset monotype technique through his recently acquired, enormous Dufa offset press, and I took on some additional risk by incorporating a woodcut component, which was a medium in which I did not have a lot of prior experience.
My project, Opening the Door, features life-sized human figures, each having found a door in its torso which the figure has opened and is drawing out symbolic objects from within, such as an arrow, a snake, a gun, or an egg. I use torn paper and disparate print techniques to reflect the torn, fragmented, and layered way one often perceives the self. Rather than projecting fears and suppressed shadows outwards, the figure is removing symbolic elements that are found while looking inwards, perhaps to release them, or perhaps to find what’s essential within oneself.
My work over the past five years has explored justice as a concept rooted in love: reducing harm and conflict by tending to relationship, community, and the dignity of each person, rather than punishment, rules, or a subjective idea of fairness. This inquiry leads me to examine human connections and how challenges in interrelating manifest physically: in everyday encounters as well as criminal actions, systemic or institutional prejudice, violent conflict, and indifference. The investigation also prompts me to hold and understand the roots of what is within our own natures that damages or strengthens our relationship to others. Opening the Door examines the process of seeing and letting go of what was once kept hidden out of shame or uncertainty; and the process of becoming empty, which I understand as a positive state in which one is free of fear, intentional in relationship, and grounded in love.
As a mother with three children who at the time were middle-school age or younger, it can be difficult to travel or set aside large blocks of time. But my family’s needs didn’t prevent me from participating in this residency, which was local and was able to be scheduled in a way that worked for both the busy schedule of my host and my own juggling act with studio and family. I deeply appreciated having been able to participate. I also loved seeing the work of all of the other artists whose work was in progress at Mullowney Printing over the course of my project.
Opening the Door project documentation pdf.
