Art and The Dry Well

My creativity ebbs and flows, so over the years I’ve developed strategies for dealing with ebb times. I maintain a creativity file during lush periods, into which I put images, words, colors, quotes, and artwork I find inspiring. During a lull, lollygagging in this file often revives me. When it seems the well is dry and will never see moss again, I like to spend time with a technique that renews my faith in simple, pared-down, creative play. With “multiple-drop” monotype, plates are printed (or “dropped”) one on top of the other. I draw an image on the back of a plate, usually a simple one (when the going gets tough, the tough shouldn’t get precious). Then, I ink, sit, and wipe: a process I find meditative, especially when I allow myself to be loose and imprecise. For each of these images I inked my plate in three consecutive colors, wiped, and printed. Even when the first and second “drops” appear disappointing, the third seems to magically resolve the final print, giving me comfort, hope, and usually, a lovely, unique print.

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