Opening reception for MONOTYPES by Nancy Walter and CYANOTYPES by Greg Brown.

Working on paper, these two printmakers animate their work with the effects of light and transparency, each artist finding a distinct voice. The result is a stimulating mix of symbols, textures, images, and ideas.
Exhibit runs through April 16.

Two printmakers met last year at an evening event at the Encinitas Library. Nancy Walter overheard Greg Brown talking about CYANOTYPES and asked if he would teach her how to make them. In exchange she offered to teach him how to make MONOTYPES, her specialty. They struck a deal, and an instant friendship was formed.

Over several months they taught each other their respective printmaking processes, and found that sharing, co-creating and connecting through printmaking, energized their work.

“Our goals are the same,” says Nancy, “To produce visually striking images that draw the viewer in, using texture, transparency, and light. Although our goals are the same, our methods are quite different.”

Nancy Walter’s MONOTYPES comprise half of the show. She has a background in graphic design, illustration, and photography.

Creating monotypes requires acrylic printing plates, ink, brayers, brushes, stamps, stencils, and a 1500 lb. etching press. It is an exciting, and sometimes frustrating process. Generally the “successful” pieces occur from overlapping several images, working with different layers of color, transparency and texture; the results are hard to predict. It’s an intuitive process in which over thinking can lead to mishaps. With monotype, it’s best to allow for inner guidance take over. To see more of her work: www.nancywalter.com

Greg Brown, whose CYANOTYPES make up the other half of the exhibit, has a background in Architecture, solar energy design and music.

Cyanotypes are named for the blue “cyan” images produced by their photosensitive chemicals. The process requires watercolor paper, a photo emulsion, a dark work- space, a variety of objects and transparencies, a large sheet of glass, a sunny day, a large tray of water, a spray nozzle, and a lot of imagination. It is an exciting and sometimes capricious process. An experienced printer can get exquisitely detailed photo prints using negative transparencies, but with objects set on the paper, freer compositions, and varying light conditions, there are always surprises. The resulting images can be delicate, floating, mysterious, or other-worldly — impossible to create in any other medium.