My work is about escaping and vanishing.  I often illustrate these ideas by exploring the relationship of birds and cages. In other works I present birds as outlines, shadows or silhouettes in the sky without the usual features that would identify them to the earthbound viewer.  I use monoprint techniques with an emphasis on layering the backgrounds with dyes and modified inks.  Daily I am inspired by the crows in my neighbor’s tree, the ducks, geese and gulls flying over my garden and the noisy jays searching for food beneath my bedroom window.

Gwen Kearns

Gwen Kearns is a local printmaker who received a BA in Studio Art from the University of Washington in 2005. She currently prints at the Kirkland Arts Center and has been exhibiting in and around the Seattle area for the past 3.5 years.

“I am inspired by nature, and therefore my imagery depicts growth and movement. I incorporate obscure text, organic shapes and textures into my work using a variety of techniques: lithography, collography, and monotype. My work represents life in many forms, and consists mostly of an earthy color palette.  The text that I incorporate is important to be obscure as my intention is not to have it read or become the sole meaning of my piece.  It is meant for the viewers to interpret the piece in their own way.  While the plants in my work are recognizable, they are not a true reality.  I alter the images making them become two dimensional and simple in character, in order to maintain the appeal of abstract art.”

Carol Lelivelt

Carol Lelivelt has been monoprinting at the Kirkland Art Center for 4 years.  Layering organic shapes and detailed line work give dimension to her designs.  Prior to discovering printmaking, Carol was employed at Eddie Bauer and Nordstrom as a textile artist.  She has also designed for Pacific Trail, TaylorMade, and Ralph Lauren Polo.

Contact info:   HYPERLINK “mailto:j.lelivelt@computer.org”  / j.lelivelt@computer.org / 425.822.6919

Joan Mamelok

Joan Mamelok teaches Introduction to Monoprint at the Kirkland Arts Center and is a local printmaker who works with encaustic, and most recently has ventured into sculpture.  She works intuitively with mostly abstract forms.  She tends to understand what a particular work is about after it is finished.  Her dyslexia influences her work in that she sees relationships among seemingly disparate ideas.  Movement is present in much of her work which comes from a love of dance.  Interconnectivity between people is reflective in the abstract forms used. Contact:  joanmamelok.net

Mary Mac

Mary Mac is a Printmaking artist who received her professional training at Valdosta State University in Georgia. She continues to take printmaking and other Art Classes the Kirkland Arts center.  This month she will also have her work shown at the Artist Trust Auction, C. Art Gallery, Parklane Gallery, Has and the Kirkland Art Center skylight room.

She  has created “A day off for Art”, which gives the gift a free afternoon learning printmaking to parents of children with autism and special needs.  ”My work starts with time spent creating all the stencils that will go into my piece.  I love cutting blades of grass, stems and flowers, legs and shoes and folding up little skirts to prepare for the printing process.  I then head to the studio where each stencil gets inked up and then assembled on an inked plate, a larger sheet of damp paper is placed atop if it all and it gets one pass through the press.  What most amazes me about the printmaking process is how different the plate is from the finished piece. There is this magic that happens as the paper and the plate go through all that pressure, inks mix, shapes shift, and texture is created.”  Contact her at (425) 533-4783 or Marymac13@live.com.