Pushing the boundaries, thinking outside the box, always wondering and experimenting is how I approach art and life. I am inspired by everyone and everything that enters my path … the texture of a piece of driftwood, a crack in the sidewalk, a fallen leaf in autumn or a blossoming flower. My art is an expression of what inspires me mixed with the things I encounter in daily life. I’m not a trained printmaker, meaning I didn’t study it in college, but I have always been fascinated with mark making and finding alternative uses for everyday things.
Printmaking Unleashed is about discovering new approaches to transferring a mark onto a surface and building colorful layers using nontraditional methods. Grab a cup of tea and flip through the book! There is no particular order that you have to start, just open it up and soak in the inspiration. Sprinkled throughout you will find ideas for color palettes, numerous creative prompts and exercises. Each exercise begins with a creative toolbox, which is a jumping-off point for materials. Most items I use to create printmaking tools are readily available at the hardware store, dollar store, thrift store and even in your kitchen or garage. I’m a big believer in creatively using what you have and recycling materials as much as possible. The step-by-step exercises encourage you to make your own marks and can be done in an art journal, on canvas, on fabric or digitally and then incorporated in your mixed-media paintings.
I built Printmaking Unleashed upon my previous books, Collage Unleashed and Doodles Unleashed. In all of them, I encourage you to develop your style and enjoy the process. My main message is to be free and harness that childlike creative spirit where you feel comfortable making marks without fear. My hope is that this book will be a forever reference in your art library—when inspiration strikes, write notes and recipes on the pages. The ideas I present are great starting points, so expand on them and create your own tools. Spend time, even just ten minutes a day, expressing yourself creatively. Simply pick a pen and doodle, make a brush mark on the canvas or write in your art journal and give yourself the gift of creative play. I am truly blessed to do what I love every day. Thank you for sharing in my creative journey!
