I am sure that other cities, like New York, would have a lot of great resources. I would say that you realize after a while that you can’t necessarily compare different places. It’s good to be able to travel and see things, but I think that you learn to make peace with your surroundings. Sometimes it’s a matter of taking the time to see them. Even if you are in a city with hundreds of museums, it’s taking time and making an effort.
Q: Is there an artist that you were particularly inspired by?
A: Too many to count. I think there are always different aspects to finding inspiration in an artist’s work. Sometimes it’s a person’s objects of work that really speak to you and sometimes it’s knowing the context of their work or the biography of their story. That can be really inspiring because you can relate to the challenges they face. For others it’s just their ideas in general.
Q: When you are doing art, how do you start the piece and develop it? Do you make sketch first?
A: I think that as far as and the process of monotypes, I don’t have an image in mind. It’s very open ended.
Q: So you start doing it and let it flow?
A: Yes, I try to. I always hope that it will flow. I think that once you start the first few marks, then you respond to it and work with it.
Q: What do you do if your ideas start changing midway?
A: I guess my first thought would be to welcome that, maybe it means that you learned or figured out something. Maybe you are able to see it more clearly or differently, or maybe it’s an idea for a new group or body of work. That is the interesting part of creating. I also understand that if something is not working out, I have to learn to shape the work.
Q: Have you always focused on monotypes? Has your style changed?
A: I think my style has changed somewhat. I have been working with the monotypes for about five or six years. I was always interested in doing monotypes and I found a way that I could do it to—I didn’t have access to a print-making shop, so I happened to find a very small press that was similar enough to a large press.
