Mono-fish-nature-foam-collage Printing!

It all began one December night. December 6th to be exact. It wasn't a dark and stormy night, but it was my birthday, and I always hope for a snowstorm on my birthday!

I had given my husband, Peter, a birthday wish list. Family art project--check! Ice cream cake from Dairy Queen with the fudge center and those little crumblies--check, check! Art supplies--check, check and check!

I generally buy what I need (or convince myself that I need) for art. I justify any art extras by not getting my hair done or buying new clothes, for better or worse. In other words, I don't need the excuse of a birthday to get art supplies. However, gifts were in order, Peter asked for a list, and for this, I'm grateful!

I made up a list of the few things I probably wouldn't buy for myself: a set of Miya gouache paints because I was going to teach a "portraits in gouache" class in January, and I thought these paints would be fun; a telephoto lens for my cell phone camera (super cool!); and two Gelli arts printing plates, one 8" round and the other 12" square, because I want to expand my printmaking but am not ready to purchase a printing press.

Always dear and supportive, Peter got me exactly what I asked for, and what happened next, after a saturating round of "thank yous," can only be described as a bout of creative hyperfocus that resulted in the collection below.

It is a combination of a number of my favorite images: beetles, garden, tidepools and anatomy. I learned how to use the gelatin plates solidly and then collaged printed papers and added some fish printing, rubber stamping, linocuts and foam prints.

There is a story behind each print, most of which I've shared on Instagram @sarahsartlife during the month of February, while the collection was hanging at The Old Independent Coffeehouse in Fairhaven, Bellingham, WA.

Another step in the art journey--a beautiful and dynamic and all-absorbing winter printmaking project that will, no doubt, continue. Thanks for taking a look and celebrating nature, art and life with me!

As an aside, I will be setting up a shop on my www.sarahlaneart.com website to sell these larger works. Right now, I have only cards, stickers and prints at my sarahsartlife shop on Etsy. Stay tuned, and take good care!

Thank you to The Old Independent Coffeehouse for inviting me to show once again! For more information on the images above, please feel free to get in touch by email.