Booth 34, my eight-foot wall space at the Laguna Festival of Arts, is ready for the summer. I had received a disappointing rejection notice after the annual festival jurying, but when another exhibitor dropped out, a space opened for me to return to this wonderful venue. We came home from Italy just two weeks before the opening, but with enough new work ready and help getting the booth completed, I was able to meet the deadline.
The annual Preview Party held July 3rd, before the festival opened to the public, was a huge success. In spite of a fire in the canyon and gridlocked Laguna traffic, throngs of people persevered to join the festivities. It was loud, crowded and full of energy. This woman, a collector and board member of a known art school, bought the framed print to her left. Several others bought unframed prints, making it a great start to the summer.
It was nice to have people stop and actually look at the work, something that doesn’t always happen as there is just so much other art to look at.
The festival gives an opportunity to show art to many people who would never see it otherwise, especially as Laguna Beach is a destination for visitors from around the country and beyond. They are often curious about my artistic journey, my printmaking techniques, how I get my ideas and designs. Each encounter is fun and meaningful for me, though I probably lose people when I get into details of the printmaking process.
Notice my new book there on the display stand.
Art Under Pressure, a book of my prints, came out a few days before the festival opened. It’s one more in a series that Hyatt has designed and published. This one is a collaborative effort as I did the writing and, of course, all the art is mine. We chose and arranged the images together. It is available at the festival gift shop, on Amazon.com, and through www.hyattmoore.com, here.
Pages 22-23, Benediction and By Still Waters.
Working on the layouts has revealed to me how few of my prints actually form a series . . . and yet there is a consistency. Perhaps it was choosing images with related colors that shows a commonality, not intentional when I made them, but there nonetheless.
Pages 28-29, Continuing the Search and Close Encounters.
Most of my prints are monotypes, i.e., one-of-a-kind, hand-pulled pieces done on a printing press. These two above are actually monoprints, meaning they have a reproducible image, one using a drypoint plate, the other a collagraph plate, but manipulated so that each results in a unique print. In the back of my book I explain some of these differences.
Pages 34-35, Distant Homage and Finding My Space.
When I start a print I never know where it will go. I print one layer on top of another, which means that each stratum presents problems to solve in order to bring the piece to completion. Here are two prints using acetate stencils to introduce additional color, the ochre circle on the left and the turquoise half-circle on the right.
Pages 86-87, Resonating Rhythm and Solidarity.
Naming prints is part of the art. I’m always collecting words or phrases I hear or read, but when I’m finished with a piece, I can’t just plug in words I’ve gathered. Each title needs to feel right; it needs to fit the imagery. Resonating Rhythm (left) reminds me of a musical instrument. It feels kind of playful. Solidarity (right) is more sombre, weighty, weathered, anchored yet reaching toward heaven . . . like the solidarity movement in Romania.
Pages 88-89, Reference to Yesterday and Sustainable Peace.
Lately I’ve been trying to pull apart the simple rectangular format by printing several plates together. Reference to Yesterday (left) combines three plates, plus a linocut design to add a sense of calligraphy. For Sustainable Peace (right), I used alphabet stencils to add letters as a design element.
The process, illustrated in pictures.
Hyatt thought that photos of my printmaking process would be interesting. I always say it’s much easier to do than to explain as it sounds more complex than it is. Hopefully the photos in the book will make the explanations clearer.
(Click on photos for larger view.)
I often use asemic writing as a design element. That’s made up writing that doesn’t actually say anything. These pieces are done in what is called a trace monotype, a process that allows me to add line imagery and text to the print surface.
Here I am in the studio, a place I love to be, though it doesn’t happen as regularly as I’d like. Still, there are many on display at the summer-long show in Laguna. And there are many more in the book. Click here for more information and access to ordering.
Come to the Festival of Arts if you can. It’s open 11 am-11 pm daily, now through the end of August. I’m there most evenings and some afternoons. Check out www.foapom.com for more details.
6:08 pm
Kudos, Ann. From one author to another, nicely done. I pray God will use your work in some very specific way in the life of someone. I look forward to your report on it. Allan hedberg
6:52 pm
Awesome Anne!! You know how much we love your work. Congratulations on your book,
and your festival showing. See you soon!
Love and Blessings,
Mary and Roger
7:40 pm
Oh ANNE! I LOVE all of your amazing work Anne! Love how your express yourself in the names for your paintings as well as all these amazing images that I think a person would never tire of because you see different things in them every time you look at them.. Soooo lovely! Thank you for sharing! Congratulations on your amazing book too!! WOW!! You and Hyatt make such an amazing blessed couple —working for the Lord and to bring joy and beauty to the home for others and “amazing artists”—-both different but both artists!!! Wonderful! Love to you both! Lisa
8:33 pm
I’m so happy you’re in the Festival AGAIN and that together you made a beautiful book of your wonderful art! I’m so proud to be related! love you madly, sue
4:13 am
Anne – Right on the heels of Hyatt’s Art of Recovery – Art Under Pressure is an amazing display of creativity, talent and beauty, matched only by the artist herself! Moore and Moore has become a publishing powerhouse! I can’t wait to grace my coffee table with this fabulous new work. Congrats, and best of luck with your showing.
Blessings,
Dean
8:54 am
congrats sis. the book and comments are great! best of luck this summer at foa. see you soon…
1:51 pm
Awesome, Anne!!!!!!
2:14 pm
Amazing work – congratulations!!
12:01 pm
Your prints are fascinating, Anne. What seems at first a random splash of shapes and colors is, in reality, not. I love the natural, earthy choice of color combinations that just work. All so creative and beautiful, reflective of a life.
9:06 pm
Beautiful, Anne! Thanks for sharing your awesome work!
Susan Morrison
Otter Rock, Oregon
7:33 pm
L. O. V. E. your creativity. M. I. S. S. my old friend.
10:33 am
Hi Anne,
Congratulations on your beautiful book being published and for being chosen to show at the Festival of Arts again this year!
I enjoyed reading about the process and especially the naming of the pieces. So much goes into a piece of art that the viewer would never realize.
Thank you for sharing.
Happy summer!
12:05 pm
Hi Anne!
Good to see you in the Festival! What a refreshing look at familiarity your artwork always brings me when I see it. I see your style is evolving and I hope so much I can catch you at the festival to say hi and to discuss it a little. Also interested in hearing about the book. In case I don’t make it, my wish for success at the Festival and hopes for the continued joy of your passions and career! My best to Hyatt also!
Bill