Danguole Rita Kuolas linoprint Emerging shows the versatility of the media, which allows her to display both figurative and etched designs to tell a story.
The Lamorinda Arts Council sends warm holiday wishes to all art lovers and invites the public to take a moment to view a variety of curated printmaking works throughout December.
Eight members of Diablo Valley Printmakers (DVP) fill the entire Art Gallery at the Orinda Library with printmaking works highlighting diverse and unique techniques. Meet the artists at a reception in their honor while enjoying light refreshments on Saturday, Dec. 16, from 3-5 p.m.
If you are unfamiliar with the world of printmaking, here are some basics. The Metropolitan Museum of Art defines printmaking as “An artistic process based on the principle of transferring images from a matrix onto another surface, most often paper or fabric. Traditional printmaking techniques include woodcut, etching, engraving and lithography, while modern artists have expanded available techniques to include screenprinting.”
The California Society of Printmakers defines a lino cut, linoleum cut or linoleum block print as “A relief process in which an image is carved into the surface of a sheet of linoleum using the same knives and gouges used for woodcut.” Their website’s glossary lists close to 100 techniques and processes involved in printmaking.
This show is a rare glimpse into the complex world of printmaking by those who love the genre.
Participating printmakers include Shari Arai DeBoer of El Sobrante, Donna Brown of Alamo, Marian Sims Harris of Walnut Creek, Danguole Rita Kuolas of Lafayette, Carol Brent Levin of Fairfield, Karen Baden Thapa of Lafayette, Donna Westerman of Orinda and Linda Yoshizawa of San Ramon.
All exhibitors are members of the California Society of Printmakers and have been printing together as Diablo Valley Printmakers for about 10 years.
Because their work includes hand-pulled woodcuts, linoleum block prints, etchings, monoprints, collagraphs (a combination of collage and graphic) and solar plate prints, one can say they pull new vistas to the surface.
For example, biomorphic elements in Kuolas’ 2D linoprint Emerging hover above the surface creating an umbrella-like wave of floating leaves. The leaves grab our attention and show the entranceway to a window. The window invites us to walk through a field of undulating feather grass. The full effect is a trompe l’oeil experience of a 3D journey on overlapping surfaces.
DVP is showing a variety of prints and printing plates in the large glass display case so that people understand how handmade prints are created. The display is a clear demonstration of the “before and after’’ of printmaking. Examples of media include copper, aluminum and collagraphic plate prints; woodcuts and wood prints; mono prints; lino prints and solar plate etchings.
The show runs until Dec. 30. Visit the library gallery at 26 Orinda Way from Mon. – Thu., 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fri. – Sat., 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., closed Sundays, Dec. 25 and 26. For more information, call 925.254.2184 or visit http://ccclib.org/. View and purchase their work at https://lamorindaarts.org/online-galleries/. Questions? Email gallery@LamorindaArts.org or call 925.359.9940.