New England Wax members, in our exhibition at the Southern Vermont Art Center’s Wilson Gallery, put together a special project for the exhibition. We called it We are Monotypes. Coordinators Angel Dean and Nancy Spears Whitcomb, discussing the theme of our project, proposed a monotype grid. Member artists would contribute 12 x 12 inch monotypes mounted to Gatorboard and assembled in a grid of 84 squares. The title comes from the nature of monotypes. They are unique prints–one-of-a-kind without repeatable elements. In biology, a monotype is the only type of its group, as a single species constituting a genus, thus “We are Monotypes”. Here’s my friend Barbara Neel, visiting the show, in front of the grid.

Many of the monotypes were made with encaustic monotypes, in which the wax paint is warmed on a metal plate, manipulated into an image and then transferred to paper. My monotypes, shown below, are made with Williamsburg Handmade Oil paints, and R&F Blending medium (beeswax, linseed oil and a drier). Once the prints are dry, I assemble them using encaustic medium (beeswax and damar resin). Using encaustic medium as the adhesive allows me great latitude in collage opportunities, I can add or subtract; I can cut through layers to reveal layers below; I can embellish with R&F Pigment Sticks (pigment, besswax, linseed oil) or PanPastel or other mark-making and toning materials. 

I was so pleased to explain monotypes and all the possible processes to our visitors at our reception, which was held on June 18, 2022. If your are nearby, please visit. The show is up until August 15. If you are not nearby, you can see the show virtually in a video, graciously donated to New England Wax by Videographer Steven Schlussel of Rupert, VT HERE.