To make an edition of a multicolored lithograph, etching, or serigraph requires the printing of multiple color plates in order to produce the final print, and this is too slow for my sensibilities.  For me, working with color is an emotional and experiential process; light waves and vibrations; tuning-in to subtle feelings and intuitions; and requiring me to be present and patient, yet ready to quickly act in a fleeting moment. Monotypes allow me to work spontaneously, in full color directly on the plate, similar to painting yet the qualities of the printed image are very different from what can be achieved with painting. There is some time restraint, as the thin layer of ink can dry out if you work on the image too long, so efforts must be implemented to either keep the ink fresh by misting; or repaint the dried parts. 

Once there is an image on the plate ready to print, the plate is placed on the bed of an etching press, then covered with fine paper, woven blankets, and run through the rollers of the etching press, transferring the color from the plate onto the paper, and producing one unique mirror-image print. The plate can then be cleaned and a new image created; or the residual "ghost image" that remains after the print is pulled, can be reworked as a kind of serial evolution, creating a series of unique prints.
 
Monotypes, with its rich and versatile techniques, are conducive with my long-standing interest in gestural mark-making and rich textures. I always push the limits of this medium yet I feel I have only scratched the surface.

To view a series of monotypes I made using shapes cut out of sheet metal, click the center link below.