Gail Morrison, Printmaker
When I look at the world, it is so gorgeous to me that I can hardly stand it. Often I have to turn off this aesthetic ecstasy during the day’s ordinary activities, but in art I can let it fly.
I am captivated by printmaking, bewitched by etching. The luscious paper. The smell of the ink. The embossment made by the plate, and the melding of ink and paper into one. The stately procession of steps to a traditional etching. The thrill of turning the wheel of the press, folding back the blankets, and gently lifting the paper to see what has appeared.
I have focused much of my work on insects. They are everywhere, and although they sometimes bother us, they are just trying to make their way in the world like everyone else. They are small, but their bodies have very complex shapes and structures. The more closely you look, the more wondrous they become.
Recently, I have been turning to landscapes, working to capture the emotional impact of the big picture, and adding digital layers of abstract patterns and textures.
I honor the history of fine art printmaking, with its quiet emotional connection and intimate involvement with the viewer. But the endless possibilities of digital imagery call to me as well, so I flip back and forth between the old traditions of etching and monoprints, and the new technology of our own age.
More of Gail’s work can be found at:
Dogpatch Artists 