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City's Edge
Due to the relatively short history of clay monoprints as a medium, creating one always feels like an experiment. This is particularly true as I try to see how the prints interact with other mediums.
City’s Edge, ©2024 Andrew T. Smith. Clay Monoprint, Watercolor, Watercolor Pencil, and Acrylic
“City’s Edge”
16” x 20”
Clay Monoprint, Watercolor, Watercolor Pencil, and Acrylic
Andrew Smith / Visual Realia Studio
Due to the relatively short history of clay monoprints as a medium, creating one always feels like an experiment. This is particularly true as I try to see how the prints interact with other mediums.
Clay slip without pigment is an off-white, somewhere between grey and white. Unfortunately, one limitation of clay monoprints is the difficulty in getting a true white or a deep, rich black. I set out to use both via acrylic paints in this work.
To offset the dark city, nature speaks up colorfully in the foreground.
In both instances, the shapes and colors were present in the print, but I sought to emphasize what the monoprint brought. The use of watercolors and watercolor pencils helped with enhancing color. The monoprint, acrylic, and watercolors each bring subtle textural differences, as well.
Most monoprint images I share here are “cropped” to show only what will be visible once framed. In the photo immediately above, I thought it would be instructive to show the entire surface of the print before framing. The edges with less color can be caused by the wooden matrix (clay slab) frame or the taped edge where I intended to end the print. These areas will be trimmed or hidden by the frame.
Towns in Clay
Post-impressionistic towns are rising from my matrix.
Renaissance Town II, ©2023 Andrew T. Smith. Clay monoprint, acrylic, copper mica, and calcium carbonate.
As part of the "unentitled" exhibit, I worked along with both artists Ophelia Chambliss and Debbie Toluba to create multimedia works that utilized my clay monoprints along with their acrylic skills.
I've been using acrylics in my own works more often, as well. After pulling the clay monoprint, I've added clay slip and acrylic paint; the coverage of the two is quite different, as is the texture, adding some subtle but interesting variety.
I've always liked buildings and towns expressed with a simple, post-impressionistic feel, and I’ve been working with that concept in mind with these works.
In Renaissance Town I, shown below, the town was built around elements remaining on the clay slab (matrix) from previous prints, such as the green triangle, bottom center. The buildings are merely suggested in structure.
After pulling that print, additional work and details were added to the remaining imagery on the matrix, and calcium carbonate was utilized for the white stars. After pulling Renaissance Town II, shown at the top of the page, some acrylic paint was added, such as window detail. The buildings, while abstract, are more fully realized than in the first print.
View from the Plaza: Renaissance Town I, ©2023 Andrew T. Smith, Clay Monoprint & Calcium Carbonate
Finally, more concrete structural figures are used in Urban Moon, with acrylic paint used for the loose building edges and windows. The moon is comprised of the print, clay slip, and acrylic paint.
Urban Moon, ©2023 Andrew T. Smith, Clay Monoprint, Slip, Acrylic, & Mica.
Interested in seeing more of my prints online? Follow my personal or Visual Realia Facebook pages.
Copper and Collaboration in the "unentitled" Exhibit at Marketview Arts
Seven artists with unique mediums and techniques exhibit collaborative works in the unentitled exhibit at Market View Arts.
Early during the summer of 2022, several members of the Collective Rogue Arts (CRA), an informal group of area creatives, artists, and entrepreneurs in south-central Pennsylvania, began discussing an exhibit of works focusing on collaborations between two or more artists.
As visual artists, we typically join an exhibit with many predetermined specifics: location, dates, times, exhibit themes, mediums, etc., but in this case, the task was designed from the opposite direction. We opened up this possibility to fellow CRA members.
Seven artists started down the path without a confirmed exhibit location and with only the concept of working on these joint works. During initial meetings, the artists themselves determined the exhibit theme, randomly selected initial collaborative partners for artworks, and a common color (copper) to use on individual 12" x 12" tiles that each would create.
Art is a powerful and valuable tool for looking at social issues, and this exhibit's artists chose to examine challenges around entitlement via their unique mediums, techniques, and place in life. The result is shared with visitors to the gallery space at York's Marketview Arts, part of York College of Pennsylvania's Center for Community Engagement.
In addition to collaborative works, exhibit guests will see individual sample art from each contributor. We hope you join Reagan Bitler, Ophelia Chambliss, Jeannine Dabb, Kristin Kest, Nicole Osborne, Andrew Smith, and Debbie Toluba in considering our continuing role in issues revolving around the challenges for the unentitled.
“The Summoning of Everyman” 2023 © Nicole Osborne & Andrew Smith
The Summoning of Everyman
In the 15th Century play, The Summoning of Everyman, the Everyman character — representing humankind — tries in vain to get others to travel through life's journey by his side. In the end, he learns that he must take this voyage alone.
Some of us are in positions in life that come with supports and inherent systems that aid our journey through life. Others, however, are placed in a tier of those that society has deemed unentitled to companionship, the ability to move forward, and the capacity to discover self-improvement. Their journey is one of disappointment and loneliness.
Artists: Nicole Osborne & Andrew Smith
“Sabotage” 2023 © Kristin Kest & Andrew Smith
Sabotage
Art can be behind obstacles for some: lack of access to meaningful arts experiences is an entrenched part of poverty.
In Sabotage, a work by Kristin Kest and Andrew Smith, gallery visitors are asked to place one or more clay tiles into a smaller display area to represent those with significant barriers to participation in the arts. Adding or removing tiles in the larger central region as they wish, they may note that the systems to create fair, equitable arts access are uneven and broken — sometimes with intent.
“Clay & Play I and Clay & Play II” 2023 © Ophelia Chambliss & Andrew Smith
Clay & Play I and II
The Clay & Play artworks begin with a clay monoprint — clay slip clinging to pellon — which then is transformed with a second layer, this time of acrylic paint guided by a second artist. The top level of play was a series of continuous lines filled with non-contiguous color in the most random yet consistent pattern.
It's way too common in our societies for a less dominant (or unentitled) class to be forced to mold itself onto and into the seams and structures built by the majority or more established group.
Race, gender, age, orientation, and so on are all layers of our larger communities and can be challenging to traverse. Like the art mediums in collaborative art, a prosperous society is best achieved when we celebrate and understand our valued differences and unifying attributes.
Artists: Ophelia Chambliss & Andrew Smith
Medium: Acrylic Paint & Clay Monoprint on Pellon
“Redlined” by Andrew Smith, for the exhibit, unentitled. Copyright ©2023 by Andrew T. Smith.
Redlined
by Andrew Smith
Clay Monoprint, Slip, Copper Mica, LEDs, Copper Wire, Red Tape, Copper Foil, & 9 Volt Battery on Wood Panel
Each of the seven artists created a 12" x 12" tile touching on the shared unentitled theme, utilizing the color of copper to tie the individual artworks together cohesively.
Redlining has had a tremendous negative impact on our communities, the consequences of which can still be seen. In my tile, shown above, a clay monoprint serves as the circuit board, with some areas created with a copper-colored mica in addition to the clay slip. Copper wire is purposely cut heading into the redlined area, removing any potential benefits afforded to the rest of the board.
LEDs are active on the left but are nonfunctional within the redlined area.
unentitled
August 19th - October 21st, 2023
Curator: Ivy Rodgers
Marketview Arts
37 W. Philadelphia St.
York, Pennsylvania
All works copyright the artists and/or Andrew T. Smith
Visual Realia in the "unentitled" Exhibit at Marketview Arts
Andrew Smith of Visual Realia is one of seven artists who created collaborative works on the theme of “unentitled” for this new exhibit in York, Pennsylvania.
The "unentitled" artists discuss the exhibit setup.
Early during the summer of 2022, several members of the Collective Rogue Arts, an informal group of area creatives, artists, and entrepreneurs, began discussing an exhibit of works that were collaborations between two or more artists.
Artists typically join an exhibit with lots of specifics: location, dates, times, exhibit themes, mediums, etc., but in this case, the task was designed from the opposite direction.
Seven of us started down the path without a confirmed exhibit location and with only the concept of working on these joint works. During initial meetings, we determined the exhibit theme, randomly selected initial collaborative partners, and a common color (copper) to use on individual 12" x 12" tiles that each of us would create to work as a whole as a group piece.
Art is a powerful and valuable tool for looking at social issues, and this exhibit's artists chose to discuss challenges around entitlement via their unique mediums and techniques. The result is shared with you in the Marketview Arts gallery space,
Visitors will also see individual sample works from each contributor. We hope you join Reagan Bitler, Ophelia Chambliss, Jeannine Dabb, Kristin Kest, Nicole Osborne, Debbie Toluba, and me in considering our continuing role in issues revolving around the challenges for the unentitled.
unentitled
Marketview Arts
37 W Philadelphia St., York, PA
Opening Reception:
Saturday, August 19th, 2023
5:00 - 7:00 PM
Exhibit:
August 19th - October 21st, 2023
Andy, Teaching, and Clay Monoprints at PechaKucha Night York
Thanks to Enroot, JJ Sheffer, and the York County Economic Alliance, I had the opportunity in May (2023) to be one of five presenters in York, Pennsylvania’s PechaKucha Night York.
Thanks to Enroot, JJ Sheffer, and the York County Economic Alliance, I had the opportunity in May (2023) to be one of five presenters in York, Pennsylvania’s PechaKucha Night York.
For those unfamiliar with the event name, there have been over 1,300 communities that have held similar events with local presenters, but the presentations have some unique twists.
The presenter selects twenty slides, primarily without text, which automatically advance every twenty seconds — regardless of the presenter’s readiness for them to do so! That twist creates the challenge, as well as the puzzle of sorts, in deciding how to tell about your craft in pictures and words in precisely six minutes and forty seconds.
Audience members at the event would see both the presentation on screen and the presenter themselves.
Thanks to JJ for her ongoing work in providing community-building events in York County and to Randy Flaum for his excellent work in capturing the event visually.
YouTube Video of Visual Realia Clay Monoprints
A YouTube video discussing numerous clay monoprints by Andrew Smith of Visual Realia is now available at this link. The prints included are being exhibited throughout 2023 in various locations.
A YouTube video discussing numerous clay monoprints by Andrew Smith of Visual Realia is now available at this link. The prints included are being exhibited throughout 2023 in various locations.