Week Two Residency Reflections: Memory, Marks, and Meaning
I’m now at the end of Week 2 in my self-directed summer art residency, and already the work is changing. This project—Following the Thread—is rooted in memory, and my recent studio sessions have made that connection feels much more real. Here’s a personal art residency update…
I’ve been experimenting with printmaking and stamping with print blocks and stamps that I’ve made myself. I’ve created a handful of simple foam blocks and hand-cut stamps, then layered and printed them in different ways. One discovery I’m especially loving is using the brayer to apply paint, especially over Stabilo Marks-All pencil sketches. The paint activates the marks and moves them around a bit which creates a cloudy veil of texture that partially obscures the past while echoing it forward. It feels so much like how memory works…
Symbols Emerging
Some of the images I started with, like sketches reconstructed from a combination of memory and partial photos of my childhood home, are taking on new forms. They’ve grown more abstract and symbolic. And, stars have shown up in various sizes, and, surprisingly to me, floating doors and windows have appeared. These are fascinating and feel like a metaphor for the depths of memory: longing of the past, mutability of the memory and what stays behind when we move on.
I’ve also noticed my strong preference for vertical compositions, and I’m starting to push that further by experimenting with even narrower formats that feel like doorways themselves.
Looking Ahead
I’m taking a moment today to reflect and plan for the next stretch. One intention I have is to begin developing finished works from these studies—likely small-format prints, around 4×6 inches. I don’t yet know what shape they’ll take, but I’m following the thread.
I’ve been posting process shots and updates regularly on my Pinterest board, Substack Notes, and YouTube channel. If you’d like a closer look, those are good places for a peek inside the studio. Don’t forget to sign up for my occasional newsletter for updates in your inbox!
More soon…
Monette