Artist of the Month: Marianne Stanke
Each month, the Franciscan Spirituality Center celebrates the creativity and talent of a local artist. Original pieces are on display in our Sophia Bookstore and can be purchased during regular business hours: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Marianne Stanke is the FSC Artist of the Month for May! She has a beautiful selection of original collagraphs, monoprints, linocut prints and trace monotypes with a "Support the Pollinators" theme and using earth-friendly materials.
ABOUT THE EXHIBIT:
This exhibit is a result of being awakened and inspired to support pollinators. Included are original collagraph prints that are representative of a lawn not being mowed and some of the native plants that the pollinators love. I have also included portraits of individual pollinators active in our Wisconsin environment using the two printmaking techniques of linocuts and trace monoprints.
This is the fourth year for No Mow May in La Crosse. Many people have participated, allowing grasses and natural plants to grow in city lawns during May. This provides an opportunity for the pollinators to have additional resources during the time when they are just starting their new season of nectar-seeking and pollination. More importantly, it has encouraged people to become aware of the dilemma facing our pollinators.
Collagraphy is a versatile printmaking technique that involves creating designs and images using various textures on a rigid base, such as cardboard. The palte is them inked and pressed onto paper to create the print.
My process:
To create the plate, I spread Joint Compound onto heavy cardboard. I quickly draw into it to create textures and images. After it has dried completely, it is sealed with acrylic varnish. The plate is inked (using water-soluable, nontoxic permanent inks) and selectively wiped. The printing paper is soaked and pressed between absorbent papers. A press is used to create heavy pressure.