CCP reaches out to Briggs' students

Ten Briggs High School students arrived at the Center for Contemporary Printmaking last week to participate in "Outreach MONOTHON2011: Pulling for the Arts," which marked the last day of CCP's annual monothon, a printmaking marathon and fundraiser now in its 13th year.

Christopher Shore, CCP associate printmaker, introduced the group to monotype printmaking with a demonstration of various techniques. Only three of the students had printed before.

In monotype printing, artists paint with ink on a plate, called a "matrix," and print the resulting image on paper by running a "sandwich" of the matrix and a piece of paper through a press. The press is hand cranked, by the artist, or by a printer who is helping the artist, and the image on the matrix is transferred under pressure to the paper. As with a painting, only one image, called a "monotype," is produced.

Each student received one matrix and a palette of ink colors. They selected images from a pile of provided copier prints, or simply started to work on their matrix, drawing from memory and imagination. Students mixed ink, drew with brushes and rolled ink with brayers. As the morning progressed, the young artists began to manipulate and refine their images: Printing a second image on top of the first, for greater depth of field; using stencils to create repetitive shapes; using the copier machine to reverse images, and glazing a matrix to produce a "ghost" print, a second pull of a matrix that results in a pale color version of the monotype.

After several hours of concentrated work, the images were ready to print. Three roll presses were in operation at once.

Brenda Carrozini, who had attended "Outreach MONOTHON2010: Pulling for the Arts," last year, said she liked to "grab an image, put things into it," and noticed the development of her imagery was a discovery that "one thing leads to another."

She is going to hang her print, "Mountain Sky," in her grandmother's house.

David Week pulled a dynamic image of a hockey player entitled "Under Pressure." He liked the process and said, "I haven't had an art class since fifth grade."

David Sequeria, whose pink and blue print is entitled "Love," said, "It's fun. I like the colors. I cannot imagine how the art will come out."

Briggs' versatile artists also included: Angelo Duran, Jakeem Dudley, Jawuan Dudley, Jose Escobar, Alex Ortego, Omar Reid, and Tanasia Ticking.

Nan Lenore, Briggs High School art teacher, was on hand to encourage students every step of the way. Jane Cooper, CCP artist/member; Helen Kirk, CCP workshop coordinator; Shore and Lisa Thoren, Briggs bus driver all helped the artists enhance and finalize their images for the press, and printed the artwork.

Most students produced at least three prints.

One print from each artist was chosen by the Center for Contemporary Printmaking for sale in the silent auction at the MONOTHN2011 Auction and Party, which takes place Saturday, Nov. 19,

starting at 6:30 p.m. at CCP, Mathews Park, 299 West Ave., Norwalk. Proceeds benefit CCP outreach programs. Students keep the remaining prints, and Briggs High School art teacher Lenore intends to exhibit those prints on the walls at the school.

CCP is grateful to Susan Solomon, local arts patron and supporter, for sponsoring "Outreach MONOTHON2011: Pulling for the Arts."