Carol Boucher

Carol Boucher
Something Golden
2008
monoprint with etching ink and oil paint
9.5” x 11.75” (image)
Value: $625

Carol has painted since childhood. She describes her art practice in this way, “I always enjoyed art projects, in school and at home. Public school teachers encouraged me to pursue art. In high school, my teacher urged me to put together a portfolio and to apply to art schools. I went to art school but switched my major and graduated cum laude with a degree in English Literature. I became more serious about art in 1986 once I moved to Vermont. For the next ten years, I worked full time managing an art gallery and picture framing shop while I painted in my spare time. Once I had a body of work, I began showing locally. Gradually, I tapered off to working part time, then when I was 35, I decided to become a full-time artist. I found a gallery to represent me and I began showing nationally at juried art festivals. In 2003, I exhibited at 12 juried art festivals, winning awards at three of them.”

Carol writes this about the monotype process,”To create a monotype, the artist paints or rolls ink directly onto a printing plate. Most often, plates are made of zinc or plexiglass, though I often create my own plates using mat board. A damp printmaking paper is placed onto the plate and the assembly is run through a manually operated etching press. The paper is then gently pulled away from the plate. The monotype will be a mirror image of what was on the plate.

With the monotype process, no image is permanently fixed onto the plate. If I wish to pull a second print, it will be very faint (also known as a ghost). Often times I will leave the image on the plate and continue to work in a series of similar images. I can re-paint, change shapes, add to what is there and so on. No toxic solvents are necessary, which is a plus. Most often, I work in oil and etching ink, but I also use acrylic ink and fluid acrylic paint sometimes.

If the artist wishes to work on a print once it is pulled, the monotype may be allowed to dry, but it can also be printed on immediately if desired. Sometimes I draw or paint on the piece once it is dry.”