New Richmond Series

"New Richmond Rocks" is a fun distortion of the buildings on Front Streeet that face the Ohio River. This watercolor was a favorite at the Java, Jazz'n Art Show.

New Richmond Series

"River Daze" is a fantastic creation based on the view from the park in New Richmond, Ohio. Here there is the park bench overlooking the Ohio River that is filled with free forms suggesting river sprites or creatures.

New Richmond Series

"Drummer Boyz" is reflective of the jazz band playing during the art show, "Java, Jazz'n Art" in New Richmond, Ohio. Color, musical instruments and one person transformed into three is the basis of this watercolor painting.

New Richmond Series

"Cruisin on the River" is another painting reflecting activity at New Richmond Ohio. During the summer, antique cars line Front Street on Sunday afternoon. It's a fun event which this painting suggests.

"Fervent"

"Fervent" is so named because the figures seem to be kneeling in front of a figure. This monotype came from my imagination after making marks on the printing plate and then generating the image by filling in with more paint.

Magnolia Elegance

"Magnolia Elegance" is a monotype in a square format that is framed in black to make a finished product 15" x 15". Magnolia flowers continue to be one of my favorite flowers because of the shape and velvet texture of the blossom and the large shiny leaves.

"Dream" is a watercolor monotype inspired by an actual dream. When such images occur, I sketch them as immediately as possible, then create them when I am in my studio.

The colors of "Dream" are soft with writing that is just part of the design.

Watercolor and Collage

"Fruit"

"Green Wave"

"Tulips"

These are examples of watercolor and rice paper collages. AFter brushing watercolor paint onto heavy paper, fragments of rice paper are adhered with matte medium. After drying, the surface is painted by responding to the crevices and threads of the rice paper.

Watercolor monotype

This is a watercolor print or monotype. This is a new way to make art using a variety of tools to adhere watercolor paint to a flat plate. This plate is then pressed to paper using a table-top press.

Watercolor Monotype

This monotype painting is titled "Good Vibrations" and shows the variety of techniques that will be taught at my upcoming workshop in July 2008 at Mt. Washington Recreation Center. Leave a comment if you want more information!

Watercolor Monotype

"Leaf Motif" is an example of a watercolor monotype or print. Using watercolor paint and a variety of tools this was created with a real leaf branch.

This is another example of possibilities at my upcoming workshop in July 2008.

Resurrection

"Resurrection" for Easter, of course. The glorious event for Jesus and for us. The image suggests dark depths and strange beings flying midway. Yet, the mountains are overcome and the clouds give way to morning sun.

Just think if Christ had not shown us the new way of thinking. Millions of people would have been left without a new way to live and to love.

This collage of stained paper, dried paint and brushed-on acrylic ends the Lenten series. Where I go next with this blog, I do not know. But, I invite you to return to visit this site as new waves of inspiration are translated onto paper.

Red Cross

The cross is symbolic of Christianity and the red cross ushers in the solemn week before Easter. Red is the liturgical color because it suggests the blood of martyrs.

Searching my art or creating art that relates to the themes of Lent has helped to provide meditation of the various Lenten scriptures. This journey is nearing an end.

This image is another monotype created by painting on a frosted plate then impressed onto damp paper. The results are not entirely predictable and yet this fact is enticing in itself.

"Cave"

The perspective from inside the cave, looking out, brings to mind the glorious joy that Lazarus must have felt when he was released out of the tomb and back to his world. We might feel the same way when we are safe after a frightening experience.

This image is a stained paper collage. Sheets of white tissue paper are stained with diluted fluid acrylics, dried, then adhered to the backing with mat or gloss medium. The transparency of the stained paper allows for layers of various color to develop as the torn papers are pressed on top of one another.

Inside My Eye

"Inside My Eye" suggests the beauty of my eye and came from a time when my eyesight had been diminished.

This monotype is appropriate for the scripture reading in which the man born blind is healed. One goal of the story was to suggest that insight is more valuable than physical sight.

Living Water

"Living Water" refers to water that is moving and nourishing. Water is used in many rituals to suggest the life-giving aspects of water as well as the cleansing ability of water and the thirst-quenching aspect of it. This symbol is relevant in today's world where many people thirst for more meaning in their lives.

This is a watercolor monotype created with color and dribbles of water poured onto the plate before it was run through a press.

Trees for Peace

"Trees and Twilight" is a watercolor monotype created for an exhibit focusing on peace and the environment. The beautiful colors of twilight along the Ohio river created the backdrop for trees at the river's edge. Trees benefit the environment during their leaf stage when they utilize carbon dioxide and give off oxygen and during their dormant stage when they safeguard the ground from erosion. They also provide striking shapes against soothing colors as this monotype shows.

This watercolor monotype was created with paint layered onto a plate and printed. After it dried, branches from an evergreen were pressed to the paper and enhanced with touches of the brush.

Trees for Peace

"Morning Moon" is part of the series: "Trees for Peace." It is one of three images for an exhibit with the theme of peace and the environment. This image silhouettes trees in their skeleton state. They provide restful shapes as well as helping the earth to remain stabilized during winter storms.

"Morning Moon" is a watercolor monotype based on a morning event. It was then translated to art by painting, wiping, spraying and painting again onto a plate before the image was hand pressed to damp printmaking paper.

Trees for Peace

"Frost and Fog" is part of a series titled "Trees for Peace." The series will be entered in an exhibit which is dedicated to improving awareness for peace and the environment. Trees were chosen as the images in the series because of their benefit to the atmosphere by ustilizing carbon dioxide and giving off oxygen plus offering the peacefulness that trees give to humanity.

Thie is a watercolor monotype where the tree was pressed from an arbovitae shrub as the plate was printed onto damp paper.

Mountain

"Mountain" is following the theme of Lenten images since many spiritual and scriptural events take place on a mountain. Getting away to the mountains offers many the chance to reflect on life.

This image is a watercolor monotype. It was created by painting with watercolor on a frosted plate. The image is then transferred to damp paper using either a hand device or an etching press. This image was made by rubbing with a wooden spoon.

"Saturday's Mail" begins a series of social commentary and/or spiritual themes for the Lenten Season. This collage of stained paper and paper from mail order catalogs suggests the dangers of overconsumption and environmental issues related to paper waste. It was exhibited at the Marianist Environmental Education Center exhibit in Dayton, Ohio in 2007.

Marilyn Bishop’s Art Blog features watercolor on paper, using monotype, rice paper plus collage and experimental techniques for social commentary, spiritual themes, typical images and more.