AMY KAUFMAN
ALL-ONE-OF-A-KIND ART
Contemporary, Colorful, Vibrant Paintings and Prints
Inspiration comes from everyday events and traveling. My color palette reflects my life near the seashore as well as being in the city. Seascapes, landscapes, people, buildings, patterns, and textures, all have an effect on my work. The vivid colors I use in my paintings are warm and alluring, inviting you when viewing it, to respond to my art. I always enjoyed the moment I feel inspired to start a piece of art to have it completed. The final outcome is not planned but rather morphs into what it becomes. I like to show the layering of the pieces whether it is the texture, the brushstrokes or the colors underneath. This way, each time you look at my art, you see more details and surprises.
PAINTINGS
The paintings on panel, canvas, and linen are painted with either oil or acrylic. As with the painted monotypes, these paintings are filled with layering, patterns, texture, bold brushstrokes, and luminous color.
UNIQUE MONOTYPES
The works on paper are unique hand-painted monotypes. I combine painting directly on the paper with the impressions created using the printing press. With printmaking inks, I paint on a smooth sheet of plexiglas using paint brushes, rollers, spatulas, and found objects. When I am ready to print, I place the painted plate on an etching press bed with a dampened or dry piece of acid-free 100% cotton rag paper (Hahnemuhle or Rives BFK) on top. The next step is running this through the press so that the image from the plate is transferred to the paper. The pressure from the roller of the press determines how much ink from the plate will be imbedded into the paper. Whatever I put on the plate the reverse comes out on the paper. At this point, the piece either feels finished or needs more work. Sometimes I do an overprint, repeating the above process on the same sheet of paper, or I paint directly on the paper. The layering and transparencies I get with this process give my art a new dimension to explore.
Color and grid patterns of everyday life become abstract oil-based one-of-a-kind impressions. With each original monotype you encounter elements that are bold in some places and elusive in others. Upon intense viewing of each piece, you become more aware of the layers of paint and the exuberant gestural brushstrokes. The color depth and interplay make a glowing surface, with complex edges and powerful focal points. The richness of the paint applied directly to each piece contrast with the impressions created when the paper goes through the press.
The element of surprise as you slowly take the paper off the plate after it is run through the press is always exciting. The unique impression achieved from printmaking has to do with more than just what you paint: the inks, the press, and the paper. I enjoy exploring this printmaking process finding it creative, challenging, intriguing, and satisfying.