Janis O'Driscoll

I grew up in rural Northern New York State. I spent most of my childhood wandering by the Grasse River with a sketchbook and a pencil. I was attracted to things that were so common that they weren’t noticed--dandelions, lady bugs, leaves, feathers, seeds, sticks, stones. I became one of those people who is fond of weeds. I liked the way these ubiquitous little things changed shape and color and location with the seasons.

Not much has changed. I’m still wandering around with a sketchbook and still notice the movement and transformation of things hidden in plain sight. I love working in pen and ink.

My drawings are not the end products but the beginnings of a whole series of questions. How can I show the drama of this misshapen feather? What stories do these cracks in the stone tell? How do I capture that quick impression as I am speeding by?

At the press is where the alchemy occurs. I gather my layers: photopolymer plates burned with drawings, chine collé papers, a variety of ink tones on the plates, linocuts, fabric. As I experiment with movement and texture I explore the messages in each drawing. Because I look at my prints as puzzles to solve, I work in series and enjoy seeing the progression as an image opens one door after another.