Central to what gets done here in the studio is the spirit and fact of collaboration. The idea of the solitary artist working seems joyless. I know it’s not but there is something to working with other people, exchanging ideas and labor that is very rewarding. Working on big monotypes or books has logistical problems that an extra person solves but even more so, the discussions that occur during the work can fuel so much.
Everyone I have worked with brings their individual opinions and aesthetics into the work. When I first started working on books with monotypes, I would get overwhelmed by the decisions in sequencing and editiong. Michelle was wonderful at that, otherwise many of those books would never have happened. Now, plans for the next book are worked out between Liz and I, each of us sounding off ideas, ways to make the project unique. Also she is the letterpress person, without her that does not happen.
Much like making music, working with others allows for ideas to develop in the space of one’s own plans.