Silk Screen Artist

Joan Mexiell

November, 2007

All photos& illustrations by Pat Johns & Joan Meixell
©2007 All Rights Reserved

"What is Printmaking?" "Are these originals or reproductions?" Why don't you just paint the pictures?" These are some of the questions that local Printmaking artist Joan Meixell answers at the Hands Gallery Crafts Co-operative where she has been a member for 10 years and at various shows and exhibitions she has participated in over the years.

Describing her printmaking process, she says:

"The silk screen monotype process involves painting the image on the screen, details and foreground areas first (with syringes and small brushes) and then totally covering the screen (up to 1/4" thick) with ink of other colors using larger brushes.

"Then I force the ink through the screen onto the paper, using a squeegee. It takes hours of planning before I put anything on the screen. I have to work quickly and know what I am doing because I do not want the ink to dry on the screen. Monotypes have no stencil on the screen. Monoprints have areas of planned white as a stencil on the screen.

"I love the effect and bright colors you can get using this process. And, it's a mystery how it will turn out !"

Even if Joan uses a process that allows her to make multiple prints from a screen, each "print" is slightly unique and is individually hand-pulled. Therefore, each is an original.

Meixell starts with drawings and photographs as inspirations for her prints. Themes found in her work included irises, horses and other animals, local scenes from the beautiful North Carolina Mountains area and music. (She studies and plays the viola da gamba, a baroque instrument.)

Meixell is a graduate of Thiel College in Greenville, Pennsylvania. She took a course during her last semester in silk screen printing. That course had such an impact on her that she frequently warns her students to "be careful what they take in their last semester of college !"

Some of Joan Meixell's favorite subjects are her pets. At left is Newby, her shy but affectionate cat. Below see Newby as "interpreted" by Meixell in a silk-screen print.

Joan is full-time music-cataloger in the Music Library at Appalachian State University in Boone. For several years she also taught a class titled "The History of Printmaking as Seen Through a Silk Screen" at the Watauga College at ASU:

"I taught students about numerous different types of printmaking ("wood cut, lithography, engraving, etching, etc.) using the silk screen process as a 'window'. They became printmakers using the silk screen and the hope was that they would understand the backwards thinking involved in all printmaking as we examined the process and history of each"

The printmaking process requires screens, a squeegee, inks, block-out material, syringe and paint brushes. A variety of materials can be used for block-out including screen-filler, liquid latex, crayons, and paper. One of her favorites, however, is chocolate !

Joan has an expanded display of her work at Hands Gallery from November 2 through November 15. The Gallery is at 543 West King St. in downtown Boone and is open every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Their phone number is (828) 262-1970.

Some interesting links related to this story :

• Joan Meixell - Hands Gallery
• WorldPrintmakers.com
• The Penland School Printmaking Classes
• Jerry's Art O'Rama Printmaking Supplies
• The History of Printmaking - Wikipedia.com
• ViolaDaGamba.com
• Viola Da Gamba Society of America
• MisterArt.com - Printmaking Supplies