Thoughts (from Raychel)

My apologies for getting these on here so late, but I have been working like a mad woman getting my proof together and have been thinking more and more about the questions. 

• What does it mean to you to be collaborating with this group of women? 

I am honored to be invited to participate in this project. Some of you I know as mentors, colleagues,  friends, and others I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting. I just moved to Bangkok, Thailand in April and have been working non-stop getting everything I need to set-up shop here for 2 years. This project comes at a very important time for me as I try to re-establish myself in a new place but also long to stay connected with the fabulous artists I know in Minneapolis / Saint Paul.

• What would you like to learn or receive from the others? 

I am interested to learn other people's working process, and if some might be interested in sharing their studio set up and process work, I would LOVE to see it!

• How does this project relate to your other artwork and interests?

I have never dealt directly with the subject matter of womanhood previously in my work. I am, however, very interested in cycles, mapping, movement, and water (which I am working with in terms of tides). The more I thought about my connection to lunation, the more I realized how closely related all of my interests are with woman's cycles and the moon's effects on our bodies.

• What topics are you researching in preparation for your print?

Besides lunation, I have been researching the topographical maps of the moon, the tides, the ocean, reefs, and the menstrual cycle as it pertains to my assigned day in the lunar cycle.

• How are you interpreting the proportions of dark and light visually and conceptually?

I am using a combination of printing methods - photo polymer plate, linoleum block, and mono printing. I am keeping in mind the percentage of light and dark with the plate and block. When these layers have been completed, the exact shade I choose for the monoprinted portion will (hopefully) maintain the percentage and add a bit more illumination to the piece (hopefully the silver ink I ordered arrives in time!).

• What thoughts or concerns do you have about making something that will be understood in the context of 28 other prints that you haven't seen yet?

I normally don't find myself spending this much time going back and forth about what the print should look like - usually I try to create several mono prints and work on them simultaneously. Eventually I abandon all but the ones that I feel are best conveying my meaning.
With this piece, I have felt a significant amount of pressure to 'get it right'. And I have also tried to consider how my piece will set in the book amongst the rest - for example, I considered sewing into my print, but didn't know how the stitching on the backside might negatively impact the piece on the next page, so decided against sewing.

• What is significant to you about what it means to be female and experience the rhythm of the lunar cycle?

I am mostly amazed when talking to my partner about how he doesn't notice certain things about what is happening inside his body. This isn't necessarily a female-only ability, but for me, being aware of what is 'normal' for my body during certain times of the month, during season changes, and when changing environment is very important to how I feel I fit into the world around me.