Chloe Early - ‘Penumbra’ and ‘Echo’ monotypes

8 Jan

Before the end of the 2023, we had the pleasure of hosting Chloe Early at our studios for two weeks of monotyping.

During her time at Atelier JI, Early hand-painted 12 unique monotypes for the ‘Penumbra’ and ‘Echo’ series using oils on acetate. The editions, published by Hungryboy Books, are named after the ghost-like impressions transferred onto paper by the plate during the monotyping process.

Chloe had to say about the project:

“‘Penumbra’ and ‘Echo’ are a little series of monotypes I worked on recently on the coldest days of December beside the Thames Barrier in Woolwich with my friends at Atelier JI. It was an exercise that served as a reminder to me to be both brave and impulsive, and at the same time to be slow and steady, to try and fail, and try and fail again.”

“They are echoes of a painting that once was, pressed onto paper to become something else.”

“Working in oils, I painted on sheets of acetate which were then run through the Polymetaal etching press onto beautiful sheets of Somerset Satin and Velvet. The imprints were never exactly what I imagined or hoped, always a little or a lot different. Ziqi, my trusted assistant for the week, would cry “I love it!”, while I would say “Oh no, oh no”, or occasionally “Oh okay, I like this one”.

Younger days were filled with new processes - a quickness to experiment and familiarity with the feelings of failed creative ventures. It’s been ages since I tried a new technique, and while it was a sweet relief to arrive back into my own studio today, a little bit of my Woolwich adventure will stay with me over the coming months - my reminder to be brave, impulsive, slow, and steady, and to try and fail and try and fail again.

A Penumbra is an area of half-shadow which is the result of a partial obstruction of light, usually in the event of an eclipse; it is the lighter and outer region of a sunspot and the area of a painting in which light and shade blend. I thought of these monotypes like little footprints in the ground, evidence of a journey yet not the journey themselves. They are echoes of a painting that was once, but pressed onto paper to become something else. The ‘ghost’ images you get with monotypes were some of my favourites, and we had some fun layering multiple ‘ghosts’ over each other at the end.

There’s lots more to explore with this process but for this winter chapter the time elapsed and home was calling. There's lots more to explore with this process but for this winter chapter the time elapsed and home was calling. With 40 imprints to choose from, I've selected 12 to present as a Christmas Collection called ‘Penumbra’ 1-6 and ‘Echo’ 1-6.”