Artist Statement
My prints are original, handmade and feature aquatic subjects and still-life themes. Usually, the number of prints in an edition are 20-25 and are printed on 100% archival paper, accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. I developed my techniques studying with a master printer from the Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland, Oregon. It is the dimensional quality of the carved linoleum block, the vibrant color of the inks and the tactile nature of the prints that interest me about the printing process. I love linoleum printmaking and have found the carved surface produces an image with unique clarity that distinguishes it from other mediums.
I developed a fascination with the ocean on the Great Plains of the Midwest. I was fortunate to receive my early education in Laramie, Wyoming. The University and Natural History Museum were beneficiaries of the coal mining industry where great sheets of shale were stripped away often revealing prehistoric fossils from an ancient sea. Much of my inspiration for the oceanic images in my work are influenced by the print-like quality of the fossilized life forms found in shale.
Patrick Simon