One of the joys of being a picture framer is having customers introduce me to different artists. I’ve been especially pleased to learn about printmaker Monique Wales, who made this linocut called “Take Away.” The image measures 24″ x 18.” The frame is in a 1″ wide profile, about 34″ x 27″ outside dimensions. It’s walnut with Nut Brown stain.
Wales used to live in Oakland, but is now in the Sierra Foothills. The artist’s “About” page says,
My work as an artist and interest in the environment prompted me to become a Certified California Naturalist, which in turn, has greatly informed and enhanced my projects. I enjoy spending time in each chosen area, sketching, photographing and observing, both the habitat and its residents, to get a feel for the rhythms of a place before developing a print. I’ve gone so far as to develop a portable ‘plein air’ carving set up to further imbue my works with their origins! I hope to impart to my audience an awareness of the importance of wild spaces and their increasingly threatened inhabitants, as well as an appreciation of species and habitat diversity.
This is an admirable approach speaking of an admirable soul on a mission that is becoming every day more important: to help cultivate love for the California landscape and its wildlife. I look forward to following her and, I hope, framing more of her prints.
Visit Monique Wales’s website, redtalemews.com to see more of her work. And find a nice short video of her at work here.
Wow! I’ve never seen the heron (“Take Away”) more beautifully framed. Absolute perfection! Thank you for the kind words as well. One of your admirers gave me a head’s up about your blog and the feature. Thank you for complementing my work so admirably with your superb craftsmanship! Now, I know where to send my Bay Area peeps!
How wonderful to hear from you, Monique! And thank you for the complements. Very gratifying to have your approval of the framing!