Last Friday, I took a friend with me to view the exhibition of Sarah Anderson’s newest work - Circle of Friends currently showing at New Grounds print workshop. The gallery was filled with excitement and energy among those that attended. Anderson’s work is much admired for both its emotional expression and its bold simplification in hues of red, orange and purple.
The evening included a live monotype demonstration by Anderson. She explained that monotyping is a type of printmaking made by drawing or painting on a smooth, nonabsorbent surface such as glass. Using nontoxic ink, Anderson inked the entire surface and then, using brushes and Q-tips, she removed some ink to create a subtractive background and added other ink to create her subject. She then positioned the glass on a printing press and transferred the image onto a sheet of paper by pressing the two together. Monotyping produces a unique one-of-kind print, or monotype; most of the ink is removed during the initial pressing. Although subsequent reprintings are sometimes possible, they differ greatly from the first print and are generally considered inferior. These prints from the original plate are called "ghost prints." 
