Maureen Maki

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Summer Art at the Outlets

Things are heating up in Los Angeles, both outside and in the studio. I am showing work in several different places right now, most of which are online. However, I do have a real actual in person show. As always, you can find my work online on my website.

Bird Dog Arts is opening at the Outlets at Tejon Parkway, north of Los Angeles just past the grapevine (if you are familiar with the area). It's a giant art gallery and a new concept altogether. Why not offer art for sale at outlet malls? But what's really amazing is the beautiful space and the quality of the art being shown there. It officially opens on July 1st. Eight of my paintings will be on view there for the next couple of months. So if you find yourself traveling or shopping and are out that way, please stop by and see the show.

I have been featured in another show by the Bundlekhand Art Society in Jhansi, India. This has become an ongoing collaboration as this is the third show I have done with them. They have extended a life time membership to me and some of my fellow artists from the Saturday Night Live Art Shows. What an honor to continue to work with and be part of this organization. Personaland is another online venue that has featured my art several times. My show "Unfolding Life" remains available online. If you haven't seen it yet, you may do so now right here.

Bird Dog Arts - Opening July 1st


I almost hesitate to talk about this, but I am taking on a whole new technique in the studio. As many of you know, I studied printmaking in art school. I fell in love with printmaking actually, and when I left art school I was devastated by having to say goodbye. Why did I have to say goodbye, you ask? Because printing, at least the kind I was doing, requires lots of expensive equipment and a big studio, like the wonderful one I had at the University of Michigan. I was doing intaglio and using acid to etch into metal plates, and using $40,000 large-scale presses.

Over the years I tried different methods. I did linoleum prints and cranked them through an old wringer. I bought a small press and built a special table to hold it. I printed by hand. I put it aside for a long while and focused on mixed media paintings with collage paper like I do now. But alas, I was getting antsy to do something different, and that urge to print had never left.

Lots of new printing techniques have come up over the years, ones that require less toxic substances, but most require a press. Now I've started hand printing on a gel press making monotypes. The concept is simple, but learning it takes practice. I am definitely in the learning process. Little by little, I am getting the hang of how it works. More on this in future emails.

Back to my Roots - Printmaking

I plan to have new prints and new paintings this year. Back to the studio.