Heather Aston Introductory Monotypes "The Painterly Print" | Weekend March

Join printmaker Heather Aston for a lively weekend course on the painterly techniques of making monotypes. This unique process provides the artist with tools and materials that yield unparalleled results that are both innovative and surprising. This printmaking process is one that involves transformation and discovery. There is a creative spontaneity in the painterly process of making monotypes that the students will explore while making oil-based monotypes. They will also learn other printmaking techniques such as liftprint and chine collé. Participants will receive individual attention regarding drawing, painting, and composition. Students are also introduced to different papers, materials, and the experience of working in a studio atmosphere. The course will open new possibilities for expression while exploring colour, texture and line with different techniques. There will be demonstrations, discussion and class critiques throughout.

Heather Aston is a printmaker and painter that works out of her home studio and a printmaking studio on Granville Island in Vancouver. Born and raised in West Vancouver, she graduated in 1971 from the Vancouver School of Art (now Emily Carr University) with honours in Printmaking. She was a Helen Pitt Scholarship recipient from 1968-1971 during her studies there. She also studied at the Santa Reparata Institute in Florence, Italy in 1990 where she fell in love with the immediacy and spontaneity of making monotypes. In the last few years she has shown in group exhibitions at The Surrey Art Gallery, The Grand Forks Art Gallery, The Maple Ridge Art Gallery, The Burnaby Art Gallery. Last September (2021) she was in a duo exhibition of her monotypes at the Dundarave Print Workshop + Gallery on Granville Island.

Heather teaches painting and printmaking in schools, studios and art institutes. In 2001, she received a Canada Council travel grant to go to Yokohama, Japan, where she was artist in residence at the OM Printmaking Studio. Other residencies include Artists For Kids (North Vancouver) for their Art Enhancement Programs and their Summer Art Camp. Her work is also represented in numerous collections throughout Canada, the US, Europe, Australia, and Japan.