Michael Nemnich

As the artist behind these works, my art is a dialogue between the tactile elements of the natural world and the intuitive, internal rhythms of color and form. Through my monoprints, I aim to create a kind of visual language—one that is grounded in the textures, colors, and intricate patterns found in nature. I want the viewer to step closer, to be drawn into a layered landscape of organic shapes that evoke both the simplicity and the complexity of the natural world.

Each piece is the result of an intimate, hands-on process. Using collagraph plates constructed from materials like modeling paste, palm hair, string, and fabric, I build intricate surfaces that become the foundation for each print. These plates act as textural landscapes in themselves, capturing the physicality of natural elements while serving as conduits for ink and form. Printing with these plates is a journey in which textures emerge layer by layer, colors interact unexpectedly, and organic forms reveal themselves. The materials I use are not just tools but extensions of nature’s own vernacular—wood, string, and paper find new life on the surface of the print, echoing their origins.

In works that incorporate recognizable shapes, such as the abstracted head in one piece, I aim to balance familiarity with a sense of mystery. Here, the face is not just a face; it is a terrain of thought, memory, and sensation, constructed from layered impressions that mimic the growth and decay of organic matter. The colors and textures pull the viewer into a meditation on identity, where individual experiences become part of a larger, universal pattern. The head becomes a vessel for exploring the connections between the natural and human worlds, a fusion of self and environment.

Beyond these figurative forms, my other works explore similar themes through abstract compositions that evoke landscapes, tidal rhythms, or the dense layering of foliage. Here, the shapes are organic yet ambiguous, encouraging viewers to immerse themselves in the sensation of movement and rhythm. In these non-figurative pieces, repetition and variation create a harmony that feels both intuitive and deliberate, like the natural patterns of growth seen in leaves, waves, or roots. My intention is not to depict nature literally but to capture the feeling of it—the sensory experience of touch, sight, and movement that defines our relationship to the world around us.

Ultimately, these works are about the quiet power of observation and the richness of the natural world when seen up close. I want each viewer to feel as though they are discovering something new within the piece, a hidden rhythm or shape that speaks directly to them. Each monoprint, with its multiple layers and unique textures, is a singular moment—a tactile record of process, of intuition, and of the beauty that arises from combining the man-made with the organic. Through this approach, I hope to offer a space where viewers can connect with the timeless and ever-evolving essence of nature itself.