Monotype print in blue ink on rag paper, 11.75 x 10 inches (29.85 x 25.40 cm)

This print was inspired by a kayak outing along Crockett Cove on Deer Isle, Maine, near sunset. The setting sun shone brightly on the rocky eastern shore, which was reflected on the glassy surface of the rising tide.

This print was actually my third attempt to depict this scene. The first version I produced the night before, but the paper was not sufficiently damp despite a lengthy soak (an issue I have been working through with the hard well water on Deer Isle), and when I ran the plate through the etching press, the paper stuck to the surface and peeled away in spots. I tried again the following evening and pulled a succesful print that time. I then used the “ghost” of that print as the foundation for this one.

A ghost in printmaking is the remains of ink left on the plate after the print has been pulled. Sometimes there is enough ink to print a second, softer print. In this case, I reworked the treeline, and the shapes of and shadows upon the granite ledge. If you compare both prints, you can see some of the original marks appear here, but more faintly.