Moon Over Cherry Trees (after Yoshitoshi)
About The Artist
Guitta Corey holds a degree in Printmaking from the Rhode Island School of Design. Printmaking, pastels and collage are her preferred mediums.
In 1980 Corey opened Solstice Press, a stone lithography studio in Anchorage, Alaska. There, she collaborated as a master printer with some of Alaska’s most skilled artists. With a Masters degree in teaching, Guitta also worked as an art teacher for the Anchorage School District for 13 years before she left to become a full time artist.
A prolific artist, her works can be found in private, museum and corporate collections, as well as in public spaces. She has resided in Alaska since 1979.
Artist Statement
I began my career as a printmaker, and have thus always had a fondness for fine paper. For years, I have collected washi and other decorative papers, and in 1994 I began creating collages using these lovely sheets. The fantastic qualities of the papers suggest natural environments. They inspire me to use the colors and textures inherent in the paper to depict the landscapes I see around me. Like the paintings of the Impressionists, these collages are not about lines, but rather dissolve into bits of color and texture when viewed up close. The work should be examined this way to appreciate the beautiful and unusual papers that make up the images. Embedded flecks of gold and silver leaf may glint like light on the water’s surface. From any distance the papers fool the eye and become a cohesive image.
This type of collage is called chigiri-e, or painting with paper. Often I overlap several different papers to achieve the effect I want, as a painter might use thin glazes of color.
To protect the integrity of the papers, the finished pieces are coated with a UV protective coating. The works should be framed behind conservation glass or museum glass, which offers additional UV protection. As with any artwork made from natural materials, these collages should be kept out of direct sunlight.