"Abstract Impressions" On View at Alumnae House Gallery

"Abstract Impressions," a show of recent prints by Molly Gayley, is on view at the Smith College Alumnae House, 33 Elm St., through March 30. There will be a reception for Gayley, a 1958 graduate of Smith, on Friday, Feb. 4, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Exhibit hours are M-F, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and both events are free and open to the public.
Gayley first became interested in printmaking during her senior year at Smith College when she studied with noted sculptor and graphic artist Leonard Baskin. Her senior project was a set of botanical wood block prints. After a long hiatus, she began drawing and painting again in 1980. She also made silkscreen prints for three years, using the facilities at Parsons School of Design.

Gayley, who now lives in Lincoln, Mass., has been making monotypes and monoprints since 1996. Gayley notes that unlike other print media, where the focus is on multiple impressions or editions, each monotype and monoprint is unique.

"I really enjoy the spontaneity of the medium. It's much freer than woodcut or etching. I'm never entirely sure what the print will look like when I'm finished. There are disappointments, but also lots of delightful surprises. It's a medium that encourages me to play and experiment, so whenever I go to the print studio, it's a new adventure."
Gayley will also be in a two-person show at the DeCordova Museum School Galleries in Lincoln, Mass., from July 7 to August 6.

January 31, 2000