Nicole Herz

“A painter should paint not only what he sees before him, but also what he sees within himself.” 

-Casper David Friedrich 

“Nothing is less real than realism. Details are confusing. It is only by selection, by elimination, by emphasis that we get at the real meaning of things."

- Georgia O’Keeffe 

I have always found inspiration within my surroundings and have always been attracted to the simplification and abstracting of forms. My recent woodblock prints of natural and man-made structures found in rural Maine celebrate both.

Since 2014 I have mainly been working in the traditional Japanese woodblock printing technique (Mokuhanga), which uses multiple blocks, water-based pigments, brushes, and hand printing multiple layers on dampened paper.  

The Mokuhanga technique has become the best way for me to interpret my personal vision. Using color, texture and form, from the drawing to the carving and printing, a process unfolds, and series of tough decisions are made to create a strong and peaceful image.