"The play of light and shadow in our lives, its effect on things, has always fascinated me. Besides this, a striving for meaning and order and a love for the natural world lie at the heart of my creative work. I do etchings, pastels, monotypes, and drawings.
The black and white monotypes which I have lately been executing are exciting for me because in them I create the light very directly by wiping away the ink which I have rolled on the plate. Sometimes I start with no preconceived notion of what the image will be and just let the forms dictate to me. At other times, such as in "Wave", I have a concept right from the start. There is a wonderful feeling of power in the process, unlike any other method. It has to be quite disciplined, as revision is nearly impossible. Once the ink is removed from an area it can't be put back. And yet there is no drawing on the plate to use as a guide. There must also be an element of spontaneity to give life to this work."-Sylvia Petrie