Lyne Bastien states that paper and printmaking were part of the media she wished to explore in art school. She was encouraged by the American Robert Biguelow, (the printer for Motherwell), who served as her academic as well as spiritual guide. The teacher advised his student to put all her tools (technical skills) away in a suitcase to allow herself more freedom to exercise her imagination. Seeing the current production one has to conclude this was very good advice. Maturity and experience have taught her to select only those technical elements that facilitate "what it is that she wants to say and not how."

During her career, Bastien has experimented with different techniques in the creation of works on paper such as lithography and etching. Today, her preferred method is the monotype. The monotype is associated with printmaking in that involves the use of print media (plates, inks, press) but does not require a matrix, which offers the possibility of multiples. Thus, the monotype is considered a 'painterly' process because the image is painted or drawn directly onto the flat surface (either metal or plexiglas) with inks that are then transferred directly onto the paper through the etching press. The result is a unique piece, hence the prefix “mono”. Lyne Bastien adds to the originality of her pieces by enhancing them with color pencil and crayon often. The qualities that attract Bastien to monotype are the speed and immediacy of the method. In addition to all that, there is the added benefit of the accessibility in printmaking that allows a more dynamic exchange between artist and public*.

Lyne Bastien was born in the Abitibi region of Quebec in 1957.

* Extract from a text by Marissa Consiglieri de Chackal, « The spiritual monotypes of Lyne Bastien », Arts & Opinion, vol. 2, no 4, (2003).

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