My current work explores the techniques of Collography, Drypoint, Etching and Chine Colle. I love the immediacy of these methods. There is a very direct satisfaction that comes from Intaglio printmaking - rich velvety blacks and thin delicate lines are captured with equal attention. By using carborundum and sand paper, I create depth and add layers to a visual story. In marking the smooth and perfect surface of styrene or copper, I embed my truths and perceptions like people and places do on one another. My compositions are grid-like, not rigidly so, but visually organized in abstract blocks. Lines frame inner courtyards where the story changes. Each vignette is different and evokes a different feeling; sometimes peaceful, sometimes charged with energy.
My process often times carries on beyond my time at the printing press. I enjoy using methods that allow me to reflect on my compositions once they have been printed. I take them apart, and put them back together again, grouping complimentary shapes and lines to form something unique and whole. It is a meticulous process that allows me to get lost inside the work. It bends to my will and trusts me to bring all the delicate pieces together again. I use Gampi paper in my Chine Colle work that is the most remarkable surface. I am fascinated by its delicate appearance and strong performance. It withstands manipulation and is at once fragile and resilient.
