Saltgrass Studio Printmaking Residency:
The Science of Art
Science is all about experimentation and exploration, and so is art. During my printmaking residency, I experimented with new etching techniques, delved into the world of collagraphs (a new medium for me), studied textures and patterns, and explored new subject matter reminiscent of microbiology.
ETCHING
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​Etching is a type of intaglio printmaking, and is very much a science and an art form – you coat your copper plate with various mixtures to only expose certain areas of copper. When placed in acid, the exposed areas are eaten away by the acid, creating grooves or pits in your plate. Ink is deposited into the grooves and picked up by your paper to create the final print. During my residency, I experimented with different mixtures and techniques to coat my plates, create patterns, and etch my designs. Techniques I used include: hard ground, white ground, soap ground, aquatint, and line etch.​
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Anatomy Of An Etching
Copper etching utilizing white ground, aquatint, and line etch techniques
Completed during residency, January 2025
GROUND EXPERIMENTS
​​​​​​​​Between
2 plate copper etching utilizing soap ground
Completed during residency, January 2025​
​​Growth
2 plate copper etching utilizing white ground and aquatint
Completed during residency, January 2025​​​
Reticulation
Copper etching utilizing white ground and aquatint
Completed during residency, January 2025
AQUATINT
​3 Ring Binder
Copper etching utilizing aquatint and Chine Collé
Completed during residency, January 2025​
This etching was a practice in aquatint to get a range of values/grayscale. It also utilizes Chine Collé, a technique where you layer/collage a colored piece of paper into your print during the printing process. The design comes from the wrinkles of an old plastic three-ring binder.
Though this didn’t turn out how I had hoped, it was a good lesson on the scientific method. I hypothesized how to get a certain result, experimented and tested different combinations of techniques and materials, and compared the outcomes. When things went wrong, I tried to pinpoint which variable I needed to adjust and how to adjust it. Printmaking is just a big science experiment!​​
I enjoy the challenge of recreating textures using different media and techniques. For these etchings, I used aquatint to recreate marble and wood inlay patterns. Patterns from nature are a major source of inspiration for my artwork.​​​​​​
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The Eye of Carrara
Copper etching utilizing aquatint
Completed in 2016, reprinted during residency, January 2025
The Viennese Knot
Copper etching utilizing aquatint
Completed during residency, January 2025
​This print incorporates all the etching techniques I experimented with during my residency. The imagery is inspired by fossilized coral, as well as cellular/microscopic patterns.​​​​​​
Fossilized
Copper etching utilizing white ground, hard ground/line etch, and aquatint
Completed during residency, January 2025
COLLAGRAPHS:
TEXTURAL MICROBIOLOGY
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​A large part of my residency was trying a new-to-me printmaking process called collagraphs, where you collage various materials and textures to create your printing plate. Inspired by microscope slides, I enjoyed the challenge of creating cellular/microbiological imagery using textures like lace, crepe paper, painters tape, and ribbon.​​​​
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​​​​Textural Microbiology I - V
Collagraphs using modeling paste, lace, ribbon, tissue paper, drawing paper, Elmer’s Glue, scrap metal, painter’s tape, and string.
Completed during residency, January 2025
