One of the aspects of my practice over the last few months has been printmaking experimenting with etching and aquatint which has been challenging. I haven't felt at ease with the process. Now I have discovered collagraphs and I love the process!
I am using one of my family slide transparencies as a starting point.
I created a collagraph plate using mounting card as the base to create the image. I printed first in relief and then intaglio on somerset paper (below)
onto acid free tissue
then tracing paper
and finally onion skin paper - I really loved the onion skin as it has a slight sheen and is semi transparent giving it an aged look - but impossible to photograph or scan! The prints on somerset paper will be framed and entered for an exhibition at the Limekiln Gallery in Calstock next February.
My practice is concerned with the fragility of memory and the passing of time so my images are sometimes blurred, sometimes out of focus, sometimes with an unreal clarity - they are memories that have a uncertain relationship with reality. The materials I use are also fragile or translucent - decay, disintegration and discoloration also play an important part as does failure!
Last week we had a group crit - I took 20 slide transparencies and showed them on an old slide projector along with the collagraphs - the feedback was positive - particularly the clicking of the projector which evokes certain memories depending on your age of course! Those endless hours of watching friend and family holiday slides!
