Sentience was recently selected to participate in the Contemporary Northwest Print Invitational at Davidson Galleries in Seattle, WA., August 2019. I’m particularly pleased with the background. It’s what etchers call a “happy mistake”.
Category: Technique
Everything is a Cycle
The umber plate is comprised of plant matter I gathered in my garden. I love how soft ground picks up the finest detail. The black plate has some soft ground but was mostly created using various depths of aquatint. My background is science and I’m continually thrilled with what I see around me.
Nautilus I
There are so many colors and textures beneath the waves. Planning this I walked along the beach, went to the aquarium and of course perused the library. After all that I still spent several days moving my sketched objects around the plate. Two plates were used. The upper green formation is a kale leaf and the bottom is a type of moss.
Two Herons
Two plates were used to create this print.
Patterns
This etching is a chine colle. I etched the woman’s outline on the plate and then lost my direction, so I put it away for a couple years. Eventually I put the tree in and then to balance it I added the tattoos. I spent a lot of time trying to balance this piece – I learned that it pays to plan a little more.
Coral Blossom
This etching was an experiment. I used the back of a copper sheet found in the recycle. It was deeply etched where the acid had eaten around the masking tape used to protect the back. I just kept adding lines to the plate until I decided I had better quit. I added the embossing because it fit in a frame better. This was my first embossing experience – but you will see more of it in my later prints.
Ammonite
This is one of my first etchings – before I was totally humbled by the process. I created this in honor of my good friend, Nicola Griffith, author of Ammonite.
The Mask
This is an etching of my granddaughter sliding her mask on in preparation to playing her violin at a farmer’s market. This is an early print, so it contains many firsts for me.
Okeanos
This is one of my early etchings. I love pattern and detail – which shows in this piece.
Irish Rooster
This is my first reduction block print. The rooster was photographed in Ireland and the background was designed from flowers in my garden. Each print went through the press eight times.
Vicki Platts Art 