Fieldnotes - postcard design

I'm sending out the postcards for my solo show Fieldnotes at Comfort Station. This how the design looks.

Algal Stardust - new piece

Algal Stardust, 12" x 12", acrylic on panel

Freefall Space Shot- new piece

Freefall Space Shot, 20" x 15", gouache, ink, colored pencil and graphite on paper

Blue Button etching

Blue Buttons, 5in x 7in, 2 color etching and aquatint, ed. 20, 2014

The taxonomic class Hydrozoa contain the tiny Blue Buttons creatures. While related to a jellyfish, they function a bit differently. Each creature is actually a colony of individual polyps. They live together on the surface of the ocean and drift across the sea. A single mouth intakes all food for the colony. While I had planned on all the etchings being one color, I decided that I wanted to do this one in two colors.

Sunken Ships etching

Sunken Ships, 5in x 7in, 2 color etching and aquatint, ed. 20, 2014.

It can be estimated that there are over 3 million shipwrecks spread across the ocean floor, both deliberate and accidental. I found the possible mysteries in this concept really stimulating so that inspired me to create this print. My painting the Wanderer draws from this idea as well. The architecture elements of the ship often become part of the ocean as corals and different creatures grow and swim all over them. I used two colors in printing this etching, which is also a new development in my etching series.

Siphonophore etching

Siphonophore, 5in x 7in, 1 color etching, sugar lift, and aquatint, ed. 20, 2014

The great Siphonophores roam and billow around the deepest depths of the ocean where food and light is very scarce. Siphonophores are actually colonies of animals that behave as a single organism. Each of the animals perform different tasks such as swimming, reproducing, stinging, and feeding.  Belonging to the taxonomic class Hydrozoa, Siphonophores are some of the longest creatures in the world at lengths of over 150 ft. Siphonophores use bioluminescent lures to attract and entice prey in a dazzling display of light, blinks, flashs, and bleeps. When unsuspecting fishes are attracted to the light, stinging tentacles wrap around to finish the job.

In regard to the process of this print, I used a new technique called sugar lift and it adds an additional step to the aquatint process. I painted a sugar solution of corn syrup, gum arabic, and india ink on the plate. It has to be removed or lifted off the plate before putting in the acid. After removing the sugar lift, I applied the aquatint with an airbrush. Sugar lift can result in more painterly marks than using aquatint alone. There were three stages of this print. First, the lines were drawn central figure for the line etch and in then in the second step, I added a traditional aquatint. Finally, I painted the sugar lift areas which are located in the background around the main Siphonophore figure. Sugar lift makes a different mark and I'm really excited about the possibilities. It was really frustrating because took me 5 entire studio days to get the sugar lift to work. At times it was really defeating if you could imaging working for an entire week without getting anything done or having anything to show for it. Plus to add to my frustration, it was costing me money because I had to rent the studio space each day at Spudnik Press. I was pulling my hair out, but eventually I was able to get it to look I wanted so that was really thrilling.

Etching plates in process

Here are some process shots shots for some new etching prints: Siphonophores, Sunken Ships, & Blue Buttons. 


The first photo shows the line drawing before putting it in the acid to etch.

The second photo shows the aquatint in process where I can get different values and tones on the plate. 

The third is proofing Blue Buttons after several dunks in the acid.

 The final photo contains proofs in several colors hanging above my painting desk. I've have looked at these every day since I started the project in April 2013. I'm analyzing the individual pieces as well as how they work together as a series.