Crown Point Press Etching Workshops Summer 2008

This is the last week of summer workshops. It's been a busy season, with more classes than ever! We have had participants from Ireland, Australia, and Canada, as well as Cincinnati, and Seattle, and many spots in between, including Oakland.

Oakland based printmaker Kate Van Der Riet went to bed on Monday evening of her workshop feeling (about etching) "Oh, it's all just so easy!" She woke up on Tuesday morning with with the bliss wearing off a little. She realized before long that there is just a ton of work ahead if she is to successfully apply what she has learned. At the end of the workshop, though, she has some concrete revelations to pack up and take home with her. These are the big ones:

1) I know now (but still can't believe it) that I can get a total black from a single aquatint.

2) The deburring tool is going to change my life.

3) Mirror finish copper, see above.

4) I can grind fresh rosin for the aquatint box every single time I use it.

5) I will never paper wipe a plate again.

6) This is what I want to do for the rest of my life.


Crown Point Press printer Ianne Kjorlie working on hand wiping with Anna McKee from Seattle.


Success!


Leigh Wells, from Seattle, was surprised that she gravitated towards some techniques more than others. She really wanted to try spit bite, but found herself more sucked into making lines -- which let her to realize "I'm a line person, not a tone person." She draws all the time, but didn't notice this until she had to commit a plate or two to an etching technique. Here is Leigh at work, with Barbara Stikker:


Master Printer Emily York and student Tom Cottrell basking in the acid glow:

Ianne helps Betsy Goodman take a plate off the press:


Emily and Nina Zingale (Seattle) monitoring the rate of the etch:

Patricia Weiss is thinking:

Ginger Talonen, deep in the process:


Pat Hayashi models proper safety attire. I asked Pat if he had any technical breakthroughs. He said, " Breakthoughs? I had breakdowns!!" (They were productive ones.) After an adventure with spit bite that proved the aphorism from Emily York's new book, "Tooth is tone," Pat is excited to try a print that with two plates with color escaping the plate mark.



Marin County printmaker Joanne Coffino who took the Photogravure workshop came back to pick up her prints, and a few things at the bookstore. I asked her to tell me about her experience.

"My biggest worry is how am I ever going to go back to another place to print?? How am I going to get along without that beautiful sprayer contraption for chine colle?? I feel honored to have had the opportunity to work with Asa [Asa Muir-Harmony, Crown Point printer], who is brilliant. I feel more confident with the whole wiping process now. The number of people in the class allowed for quietness and space to concentrate. There was just a very good feeling."


We hope the classes were inspiring for all the participants, and you will share what you've learned with your friends. Keep in touch!