PRINTMAKERS IN PLACE
Take a glimpse into the studio and lives of printmakers, to see how they are coping during the COVID-19 pandemic.
I have been deeply conscious of how the Pandemic and social justice protests of 2020 are bringing an increased collective awareness to the appalling inequities of our societal classism and racism. The very people we depend on to keep our nation somewhat functioning are, for the most part living in underserved conditions. Black, Brown and immigrant people in the health care system and First Responders, whose labor is absolutely essential to maintain basic community functions, are grossly underappreciated and under paid. They often are not granted adequate health care themselves, childcare or transportation. This weighs heavily in my heart. Ten of my friends or colleagues have died from COVID19…and that is painful.
Unexpectedly during the Pandemic, I have been very productive in my studio although there is a continuous aching and yearning to hug people, visit friend’s family and neighbors, host gatherings, travel and enjoy various cultural platforms. Regarding social distancing I am very blessed. I have a good deal of space and can be inside or outside without the danger of being too close to people. I don’t need to use public transportation, elevators or report to a conventional physical space in order generate an income stream. Like many others Zoom has become my connecting vehicle for professional and personal communications. And like many others I had the time to grow vegetables and binge watch Netflix.
In recent years I have moved away from using my etching press to create most of my work, primarily because I am working much larger, and I cannot stand for long periods of time like I did in the past. My recent work is developed by photographing my colored pencil drawings and stencil monotypes. I then digitally manipulate those photos of my work and collage them with photos of houses, textures and patterns found on the internet. Then my images are printed using a large format archival inkjet printer. Finally, I draw and or paint on top using color pencils and acrylic inks
BIO
robin holder’s work reveals conflicts of societal inequity, social injustice and the complexities of cultural, class, religious, gender and racial Identity. Her research based mixed technique works are saturated with references that reveal the layers of our human experience. holder’s work, exploring societal access and lack of empowerment, provides unique opportunities for challenging discussions about socio-economic imbalances and strategies we can use to combat prejudice and discrimination. holder is the recipient of residencies, grants and awards from the New York State Council on The Arts, The Brooklyn Arts Council, Manhattan Graphics Center, The Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, The Printmaking Workshop and Brooklyn Cable Access Television. Her work is included in significant collections, including The Library of Congress and The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. In addition, she has completed five large scale site specific public art commissions for New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, The School Construction Authority, The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the Connecticut State Arts Commission and New Jersey Transit. Holder has worked in arts in education with over 15 cultural, arts and educational organizations. She has interviewed over twenty- five artists and participated on panels with The New York Foundation for the Arts, The College Art Association, The Delaware Division of the Arts, The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Parsons School of Design, The Cooper Hewitt Museum and a number of New York City Galleries.
www.robinholder.work
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Fall Newsletter 2020
Phyllis and Victor Merriam
Following a Thread
Last fall, we visited three exhibitions that included Anni Albers’ work at: David Zwirner in New York: Anni Albers, The Museum of Modern Art: Taking a Thread for a Walk and the Art Institute of Chicago: Weaving Beyond the Bauhaus. Although we have always drawn inspiration from Anni Albers’ work, the coming together of these shows served to focus our attention on the processes and architecture of her weavings in a more reflective way. We decided at that time to challenge ourselves with the task of creating a postdigital portfolio that would take inspiration from her life and work.
As it happened, Covid-19 became part of our lives and we were forced into isolation mid process. We were fortunate to have our studio with a small proofing press, a CNC cutter and a quiet space to reflect on things. We decided to allow ourselves six months to complete the prints and a custom case for this portfolio using the materials we had on hand. This has kept us going during these challenging times.
This portfolio is the culmination of our exploration of Anni Albers’ work, weaving together the many individual surprises of discovery that we encountered along the way. We researched, sketched, made notes and took photos of elements large and small. In the studio, we refined our images by combining, altering and stripping away information until we arrived at discrete visual elements that embodied for us the vitality and visual vocabulary of Albers’ work, letting the process itself inform our next steps in a nondeterministic way through careful observation. As Albers said: “… listening to it, not dominating it makes us truly active, that is: to be active, be passive. The finer tuned we are to it, the closer we come to art.”
In the end, we included eight prints. We entitled the series Following a Thread because each print reflects an aspect of Albers’ work or life that resonated with us as each print informed the next. We started with a re-imagination of a sample swatch but as we progressed through each edition, we became more attuned to a vision of the world as seen through Albers’ process and our image sources became more far afield ranging from cut fencing to entire sides of buildings. We also sought to represent some of the historical facts and influences in Albers’ life.
Like Albers, we are highly experimental in our process. The techniques that we used for the prints include 3D printing2,3, CNC cutting, etching, photopolymer, spray paint, watercolor and collage. Also, like Albers we are focused on the physicality of our prints. We build layered prints often over-printing multiple plates and create surfaces using techniques including embossment, layering and surface alteration.
We used the portfolio format so that we could show our images without the context of scale and in ambiguous juxtapositions to give our viewers a path to the rediscovery - moving away from recognition and identification toward seeing and exploration. We want our viewers to immerse themselves in the experience just as we did, share our excitement and leave with the desire to appreciate their own familiar environments in new ways.
We are pleased to present these prints as a record of our visit with Anni Albers and her influence on our work, not only in this portfolio but her influence on our work going forward.
Phyllis and Victor Merriam Horstman, F. and Medina, K. (2020) Anni Albers – Experiments, New Britain Museum of American Art Merriam, P. and Merriam, V. (2017) Print to Plate to Print. Printmaking Today. 26(4), pp. 28-29 Merriam, P., Merriam, V. and Kumar, V. (2020) 3D Viscosity Printing. Printmaking Today. 29(114), pp. 32-33 Note: We would like to thank Sage Reynolds for his excellent YouTube series on the construction of a clamshell box.
Phyllis and Victor Merriam collaborate as thepostdigitalprintmaker. Their practice investigates the synergy between technology and traditional printmaking, expanding their body of self-developed postdigital techniques. They discuss the impact of technology on creativity and art production in articles that have been published in Printmaking Today and the Impact Printmaking Journal and as panelists, presenters and visiting artists at Stockton University and at the Southern Graphics Council International annual meetings. Their blog features the work of artists that incorporate technology into their traditional printmaking practices and have curated several gallery shows related to this topic. They were guest artists at Yellowstone National Park and curated a multi-year evolving collaborative mural in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
See more from The Post Digital Printmaker here
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Ron Pokrasso
For years I had been conducting hands-on Akua workshops and one-on-one assisted printing sessions in my Galisteo Street Studio in Santa Fe, NM. When Covid-19 forced a new reality I made some necessary changes. Clear acrylic barriers have been installed between all work stations. A minimum of 6 feet is to be maintained between each person using the space, face masks are required, and a routine of conscientious daily disinfecting is required of all studio participants.
At this time only single day private assisted sessions are being scheduled. Although there are currently no hands-on group workshops you can still study with me from my studio. A series of short online zoom demos and full workshops have be created to fill the void until we can safely gather in larger groups. There is space available in the November 10-19 workshop and new sections will be added through the winter.
Here’s a recent testimonial from an online participant, “You totally rocked it! You are a natural zoom teacher!” Check out the listings under Online Programs and Custom Services. And for up to date information about current and future programs contact me to be placed on my workshop mailing list. I look forward to working with you.
Artist, Printmaker and Educator, Ron Pokrasso has been exhibiting for more than 40 years, featured in public, private, and corporate collections throughout the world and in numerous books. Ron teaches classes in Santa Fe, around the United States and internationally. In his Galisteo Street Studio he offers workshops and assisted sessions for artists in addition to creating and exhibiting his artworks. Ron Pokrasso’s artwork combines printmaking, collage, drawing, painting, photo and other techniques. In his teaching his passion for creating always comes across to deliver a unique curriculum for artists at any level to help them break barriers and explore new territory.
See more of Ron Pokrasso's work here
Summer Newsletter 2020
Roberta Feoli
The pandemic has forced people to wake up every morning in what will be their new, isolated, daily life until it's time to go back to bed. Walking around the house in search of emotions has dragged many into boredom and most humans of this century have absolutely no idea how to handle boredom. My system of survival to repetition and especially to the stupid, ignorant statements shouted on social media has been organizing something that I think I can do well. To teach. Together, with Anna Benedini, a friend from university, engraver and jewelry maker, we started a series of live broadcasts on instagram and facebook just for fun. In seven days, what started as a game between friends, has turned into a regular program for hundreds of participants. As a result, we now have meetings of: #IOSTAMPOACASA (I PRINT AT HOME)
Every Monday we set a goal for ourselves and we have six days to complete it. We getting creative, and offering ideas and inspiration by explaining how to use the milk carton as a matrix, what a monotype is, how to spread ink with a lint roller, how to produce inks by digging through the possibilities of the kitchen, how you solve your need for typography, how to make tape and glue the protagonists of a matrix, how to use the "tirapasta", the relief and many other small solutions. In this way, we have pushed many people to try. Here is the solution to the whole dilemma. "TRY". I tried to do something, I tried to teach in an extreme situation, not for remuneration, but only to receive the "grazie" or "thank you" from the many people who found themselves creative.
I tried to reinvent myself in my home without a press and without printing paper -- it was beautiful! Of course, like all engravers, I had my precious supplies in my apartment too. A few rollers, the Akua inks that I keep jealously guarded, a few hundred improbable objects that I never throw away because they "could serve" from wax to coasters ... and indeed the time has come. That pile of odds and ends helped me by suggesting unexpected solutions. When the online experience led to artists requesting lessons, I decided to let those who have learned from me to write to me, show me and ask for advice.
Roberta Feoli, Italian printmaker, artist and professor, born in the city of witches of Benevento, Italy. After the national exam, she became journalist. She is graduate of the prestigious Academy of Fine Arts in Urbino, where she completed her specialization in graphic art. The Erasmus project in Granada, Spain, brought her ever closer to the job of assistant to engravers and artists. Since 2013, she has been the printshop manager of Scuola Internazionale di Grafica Venezia – an international School of Printmaking and Graphics in Venice, Italy.
In addition to teaching engraving to Italian students enrolled in the school's courses, she is also an assistant to professors and master printmakers from USA universities including the University of Indiana, Kalamazoo and Pratt Institute.
In her daily life, she is continually working with the artists-in-residence who are guests at the Scuola and holds specific courses dedicated to less toxic printmaking. In addition to being a teacher, she also works as a printer for artists from all over the world. Amongst her series of professional pursuits, Feoli maintains a personal studio practice and exhibits in group shows in Italy and abroad.
In 2018, Feoli received an invitation from the Boston Printmakers and Mixit Print Studio, to travel to the United States. She organized critiques at various universities and art schools and found the opportunity to attend classes at Zea Mays Printmaking, becoming the first Italian to return home with a further professional preparation in less toxic printmaking techniques.
See Roberta's #IOSTAMPOACASA project here
Elise Wagner
At the time that COVID-19 hit, I was in New York for art week. I was relieved to arrive home healthy and safe to quarantine on a less than half full plane in mid-March. As for everyone, all of my classes were canceled as were my Airbnb guests. I have gone in and out of motivation to be creative and have wondered what the purpose of art is during a pandemic. Not having show deadlines has made it hard to motivate. This coupled with being preoccupied with my survival, greatly affected my creative drive. The extra time in isolation did however afford the ability to revisit many projects I have had on the back burner, one, a multi panel encaustic piece in progress. Following the news and also how certain planets are aligning in a significant way during this time, I also created the collagraph plate for my Earth Transit series. I made a small edition and plan to do more. I also had the time to write and receive several local and national relief grants for working artists. In keeping with an annual tradition of having a Summer Open Studio,I gave myself a deadline by planning my first ever, social distance open studio. I created 21 new prints and paintings. I took one-hour appointments for visitors, and allotted a half hour in between for sanitizing. Ultimately wanting to boost online sales, I also simultaneously released my new work on my website at the same time, this generated some sales, and enabled me more one on one time with clients.
My studio practice has not been affected very much, because I work alone in my own most of the time. It is the inability to go out or have visitors and interact with friends, students and other artists that is the most challenging for me. I like people and feedback and sharing my process. My home and studio, “Wagnerica,” in Portland, Oregon, as I’ve come to call it, has become a destination of creativity. I miss having students come in person to make prints.
Since arriving home safely in the wake of the calamities that have befallen the world forced me to pivot to online teaching on Zoom, sell work online, and produce learning videos on Vimeo. All of this created additional business expenses, new equipment needs, and a massive learning curve. I have been trying as best as I can to use this opportunity to be creative with new approaches to my workshops that reflect my studio practice and gain a broader global reach for sharing my artwork. In retrospect so far, teaching online does save a lot of work; however, that work is replaced by technological frustrations and is simply not the same as teaching in person! I have enjoyed meeting people from different parts of the globe who would have never had the opportunity to take one of my classes in person.
Elise Wagner is an encaustic painter and printmaker originally from Jersey City, New Jersey. She began pursuing art as a teenager while recovering from a near fatal drunk driving accident. As a result, her tenacity as an artist is evident, and rooted in overcoming adversity. Upon relocating to the Pacific Northwest in 1986, Elise was immediately awestruck by the majestic beauty of the Oregon landscape. Fields of science such as geology, particle physics, climate change and astronomy, as well as the sublime and the celestial, are continually woven into her work.
Elise is a 2015-16 recipient of The Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant. Over the course of her lifelong career, Elise has had over 24 solo exhibitions and been included in dozens of group shows. She shows her work at Frederick Holmes & Company in Seattle, Calloway Fine Art and Consulting in Washington D.C., Warnock Fine Arts in Palm Springs and Gremillion & Co. Fine Art in Houston.
Wagner innovated Encaustic Collagraph, a printmaking technique that marries the encaustic painting techniques with collagraph printmaking. Her paintings feed off of, and are very much intertwined, with her prints. She is now teaching workshops on Zoom and Vimeo. See more of her work here
Spring Newsletter 2020