Week 22 - Quieter Pieces

Whilst making my large banner pieces I have been looking back over the frottages I made earlier, and re-engaging with them in different media. I painted them onto small primed pieces of canvas, so they continue the idea of transformation, from one media to another, resembling frottages, although painted directly:

I have also been looking at collographs where I can combine thinner cut lines, drawing into the card and copying some of the frayed carpet images. On a larger scale they would be akin to Susan McMurray's huge hairnet drawings - enlarging the everyday, the inconsequential:

On a recent trip to New York, I was  inspired to revisit my smaller scale prints after seeing the exhibition of Zarina Hashmi,  at the Guggenheim:  Guggenheim New York, Zarina: paper like skin. Whilst her work has a true engagement with the paper - (in many of her pieces the medium becomes the image itself) - there is also a strong socioplitical meaning behind her work. I found the exhibition very moving, powerful and spiritual.

Zarina Hashmi Dividing Line, 2001. Woodcut printed in black on Indian handmade paper 

Zarina Hashmi--1937-india-a-house-of-many-rooms

Brice Marden's prints share a timeless quality with those of Zarina's and he talks about the importance of drawing. I am attracted to  these modest scale, human sized, intimate prints and drawings. His reuse of the same etching plates to create different permutations and mirror images is something I have been exploring.

Brice Marden (no title) From Ten Days 1971 Etching and Aquatint 

Brice Marden: Untitled from 12 Views for Caroline Tatyana (inspired by Greek architecture)

Vija Celmins' contemplative images show a great depth of space and stillness. She is also very involved in the exploration of process which I have been researching. I am also interested in her reappropriation of photographs and Like Marden, the positioning of her plates on the paper.  

Vija Celmins Web #1 1999 Charcoal on paper

Vija Celmins Concentric Bearings C 1984 Aquatint, drypoint and mezzotint on paper

I looked back over my  work with frottage to find this etching which at the time I rejected because it didn't fit in with the series I was producing.However, having researched Zarina, Marden and Celmins I am continuing with this investigation.  It has the closeness and intimacy that I want to explore,  and retains the embodiment of the hand done. 

Etching and aquatint

Below are some pages of my sketch books, exploring ways to continue with printing:

I have been experimenting with different etching and printing processes to reconnect with my theme of the everyday domestic interior and the transient marks left by its users. My intention is that the prints might allude to atmospheric landscape as well as a lived-in environment.

I produced this etching and aquatint using the same method as the print above:

Below are some more prints I have been working on. I may add titles to these, but for the moment I have noted the etching process only, for the sake of documentation.

Aquatint and etching

Two plate coloured etching using both plates shown above

Photograph of waxed plate where I tried to clean off the wax.  I would like to reproduce this in etching, somehow.

The images shown below are all paper lithography, different plate sizes, but same sized paper,

so they have different amounts of border around them.  I will be working on the amount of image  to transfer, and its positioning within the plate.

taken from frottage of flooing, but the cross gives it religious overtones.

different scales so different amounts of detail show

positive and negative of the same image

Frayed carpet but resembling a skyscraper emerging from the mist, or the 1950's festival of Britain "Skylon"

 I am hoping these images appear to have a new subject emerging , whilst they themselves have been taken from something inconsequential.