Platemark: prints and the printmaking ecosystem – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of Platemark, Ann delves into the intricate world of prints and printmaking with master printer Robert Townsend. With over 55 years of experience, Bob shares his journey, techniques, and notable collaborations with artists like Peter Milton, Jim Dine, and Michael Mazur. They take a deep dive into plate wiping, steel facing, and other essential intaglio processes. Tune in to learn about the nuances of printing detailed etchings, and gain insights into the collaborative efforts that bring them to life.

https://retownsendstudio.com/

https://www.facebook.com/retownsendstudio/

IG @retownsendstudio

Show me the images!!

In this History of Prints episode, Tru and Ann look at the considerable output of British satirist James Gillray (1756–1815). Younger than William Hogarth by nearly sixty years, Gillray took Hogarth's social commentary, its energy, and caustic approach, and used his skills to skewer politicians and kings, laugh at Napoleon and his empire building, point out the absurdity of the fear of vaccines, and make clear the debauchery of public executions. In fact, he's now called the father of the political cartoon. With scary parallels to current events, Gillray's acerbic eye nails it every time.  

You can listen to Platemark or watch a video version. Links to all the possibilities are on the episode page at www.platemarkpodcast.com. While you're there, sign up for our newsletter-emails, which alert you to new episodes and occasional other stuff. And, do me a favor and leave us a review. It really helps people find the pod.

Show me the images!!

In this episode of Platemark, Deb Puretz, an IT professional and artist, discusses her journey into the art world and navigating it as an outlier. Deb, originally from California and now based in South Carolina, shares her experiences of making connections, leveraging business skills, and adapting to new technologies in art. She talks about her early career in Hong Kong, the pivotal moments in her art practice, and working with semiconductors to create unique prints. Deb emphasizes the importance of connections, perseverance, and aiding fellow artists. She also touches on the evolving landscape of computer technology's impact on art. Throughout the discussion, Deb highlights key moments and influential people in her career while offering advice on maintaining motivation and seeking opportunities.

Get in touch with Deb here: www.purepuretz.com. Also, Jennifer Roberts' talk about circuitry in prints is here: https://www.youtube.com/@yaleartgallery/videos.

Show me the images!!

In a Platemark first we speak with a previous guest for a special update. Artist Tom Hück agreed to talk to hosts Ann Shafer and Tru Ludwig at his Evil Prints studio in Park Hills, Missouri, in August 2022. Hück is releasing his latest print edition on Thanksgiving Day, a rumination on American gluttony called Monkey Mountain Kronikle. Created over a number of years, Monkey Mountain Kronikle is a large-scale, double-sided woodcut triptych that opens and closes like a traditional altarpiece. It stars Lord Aporkalyptus and his bevy of brides. Dubbed a "devotional woodcut for the ages," the triptych is full of details about gluttony in terms of sports, politics, and of course, fast food.

Co-published by Evil Prints and Peacock Visual Arts in Aberdeen, Scotland, Monkey Mountain Kronikle is epic, biting, sarcastic, funny, and would make Hück's hero Albrecht Dürer proud. Hück has had a seriously busy fall. In addition to finishing the edition, his work was featured in last summer's Saint Louis Art Museum's exhibition Catching the Moment, and a lavish book on Hück's output (1995-2020) has just been published by Fine Print Small Press (fineprintsmallpress.com).

In our interview, Hück talks about the new project and a host of other things. Ann knew very well that the first face-to-face meeting of Tru and Hück would be monumental. Platemark listeners can imagine that they would have lots to talk about. Ann simply wound them up and let them go.

Here are some useful links:

www.lordaporkalyptus.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOnISzYOniY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x5jmAQEXb4

http://www.evilprints.com/about

https://www.instagram.com/evilprints/

Episode image: selfie by Ann Shafer with Tru Ludwig, and Tom Hück, Blueberry Hill, St. Louis, August 2022.

Critical to any studio visit: coffee. Tru Ludwig gratefully accepts a cuppa from Tom Hück, Evil Prints, Park Hills, MO, August 2022.

Tom Hück in his studio, Park Hills, MO, August 2022.

Tru Ludwig and Tom Hück at Evil Prints, Park Hills, MO, August 2022.

Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471–1528). Rhinoceros, 1515. Woodcut. 23.3 x 29.2 cm. (9 3/16 x 11 1/2 in). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471–1528). The Martyrdom of Saint Catherine, c. 1498. Black ink on carved pearwood. 15 1/2 × 11 1/8 × 1 in. (39.4 × 28.3 × 2.6 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.  

Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471–1528). The Martyrdom of Saint Catherine, c. 1498. Woodcut. Sheet (trimmed near platemark): 15 9/16 x 11 5/16 in. (39.6 x 28.8 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471–1528). Knight, Death, and the Devil, 1513. Engraving. Sheet (trimmed to platemark): 9 5/8 x 7 1/2 in. (245 x 190 mm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471–1528). Death of the Virgin, from the series Life of the Virgin, 1510. Woodcut. Sheet: 11 9/16 x 8 3/16 in. (294 x 208 mm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471–1528). Ecce Homo, from the series Large Woodcut Passion, c. 1498. Woodcut. Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore.

Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471–1528). Ecce Homo, from the series Large Woodcut Passion, c. 1498. Woodcut with hand coloring. Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore.

Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471–1528). Four Female Nudes (The Four Witches), 1497. Engraving. 19.2 x 13.6 cm (7 5/8 x 5 3/8 in). Albertina, Vienna.

Hans Baldung (called Hans Baldung Grien) (German, 1484/85–1545). The Witches, 1510. Chiaroscuro woodcut in two blocks, printed in gray and black; second of two states. Sheet: 15 5/16 × 10 5/8 in. (38.9 × 27 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Boris Vallejo (Peruvian-American, born 1941). Artwork for Ozzie Osborne's album, Ultimate Sin, 1986.

Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471–1528). The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, from the series The Apocalypse, 1498. Woodcut. 39.3 x 28.5 cm (15 1/2 x 11 1/4 in). Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore.

William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). Strolling Actresses Dressing in a Barn, 1738. Etching and engraving. Sheet (trimmed near platemark): 17 15/16 x 22 7/16 in. (45.5 x 57 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Hück's prize acquisition, an engraving by William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). Strolling Actresses Dressing in a Barn, 1738. Etching and engraving. Plate: 17 15/16 x 22 7/16 in. (45.5 x 57 cm.).

Tom Hück (American, born 1971), published by Evil Prints and Peacock Visual Arts Ltd. A Monkey Mountain Kronikle, 2018–22. Woodcut printed recto and verso on four sheets of Torinoko Japanese paper; the three leaves of the triptych joined. Open with bottom predella: 60 × 94 in. (152.4 × 238.8 cm.); closed: 48 × 48 in. (121.9 × 121.9 cm.).

Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471–1528). Triumphal Arch of Maximilian I, 1515. Woodcut, 195 woodblocks printed on 36 sheets of large folio paper. Overall size: 354 x 298.5 cm (139 3/8 x 117 1/2 in.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Tom Hück (American, born 1971), published by Evil Prints. The Transformation of Brandy Baghead, 2009. Woodcut, right panel. 96 x 24 inches.

[DETAIL] Tom Hück (American, born 1971), published by Evil Prints and Peacock Visual Arts Ltd. A Monkey Mountain Kronikle, 2018–22. Woodcut printed recto and verso on four sheets of Torinoko Japanese paper; the three leaves of the triptych joined. Open with bottom predella: 60 × 94 in. (152.4 × 238.8 cm.); closed: 48 × 48 in. (121.9 × 121.9 cm.).

[DETAIL] Tom Hück (American, born 1971), published by Evil Prints and Peacock Visual Arts Ltd. A Monkey Mountain Kronikle, 2018–22. Woodcut printed recto and verso on four sheets of Torinoko Japanese paper; the three leaves of the triptych joined. Open with bottom predella: 60 × 94 in. (152.4 × 238.8 cm.); closed: 48 × 48 in. (121.9 × 121.9 cm.).

Greg Kessler, Tom Hück: The Devil Is In The Details: Prints 1995–2020, a 300+ page, career to date spanning book being published by Fine Print Small Press, 2022.

Various artists including Dan Graham, Mel Bochner, and Ed Ruscha; published by Multiples, Inc., New York. Artists and Photographs, 1970. Cardboard box with various publications and objects. Box: 33.7 × 33.7 × 9.6 cm (13 1/4 × 13 1/4 × 3 3/4 in.). Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago.

Michelle Grabner (American, born 1962). Gingham Soccer Ball, Issue 27 of The Thing Quarterly, 2015. 
http://thethingquarterly.com/blog/backstory

Tru Ludwig and Tom Hück at Evil Prints, Park Hills, MO, August 2022.

Hück shares one of many sketchbooks, August 2022.

Hück's sketchbook.

Tom Hück's works, including the prints and wood blocks for Snacktime Marcy, 1999, installed in the St. Louis Art Museum's exhibition Catching the Moment: Contemporary Art from the Ted L. and Maryanne Ellison Simmons Collection, August 2022.

[DETAIL] Tom Hück (American, born 1971), published by Evil Prints. Snacktime Marcy, 1999. Blocks and prints in Catching the Moment, Saint Louis Art Museum, 2022.

[DETAIL] Tom Hück (American, born 1971), published by Evil Prints. Snacktime Marcy, 1999. Blocks and prints in Catching the Moment, Saint Louis Art Museum, 2022.

Platemark host selfie: Tru Ludwig and Ann Shafer with Tom Hück's wood blocks, St. Louis Art Museum, August 2022.

Tom Hück working on a block for Monkey Mountain Kronikle.

Tom Hück working on a block for Monkey Mountain Kronikle.

Peacock Press' David McCracken and Michael Waite rolling a block for Monkey Mountain Kronikle in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Peacock Press' David McCracken and James Vass rolling a block for Monkey Mountain Kronikle in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Tom Hück (American, born 1971), published by Evil Prints. American Tickler, 2022. Woodcut. 10 x 12 in.

Platemark series two, A History of Western Prints, returns with an episode about reproductive prints. In s2e21, Tru Ludwig takes listeners back to a time when lives were lived with no images save for maybe what one saw in church. Prints were the way the first images were widely consumed; they were that era's internet. A reproductive print is one in which an artist's creation (a drawing, painting, or sculpture) is recreated by another artist as a print after that original design. These can be sanctioned by the first artist or not. They can occur long after the first artist's death. It is customary to acknowledge all the artists in the strip of lettering at the bottom of the print (called the address). This way credit is given where due.

Over time, reproductive prints became quite formulaic and staid. When photography was developed in the 1830s, it wasn't long before there was little need for the reproductive print. Those interpretations of an artwork were replaced with actual photographic reproductions of the images. In addition, arbiters of taste have created false hierarchies of subject matter and techniques and have designed an entire framework around originality and uniqueness. Prints can keep up with subject matter but have generally gotten the short stick on these other counts. There is also the matter of property rights, copyright, etc. Keep in mind these are concepts that developed over time and were not matters of law until rather recently.

All of these issues are wrapped up in Tru's tale about reproductive prints. Enjoy the ride.

Episode images: (LEFT) Martin Schongauer (German, 1445–1491). Baptism of Christ, 1481 or before. Engraving. Sheet (trimmed within platemark): 158 x 159 mm. (6 1/4 x 6 1/4 in.). Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore. (AND RIGHT) Urs Graf (Swiss, c. 1485–1527/29). Baptism of Christ, 1505. Engraving. Sheet (trimmed near platemark): 213 x 143 mm. (8 3/8 x 5 5/8 in.). Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore.

[DETAIL] Gilbert Stuart (American, 1755–1828). George Washington (Athenaeum Portrait), 1796. Oil on canvas. 121.9 x 94 cm. (48 x 37 in.). Jointly owned by the National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C. and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Johann Gutenberg (German, c. 1400–1468) and Johann Fust (German, 1400–1466). Biblia Latina, c. 1455. Bound volume with letterpress text. Morgan Library and Museum, New York.

Andreas Vesalius (Italian, 1514–1564). De humani corporis fabrica (On the Fabric of the Human Body). Padua: School of Medicine, 1543.

Sir Joshua Reynolds (British, 1723–1792). The Infant Samuel, 1776. Oil on canvas. 80 x 70 cm. Musée Fabre, Montpellier.

John Sartain (British, 1808–1897) after Sir Joshua Reynolds (British, 1723–1792). The Infant Samuel, c. 1825. Mezzotint. Private Collection.

Rosa Bonheur (French, 1822–1899). The Horse Fair, 1852–55. Oil on canvas. 96 ¼ x 199 ½ in. (244.5 x 506.7 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Currier & Ives, after Rosa Bonheur (French, 1822–1899). The Horse Fair, c. 1900-20. Chromolithograph. Image: 15 7/8 x 25 1/16 in.

Paul Revere (American, 1734–1818) after Henry Pelham (American, 1749–1806). The Boston Massacre, 1770. Engraving and etching with hand coloring. Plate: 10 ¼ x 9 1/8 in. (26 x 23.2 cm.); sheet: 11 x 9 9/16 in. (27.9 x 24.3 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Four states of Rembrandt's Three Crosses and quotation from Ernst Ludwig Kirchner.

Erin Womack after
Jacques Callot (French,1592–1635). Le Buveur vu de Face, plate 6 from Les Gobbi, 1622. Etching and engraving. Achenbach Foundation, Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco.

Adrienne Figus after
Giovanni Battista Piranesi (Italian, 1720–1778). The Drawbridge, plate 7 from the series Carceri, 1761. Etching and engraving. Plate: 556 x 411 mm. British Museum, London.

Abby Uhteg after
Honoré Daumier (French, 1808–1879). Nadar élevant la Photographie à la hauteur de l'Art, 1862. Lithograph. Sheet: 44.8 × 30.9 cm. (17 5/8 × 12 3/16 in.). National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Shane Darwent after
Vasily Kandinsky (French, born Russia, 1866–1944). Lyrical (Lyrisches) (plate, folio 9) from Klänge (Sounds), 1913. Woodcut. Image: 5 13/16 x 8 9/16 in. (14.8 x 21.7 cm.); sheet: 11 1/16 x 10 7/8 in. (28.1 x 27.7 cm.). Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Kelsey Beyer after
Max Klinger (German, 1587–1920). The Seduction, plate 4 from the portfolio A Life, 1884–98. Etching. Plate 41.5 x 21.5 cm. (16 5/16 x 8 7/16 in.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Lissandra DelCampo after
Lovis Corinth (German, 1858–1925). Death and the Artist, from the series Dance of Death, 1921. Etching and drypoint. Sheet: 14 3/16 in. × 10 in. (36 × 25.4 cm.); plate: 9 7/16 × 7 1/16 in. (23.9 × 17.9 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Lovis Corinth (German, 1858–1925). Death and the Artist, from the series Dance of Death, 1921. Etching and drypoint. Sheet: 14 3/16 in. × 10 in. (36 × 25.4 cm.); plate: 9 7/16 × 7 1/16 in. (23.9 × 17.9 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Eileen Shigagawa after
Käthe Kollwitz (German, 1867–1945). The Widow I, from the portfolio War, 1921–22. Woodcut. Image: 370 x 240 mm. Tate, London.

Käthe Kollwitz (German, 1867–1945). The Widow I, from the portfolio War, 1921–22. Woodcut. Image: 370 x 240 mm. Tate, London.

Hubert van Eyck (Netherlandish, 1370–1426) and Jan van Eyck (Netherlandish, 1390–1441). Adoration of the Mystic Lamb or The Ghent Altarpiece, 1432. Oil and tempera on wood. 138 x 181 in. St. Bavo's Cathedral, Ghent, Belgium.

Masaccio (Italian, 1401–1428). The Holy Trinity with the Virgin and St. John and donors, 1425–27. Fresco painting in chapel. 236 x 125 in. in Santa Maria Novella, Florence, Italy.

Martin Schongauer (German, c. 1435/50–1491). Christ Carrying the Cross, c. 1475–80. Engraving. Sheet: 11 3/8 × 16 7/8 in. (289 × 429 mm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Antonio Pollaiuolo (Florentine, 1429 or 1433–1498). Battle of the Nudes or Battle of the Naked Men, c. 1470–90. Engraving. 39.3 x 57.9 cm (15 ½ x 22 3/4 in). Cincinnati Art Museum.

Hartmann Schedel (author; German, 1440-1514), Michael Wolgemut and Wilhelm Pleydenwurff (artists). Liber Chronicarum. Nuremberg: Anton Koberger, 1493. Collection of Otis College, Millard Sheets Library.

Francesco Colonna (author; Italian, c. 1453–1517) and Benedetto Bordone (illustrator; Italian, c. 1455/60–1530). Hypnerotomachia Poliphili. Bound volume with text and woodcut illustrations. Venice: Aldo Manuzio (Italian, 1449/50–1515), 1499.

Reinis Gallitis (Latvian, born 1992). Face of…, 2021. Engraving. Sheet: 30 x 22 cm.; plate: 25 x 18 cm.

Reinis Gallitis (Latvian, born 1992). Vortex, 2021. Engraving. Sheet: 44 x 34 cm.; plate: 40 x 29 cm.

Andrea Mantegna (Italian, c. 1431–1506). Camera degli Sposi, Gonzaga Ducal Palace, Mantua, Italy.

Selected Bibliography

Linda Hults. The Print in the Western World: An Introductory History. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 1996.

Rebecca Zorach and Elizabeth Rodini, editors. Paper Museums: The Reproductive Print in Europe, 1500–1800. Chicago: Smart Museum of Art, University of Chicago, 2005.

Antony Griffiths. The Print Before Photography: An Introduction to European Printmaking 1550–1820. London: British Museum, 2016.

In s3e12, Platemark host Ann Shafer speaks with Maureen Warren, curator of European and (North) American art at the Krannert Art Museum at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. For ten years Maureen has been studying, researching, and writing about prints in the Dutch Republic, which was the basis of her dissertation at Northwestern University. At long last, all that hard work has come to fruition in an exhibition and scholarly catalogue. Fake News & Lying Pictures: Political Prints in the Dutch Republic examines the visual strategies of Dutch printmakers and the ways they used images to promote political interests. The exhibition runs from August 25–December 17, 2022. The exhibition travels to other venues: University Galleries, University of San Diego, February 10–May 12, 2023; and Smith College Museum of Art, September 15, 2023–January 7, 2024.

The project got major support from the Getty Foundation Paper project, formally known as The Paper Project: Prints and Drawings Curatorship in the 21st Century. The funds are meant to help an early-career curator see a major projects to completion. There are, of course, other supporters to the project. A full list is over on the Krannert's website: https://kam.illinois.edu/exhibition/fake-news-lying-pictures-political-prints-dutch-republic.

Maureen's beautiful book is available for purchase here: https://kam.illinois.edu/publication/paper-knives-paper-crowns-political-prints-dutch-republic.

Episode photo credit: L. Brian Stauffer

Hendrick Goltzius (Dutch, 1558–1617). Funeral Procession for William I of Orange, 1584. Etching and engraving. Hearn Family Trust.

Willem Jacobsz. Delft (Dutch, 1580–1638), after Michiel Jansz. Van Mierevelt (Dutch, 1566–1641). Portrait of Johan van Oldenbarnevelt (1547–1619), 1617. Engraving. Krannert Art Museum, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Hendrick Hondius (publisher, Dutch, 1573–1649 or after), Pieter van der Heyden (Netherlandish, c. 1525–after 1572), after Pieter Bruegel the Elder (Netherlandish, c. 1525/1530–1569). Big Fish East Little Fish, c. 1557–1650. Engraving. Sheet (trimmed to platemark: 209 x 291 mm. Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam.

Hendrick Hondius (publisher, Dutch, 1573–1649 or after), Pieter van der Heyden (Netherlandish, c. 1525–after 1572), after Pieter Bruegel the Elder (Netherlandish, c. 1525/1530–1569). Barneveltsche Monster (Big Fish Eat Little Fish), c. 1557-1650. Engraving. Sheet (trimmed to platemark: 209 x 291 mm. Atlas Van Stolk, Rotterdam.

Unknown artist. The Terrible Death of Johan and Cornelis de Witt, c. 1672. Etching, engraving, and letterpress. Sheet: 15 3/8 x 11 in. (39 x 28 cm.). Krannert Art Museum, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Unknown artist. Mirror of the Street, Citizen's Justice, 1672. Etching and letterpress. Krannert Art Museum, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Willem van Swanenburg (Netherlandish, 1580–1612), after Jacques de Gheyn (Netherlandish, 1565–1629). Sailing Cars, 1603. Engraving with hand coloring. Atlas Van Stolk, Rotterdam.

Claes Jansz Visscher (Netherlandish, 1587–1652). View of Amsterdam, 1611. Etching, engraving, and letterpress. Overall: 62.8 x 171.7 cm. Atlas Van Stolk, Rotterdam.

[DETAIL] Claes Jansz Visscher (Netherlandish, 1587–1652). View of Amsterdam, 1611. Etching, engraving, and letterpress. Overall: 62.8 x 171.7 cm. Atlas Van Stolk, Rotterdam.

[DETAIL] Claes Jansz Visscher (Netherlandish, 1587–1652). View of Amsterdam, 1611. Etching, engraving, and letterpress. Overall: 62.8 x 171.7 cm. Atlas Van Stolk, Rotterdam.

[DETAIL] Claes Jansz Visscher (Netherlandish, 1587–1652). View of Amsterdam, 1611. Etching, engraving, and letterpress. Overall: 62.8 x 171.7 cm. Atlas Van Stolk, Rotterdam.

[DETAIL] Claes Jansz Visscher (Netherlandish, 1587–1652). View of Amsterdam, 1611. Etching, engraving, and letterpress. Overall: 62.8 x 171.7 cm. Atlas Van Stolk, Rotterdam.

Romeyn de Hooghe (Dutch, 1645–1708). Marriage of William and Mary, 1677. Etching. Krannert Art Museum, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Romeyn de Hooghe (Dutch, 1645–1708). La belle Constance dragonée par Arlequin deodat, c. 1689. Engraving and letterpress. Sheet: 15 3/16 x 14 15/16 in. (38.5 x 38 cm.). Krannert Art Museum, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Jacques Bellange (French, 1575–1616). Pietà, 1612–16. Etching with stippling and engraving. Sheet (trimmed to platemark): 12 13/16 x 7 13/16 inches (31 x 19.8 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Claes Jansz Visscher (Dutch, 1587–1652). The Far-famed House of Nassau or Orange, c. 1628–29. Engraving. Krannert Art Museum, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

In s3e11, Platemark host Ann Shafer talks with artist LaToya M. Hobbs whose commissioned installation will be on view as visitors enter the IFPDA Print Fair at the end of October 2022. The works will be front and center at the entrance and will no doubt garner lots of attention for LaToya. Speaking with LaToya was a distinct pleasure for Ann because the artist is based in Baltimore, is full-time faculty at the Maryland Institute College of Art, and recently had a monumental, five-part, carved wood piece on view at the Baltimore Museum of Art, which the museum subsequently purchased for its permanent collection.

LaToya's work deals with figurative imagery that addresses the ideas of beauty, cultural identity, and womanhood as they relate to women of the African Diaspora. LaToya is a founding member of Black Women of Print, a collective whose vision is to make visible the narratives and works of Black women printmakers, past, present, and future. LaToya grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, received her B.A. in painting from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and earned an M.F.A. in printmaking at Purdue University.

Because of LaToya's commission for the 2022 IFPDA Print Fair in New York (that's the International; Fine Print Dealers Association), that Association is sponsoring this episode of Platemark.

Episode image by Mike Jon; photos of Hobbs' artwork by Ariston Jacks.

Elizabeth Catlett (American and Mexican, 1915–2012), published by Taller de Grafica Popular, Mexico City. Sharecropper, 1952. Color linoleum cut. Image: 17 5/8 x 16 5/8 in. (44.77 x 42.23 cm.); Sheet: 22 x 19 5/8 in. (55.88 x 49.85 cm.). Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis.

LaToya M. Hobbs (American, born 1983). Portrait of a Mother, 2019. Oil, acrylic, and relief carving on wood panel. 72 x 48 inches.

Installation view of LaToya M. Hobbs (American, born 1983). Carving Out Time, 2020-21. Five panels: acrylic, ink, and relief carving on cherry wood panel. Each: 96 x 144 inches. Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore.

LaToya M. Hobbs (American, born 1983). Carving Out Time Scene 1: Morning, 2020-21. Acrylic, ink, and relief carving on cherry wood panel. 96 x 144 inches. Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore.

LaToya M. Hobbs (American, born 1983). Carving Out Time Scene 2: Homeschool and Housework, 2020-21. Acrylic, ink, and relief carving on cherry wood panel. 96 x 144 inches. Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore.

LaToya M. Hobbs (American, born 1983). Carving Out Time Scene 3: Dinner Time, 2020-21. Acrylic, ink, and relief carving on cherry wood panel. 96 x 144 inches. Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore.

LaToya M. Hobbs (American, born 1983). Carving Out Time Scene 4: Bedtime for the Boys, 2020-21. Acrylic, ink, and relief carving on cherry wood panel. 96 x 144 inches. Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore.

LaToya M. Hobbs (American, born 1983). Carving Out Time Scene 5: Studio Time, 2020-21. Acrylic, ink, and relief carving on cherry wood panel. 96 x 144 inches. Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore.

Kerry James Marshall (American, b. 1955). Untitled, 1999. 8-color woodcut, 12 panels; 243.8 x 1,524 cm. Orlando Museum of Art. Photo: Howard Agriesti. © Kerry James Marshall. Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York.

Charles White (American, 1918–1979). Voice of Jericho (Folksinger), 1958. Linoleum cut. Sheet: 1003 x 540 mm. (39 1/2 x 21 1/4 in.); image: 917 x 458 mm. (36 1/8 x 18 1/16 in.). Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore.

Nicholas Nixon (American, born 1947). Portraits of the Brown Sisters.

Bisa Butler (American, born 1973). Four Little Girls, September 15, 1963, 2018. Cotton, silk, and lace. 61 x 78 in. (154.9 x 198.1 cm.). Collection of Michelle and Pete Scantland.

LaToya M. Hobbs (American, born 1983). Stargazer (Theo), 2022. Woodcut. Image: 24 x 28 inches; sheet: 27 x 20 inches.

LaToya M. Hobbs (American, born 1983). Black Women of Print Founding Member Delita Martin, 2022. Acrylic and collaged paper on carved wood panel. 36 x 24 in.

LaToya M. Hobbs (American, born 1983). Mrs. Burroughs, from the portfolio Black Women of Print, 2019. Woodcut. 15 x 11 inches.

LaToya M. Hobbs (American, born 1983). Birth of a Mother, 2019. Acrylic, collage, and relief carving on wood panel. 48 x 72 inches.

Swoon (Caledonia Curry; American, born 1977). Installation at the IFPDA Print Fair, 2019.

LaToya M. Hobbs (American, born 1983). Genette's Daughters, 2022. Relief carved wood panel. 48 x 96 inches.

USEFUL LINKS

https://www.latoyamhobbs.com/

https://www.instagram.com/latoyahobbs/

Video by Ariston Jacks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RCxjicLItE

Video of Big Ink printing Carving Out Time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt-qK803jI8

Link to Big Ink: https://www.bigink.org/

In s3e10, Platemark hosts Ann Shafer and Ben Levy talk with Julia Samuels, master printer and owner of Overpass Projects, Pawtucket, RI. Ann and Ben were thrilled to visit Overpass in person for the recording of this episode. It's so great to see what guests are talking about and to be able to take photographs of the space, artists, and prints.

Julia creates her own work primarily in black-and-white linoleum cuts, but is, in fact, a natural colorist—it comes easily to her. She is on a mission to economize colors for artists she works with, and she often creates palettes for them to plan their projects from. She has created such palettes for artists working in both screenprint and etching—two very different techniques requiring different approaches to layering colors. Sounds complicated, and, for me, it is. See if you agree.

Ben Levy, Julia Samuels, and Ann Shafer at Overpass Projects, August 2022.

Overpass Projects, Pawtucket, RI.

Julia Samuels with screenprinted color palettes.

Andrew Raftery (American, born 1962). Autobiography of a Garden on Twelve Engraved Plates, 2009–2016. Set of twelve earthenware dinner plates with transferred engravings (recto and verso). Each plate: 12 1/2 × 12 1/2 in. (31.8 × 31.8 cm.). Courtesy Mary Ryan Gallery, New York.

Julia Samuels shows the color palette she designed to help the artist with his project. Michael Menchaca (American, born 1985). LA RAZA COSMICA 20XX, 2021. A suite of 16 screenprints. Sheet (each): 21 x 22 ½ inches. Printed by Julia Samuels at Overpass Projects.

Michael Menchaca (American, born 1985). LA RAZA COSMICA 20XX, 2021. A suite of 16 screenprints. Sheet (each): 21 x 22 ½ inches. Printed by Julia Samuels at Overpass Projects.

Venn diagrams created for Eric Diehl.

Three plates, three inks, myriad colors, by Julia Samuels at Overpass Projects.

Three-plate etching by Julia Samuels at Overpass Projects.

Color gradations in etching by Julia Samuels at Overpass Projects.

Eric Diehl (American, born 1984). Resting Snake, Suburbia, 2017. Three color etching with line etching and aquatint. Plate: 17 7/8 x 15 7/8 inches; sheet: 22 x 19 inches. Printed by Julia Samuels at Overpass Projects.

Color gradients in etching by Julia Samuels at Overpass Projects.

Julia Samuels (American, born 1985). Carpenter and Dean Streets, 2017. Linoleum cut. Image: 12 1/4 x 16 1/8 inches; sheet: 16 x 12 inches. Printed and published by the artist at Overpass Projects.

USEFUL LINKS

Overpass Projects' website

Overpass Projects' Instagram

In s3e9 of Platemark, host Ann Shafer talks with James Siena and Katia Santibañez. Both artists, who are married to each other, are painters and printmakers who split their time between New York City and Otis, MA. In the past few years, they have collaborated on four reduction woodcuts with Shore Publishing. An exhibition of the full sets of working proofs for these collaborations were recently on view at Shore Publishing's sister gallery, Cheymore Gallery. Their work complements each other's and their collaboration with May Shore is truly wonderful. Find out how they met and how much they love working with master printers like Shore, Felix Harlan, Theo Lotz, and Phil Sanders.

Episode image: May Shore

James Siena (American, born 1957), published by Wassaic Project. Untitled, 2016. Screenprint. Sheet: 20 x 28 inches.

Harold Edgerton (American, 1903–1990). Milk-Drop Coronet Splash, 1936. Gelatin silver print. 17 15/16 x 14 5/16 inches. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco.

James Siena (American, born 1957), published by Polígrafa Obra Gráfica. Flextes ortogonals decreixents, 2011. Etching, aquatint, and spit-bite. Sheet: 35 x 31 cm.

James Siena (American, born 1957), published by Pace Editions. Battery, 2002. Reduction linoleum cut. Sheet: 21 ¼ x 18 5/8 inches; image: 14 ¾ x 12 5/8 inches.

James Siena (American, born 1957), published by Pegasus Press. Enderlock, 2020. Screenprint. Sheet: 18 ¾ x 22 ½ inches.

Katia Santibañez (American, born France, 1964), published by Polígrafa Obra Gráfica. El viaje de mis sueños, 2013. Etching and aquatint. Sheet: 35 x 30 cm.

Katia Santibañez (American, born France, 1964), published by Anthony Kirk Editions. Can You Turn Around?, 2102. Etching. Plate: 14 x 11 inches.

Katia Santibañez (American, born France, 1964), published by Harlan and Weaver. A Secret Place, 2021. Etching. Sheet: 23 x 26 inches.

James Siena (American, born 1957). Dyscopioid, 2022. Ink and graphite on paper. 11 x 8 1/2 inches (27.9 x 21.6 cm.), Miles McEnery Gallery, New York.

James Siena (American, born 1957). Infolded Ridgeling, 2020. Charcoal and acrylic on linen. 36 1/2 x 48 inches (92.7 x 121.9 cm.). Miles McEnery Gallery, New York.

James Siena (American, born 1957), published by Xippas Gallery, printed by Atelier Michael Woolworth. Saccase, 2020. Lithograph on vellum. 5 x 7 inches. These prints were given to clients of Xippas Gallery, Paris, celebrating its 30th anniversary, tucked inside a New Year's card.

James Siena (American, born 1957). Viridiasaan, 2020. Watercolor and graphite on paper. 13 1/2 x 17 1/4 inches (34.3 x 43.8 cm.). Miles McEnery Gallery, New York.

James Siena (American, born 1957). Resselgenator, 2019. Acrylic and graphite on linen. 75 x 59 inches (190.5 x 149.9 cm.). Miles McEnery Gallery, New York.

Katia Santibañez (American, born France, 1964). Everywhere and Nowhere, 2019. Acrylic on canvas. 82 x 79 inches. D.C. Moore Gallery, New York.

Katia Santibañez (American, born France, 1964). The Delight of Solitude, 2020. Acrylic on canvas. 30 x 27.5 inches. D.C. Moore Gallery, New York.

Katia Santibañez (American, born France, 1964). And Yet, 2020. Ink on paper. 30 x 22 inches. D.C. Moore Gallery, New York.

Katia Santibañez (American, born France, 1964). Floating In My Mind, 2015. Reduction linoleum cut in 6 colors on Hosho. Image: 14 x 11 inches; sheet: 19 1/2 x 16 inches. Shore Publishing, Tuxedo Park, NY.

Katia Santibañez (American, born France, 1964). Sailing Alone, 2014. Reduction linoleum cut in 6 colors on Rives BFK. Image: 20 x 16; sheet: 27 x 22 inches. Shore Publishing, Tuxedo Park, NY.

Katia Santibañez and James Siena working on reduction woodcuts at Shore Publishing, Tuxedo Park, NY.

James Siena (American, born 1957) and Katia Santibañez (American, born France, 1964). Jawbreaker Sixplay, 2018. Reduction woodcut in 7 colors. Image: 16 x 12 inches; sheet: 23 1/2 x 19 inches. Shore Publishing, Tuxedo Park, NY.

James Siena (American, born 1957) and Katia Santibañez (American, born France, 1964). Fourhand Choker, 2018. Reduction woodcut in 7 colors. Image: 16 x 12 inches; sheet: 23 1/2 x 19 inches. Shore Publishing, Tuxedo Park, NY.

James Siena (American, born 1957) and Katia Santibañez (American, born France, 1964). Bonkbell Puller, 2022. Reduction woodcut in 7 colors on Rives BFK paper. Image: 22 1/2 x 18 inches; sheet: 28 3/4 x 23 1/2 inches. Shore Publishing, Tuxedo Park, NY.

James Siena (American, born 1957) and Katia Santibañez (American, born France, 1964). Bonkbell Puller, 2022. Complete sets of states and progressive proofs from the collaborative reduction woodcut. Each sheet 28 3/4 x 23 1/2 inches. Published by Cheymore Gallery, Tuxedo Park, NY.

James Siena (American, born 1957) and Katia Santibañez (American, born France, 1964). Triplebarb Whirler, 2022. Reduction woodcut in 6 colors on Rives BFK paper. Image: 22 1/2 x 18 inches; sheet: 28 3/4 x 23 1/2 inches. Shore Publishing, Tuxedo Park, NY.

James Siena (American, born 1957) and Katia Santibañez (American, born France, 1964). Triplebarb Whirler, 2022. Complete set of states and progressive proofs from the collaborative reduction woodcut. Each sheet 28 3/4 x 23 1/2 inches. Published by Cheymore Gallery, Tuxedo Park, NY.

USEFUL LINKS

Miles McEnery Gallery link: https://www.milesmcenery.com/artists/james-siena/featured-works?view=thumbnails

Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/jsienastudio/

DC Moore Gallery link: https://www.dcmooregallery.com/artists/katia-santibanez

Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/katiasantibanez/

@jsienastudio @katiasantibanez @shorepublishing

In s3e8, Platemark host Ann Shafer talks with Dave Cloutier who recently opened Center Arts and Studios (CAS) in the Mill Centre, Baltimore. CAS offers classes, equipment, critiques, guidance, and studio spaces to second-career artists. A passion project for Dave, it has long been his goal to encourage artists and their meaningful work to find each other. His belief in letting the work that needs to be made be made means giving over one's conscious self and embracing that mysterious place inside all of us, our subconscious. It takes maturity, patience, and generosity to get to that place, but Dave is intent on helping second-career artists find their voice.

It's an exciting development in the artistic landscape of Baltimore and one that will no doubt appeal to many. This episode introduces Dave and the program to the world and offers an invitation to come see what CAS is all about. Dave welcomes visitors and loves talking about art, inspiration, and listening intently to one's mind. Find out why Ann called him a unicorn.

Dave has been a faculty member at the Maryland Institute College of Art for sixteen years. He earned his MFA from the LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting in 2005, and his BFA in painting and art therapy from the University of The Arts in Philadelphia in 1991.

Prior to his role at MICA, Dave taught in community arts throughout Baltimore for Clayworks and Towson University's Community Arts program.  Dave has worked with teens, adults, and older adults in psychiatric settings as an activities therapist and in direct patient care, continuing this work as a certified nursing assistant in nursing facilities specializing in caring for residents with Alzheimer's and dementia.

It is with all this experience that Dave will guide you along a path toward self-actualization.

Episode image of Dave Cloutier by Elizabeth English.

Cy Twombly (American, 1928–2011) gallery at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Installation view of Philip Guston: The Last Lithographs, at Timothy Taylor gallery, New York, 2018. Philip Guston's 25 lithographs created by the artist and published by Gemini G.E.L. in 1980, the year of the artist's death.

Fra Angelico (Italian, 1395–1455). Annunciation, 1440–42. Fresco. 176 x 148 cm. Basilica di San Marco, Florence, Italy.

Paula Rego (Portuguese, 1935–2022). Triptych, 1998. Pastel on paper on aluminum. Each: 100 x 110 cm. (39 3/8 x 43 1/4 in.). Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Lakeland Arts, Kendal, UK.

Paula Rego (Portuguese, 1935–2022). Young Predators, 1987, from the portfolio Artists' Choice published by the Royal College of Art, London. Etching and aquatint. 12 x 12 inches (305 x 305mm.). 1st Dibs.

Jaune Quick-to-See Smith (Enrolled Salish, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Nation, MT, born 1940), published by Washington University School of Art Collaborative Print Workshop. Celebrate 40,000 Years of American Art, 1995. Collagraph. 78 1/8 x 53 3/8 in. (198.4 x 135.6 cm.). Saint Louis Art Museum, St. Louis.

Joann Moser. Singular Impressions: The Monotype in America. Washington, DC: Smithsonian American Art Museum, 1997.

Dave Cloutier (American, born 1961). Adam and Eve, 2019. Monotype on machined mulberry paper and oil paint on Arches watercolor paper. 72 x 108 inches.

Dave Cloutier (American, born 1961). Eves Burning, 2020. Monotype on machined mulberry paper and oil paint on Arches watercolor paper. 124 x 120 inches.

Dave Cloutier (American, born 1961). Killed Man and Drone, 2019. Monotype on machined mulberry paper and oil paint on Arches watercolor paper. 74 x 118 inches.

Dave Cloutier (American, born 1961). Trench, 2020. Monotype on machined mulberry paper and oil paint on Arches watercolor paper. 80 x 115 inches.

USEFUL LINKS

https://www.centerartsandstudios.com/

https://www.baltimorejewelrycenter.org/

Tate Britain videos on Paula Rego: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1YtnAxJU_s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDZGh1O72uQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAZimVk7lGY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSGpNiIWmUs