intaglio Press printing

While immersed in my Jaleo oil paintings, I decided to try a new technique. I registered to take a printmaking workshop with Somerville artist Randy Gerber at the Mixit Print Studio.

After experimenting with traditional printmaking techniques and learning how to manipulate a press, I realized that I could expand my exploration of Jaleos by engraving the figure of my dancer onto a vinyl plate and taking it through the press after rubbing its surface with soy based inks.

Randy Gerber was the kind of teacher who encouraged the experimentation ruckus and rejoiced in the discoveries made by her students during the process. Errors were to her an opportunity to reflect on the technique and also a chance to use your imagination to turn the erratic piece into something else by manipulating it or by incorporating in into another work. From her I learned how to save old ink and reuse it in the next project, to honor your space by organizing it into work areas and to respect the power and the historic importance of the printing press. The prints that you will see were made using the "31.5" x 70" LeDeuil 19th century cast iron electrified press. It was amazing to be able to use this historic machine on my Jaleos.

The results were surprising. The strength of the press carved into the paper and framed the dancer in a powerful way. As I found with screen printing, every piece was different in texture or color saturation.

*All three pieces are intaglio press prints with soy based ink on paper and the size is 4X5.