What is Printmaking?
Printmaking is a hands-on, tactile process that combines craftsmanship and creativity to create original works of art. Each print begins with a physical surface — in the case of linocuts, a block of linoleum that I carve to create the image. I remove the areas that I want to remain white (or the color of the paper), and the remaining raised areas hold the ink. Once the carving is complete, I roll ink onto the surface and print each piece individually. Every print is made by hand, either by carefully pressing the paper onto the inked block or by running it through a press. Because this process is manual, subtle variations naturally occur from print to print, making each impression slightly different and uniquely its own.
For some editions, I add watercolor accents after printing. These are painted by hand, so no two pieces are ever identical. I also sometimes experiment with different ink colors on the same carved block. When I do this, I label those editions as EV (Édition Variée), which means the prints are part of the same edition but intentionally vary in some way. Numbering, such as “3/40,” shows the individual print number and the total number of prints in that edition — in this example, the third of forty. Occasionally, I make changes to the block partway through printing; these versions are labeled as “State I,” “State II,” and so on. Once a complete edition is sold, it will never be produced again, preserving its limited nature and collectibility.
In addition to linocuts, I also work in monotype printmaking. Unlike linocuts, where the carved block can be used to create multiple prints, a monotype is created by drawing or painting directly onto a smooth plate. I then transfer that image to paper, producing a single, one-of-a-kind print. Because there’s no carved block to reuse, monotypes cannot be exactly replicated — each one is truly unique.
Together, these techniques allow me to combine the repeatable structure of relief printing with the fluid spontaneity of painting. The result is a body of work that blends intention and variation, where every print carries its own character and story.
Needle felting is the process of using a barbed needle to stab wool fibers until they tangle together. This condenses the wool in size as it becomes more and more tightly tangled together, and becomes felt. By the time I'm done stabbing and matting the fibers together, it's much smaller than the wool I start with.
The challenges inherent in this medium, like not being able to mix my own colors easily like I would while painting, or the difficulty of finely detailed work, lead me to problem solve in unique ways, or bend to accommodate the limitations. I have started layering colors, like I do when painting a canvas, and have experimented with a more painterly effect. I've been freed up to work more abstractly, and have also introduced wool yarn to incorporate elements of line.
I've pushed into 3D, delicately dancing between adding shadow and light with colored wool, or letting the 3D aspect do the work. I've also loved experimenting with different kinds of wool, yielding to their various qualities that I aim to enhance, not conquer. I want the wool to be free to be its own wooly self!
In a world of toxic products and industrial waste, I am also pleased that I waste virtually nothing, and support small owners of hobby farms who many times shear their own animals, and then I support others who dye or spin that wool. I'm grateful for the good care these sheep, goats and alpacas receive as I lovingly work with their fiber.
I hope you find the results as magical as I do.