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I’ve been drawing all my life. My professional training began at Rhode Island School of Design in Providence where I majored in graphic design and illustration. I have also taken classes at the Cleveland Institute and at Columbus College of Art and Design (where I studied both etching and computer graphics – talk about spanning the history of printing).
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| I started as a freelance illustrator in 1975. Since then my work has appeared in obscure publications, on college textbook covers, calendars and book-related products, I’ve done some 20 jigsaw puzzle designs and decorated a life-size fiberglass horse for Lexington KY. I show my etchings and drawings at art festivals around the midwest. |
See? It looks just like the drawing. |
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That brown Astro with the funky decoration you see around town? That’s my Art Car.
I published two books with small presses (The Frog Prince in 1976 and Animal Fair in 1983 - both now out of print) which gave me the big idea that I could do it myself. I became The Laughing Academy Press in 1988 and have three titles currently in print. |
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How Does She Do It?
It's easier to show a picture of the basics of etching than to try to explain it in words. The original drawing is done on the plate itself. The great thing about it is, the acid does the heavy work on the zinc plate - I don't have to carve into the metal myself - so I can use the same drawing technique I use with pen and paper.
The plate wears out a little bit every time it is wiped and put through the press - that's why my editions are limited. The number on the left corner, e.g. 23/150, means that print is the 23rd in an edition of 150. |
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Clear as mud? So is the process. You are, in effect, working backwards in the dark with etching. It's all done by feel and you don't really know what you have until you've done all the work and printed that first proof. It's not always a happy surprise.
That's why I say I don't like etching, I like having etched. I love the way it looks when it's done but it's very tense-making to do it. |
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