A printmaking invitation

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/09/2002 (8503 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG has one of the largest printmaking studios in the country, and everyone is invited to explore printmaking this fall by taking a class.

“You don’t have to be an artist,” says Sue Gordon, studio technician and St. James resident. “It’s really a combination of craft and fine art. It’s about copying designs. You can do almost anything.”

Almost every major Manitoba artist has worked out of the Manitoba Printmakers Association’s Martha Street Studio, located downtown at 11 Martha St. Here, the old printmaking methods are preserved so that the process will not be lost.

The facility includes a printmaking studio and gallery space where artist members can rent space to sell their prints. Visitors can tour the facility, on request.

Exploring printmaking is a wonderful opportunity for everyone, from teachers — who might later share the process with their students — to photographers, artists and pretty much anyone who wants to learn, says Gordon, an artist who has worked at the studio since 1995.

“We teach people what a print is and how to do it,” says Gordon. “Here, they make real prints. Scanning an image and printing it on a computer printer, printing a photographic image from a negative, those are not real prints. Those are reproductions. Real prints are created by hand by the artist. Each colour, everything is done by hand. Each image is pulled off the plate by the artist. Each is a separate piece of art. Although the image might be the same, there are subtle differences in ink distribution. Usually a certain number of prints are created, and numbered in a series. The artist decides how many to make from the plate, and then they might destroy the plate so no more can be created. Or they might change it totally, and do a new edition. But reproductions can also be numbered in a series, so buyers should beware.”

This fall, classes will be offered on four weekday nights. Classes, which began Sept. 16, run for eight to 10 weeks, in three-hour evening sessions.

“All supplies are included. People come in, bring an image or create one here, and work on that. They might choose wildlife, a family portrait, or abstract design, for example,” says Gordon.

Woodcut Linocut and Contemporary Media is offered on Monday evenings. It is an introduction to relief printmaking, with an emphasis on materials, tools and technical skill. Image making techniques and edition printing will be explored. Relief printmaking involves carving images into wood, linoleum or styrofoam, applying ink to the raised surface and pressing the image onto paper.

On Tuesdays, Intro to Mixed Media will explore lithography, intaglio and monoprint. Lithography involves drawing an image onto a stone or metal plate with special grease crayons. Through a chemical process, the image is transferred onto paper. Intaglio involves lines cut along the surface of a metal plate by engraving and chemical etching. Monoprinting created prints by transferring a wet painting made on glass, plexiglass, stone or metal to paper. Only a single print can be made.

Beginning Silkscreening, held on Wednesdays, explores screenprinting techniques from gestural, expressive and graphic markmaking through to more detail oriented approaches.

On Thursdays, it’s time for Advanced Mixed Media, a chance to further those mixed media skills. It’s for experienced artists and people with some printmaking knowledge.

As well, Monday Night Drop-Ins offer an evening of printmaking for artists with a basic understanding of intaglio and students who require additional studio time. Reservations must be made in order to take part in specific sessions.

Studio rental is also available for those trained in printmaking.

“People come here to explore,” says Gordon. “Hobby artists love it. We get all ages from a range of backgrounds, with a range of skills and abilities. We are here to preserve the traditional printmaking ways and concepts.”

Gordon works in mixed media, creating one-of-a kind images.

“For me, that’s the most fun,” she says. “I appreciate the freshness of each new print.”

Printmaking involves a lot of detail, depending on how much the individual artist wants to incorporate and how many prints he or she plans to create.

“People who come here can watch demonstrations or just jump right in,” says Gordon. “They have the guidance of professional artists. They can explore.”

To sign up for a class or book a tour of the Martha Street Studio, call Gordon at 779-6253.