About My Work

About My Work

Every summer I make paper when the weather is warm in Oakland—and then work year round to finish compositions. There are endless creative possibilities in this sometimes unpredictable process of papermaking and printmaking that make it both liberating and exciting, and worth the work. I begin to see development in my art, make mistakes and sometimes benefit from mistakes. This revelation happens at the end of a period of printing as there are different prints to compare.

The pieces are composed of a combination of handmade paper and printed plates. Sometimes older prints are cannibalized for chine collé passages as well. It is satisfying to tear up an unsuccessful print and save the passages that are interesting for new compositions. I consider the abstract images drawn on etching plates my vocabulary. As a composition begins to evolve, I make design decisions on how to combine these visual elements into finished prints. Printing without the ability to make a proof, with only one chance to get it right, keeps this process fresh and precarious. I often rework areas until I am satisfied with the balance of the composition and color.

These prints may require months of work to complete depending on their size and complexity. I draw and produce etching plates, dye and macerate paper fiber, make paper sheets, then glue chine collé (collage) sheets, while printing inked plates. This final step involves simultaneously placing different layers of paper through the etching press in one pull to unite them. The prints on this site are mostly one-of-a-kind and unique. There are a few small editions that are multiples.

Raw Materials: paper fiber (cotton, flax, abaca, and kozo), powdered pigments, natural dyes, Jin Shofu (Japanese wheat paste), etching ink