Collagraphs are colored prints with a textured surface. They can be printed both intaglio and relief. Collagraph stems from the Greek term colla, meaning glue, or the French coller, to glue, and from the English word graphic, pertaining to printed matter. Glen Alps of the University of Washington, is credited with first using the word collagraph in 1956. Glen graduated from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. We did a workshop together at UNC in 1985.
My first collagraph titled Oviform was an egg with a zigzag yarn journey path through it done in 1972. I love texture and color. Collagraph landscapes followed with Mons / Colorado, Strata / Colorado, From the Plains, Over the Wine Dark Sea. The textures are created with fabric, masking tape, aluminum foil and Elmer's glue on mat board plates and printed as described below.
The Goddess Has A Thousand Faces Mandala is a collagraph collage from 1987. It illustrates my journey of the discovery of the divine feminine. It was my main piece for an exhibition titled Better Homes & Goddesses in honor of National Women's History Month at the Loveland Museum in Loveland, Colorado. The mandala is the opening page of my website. The center of the mandala is a traditional etching Egg / Nest of Feathers. Each of the twelve Goddesses has her own story. Many appear in other art pieces.The circular mandala form symbolizes healing.
Anadolu Twins happened in 1991 after a life changing journey, on the Trail of the Mother Goddess’ in Turkey. It symbolizes the energy of relationship in all its myriad forms, human, animal, vegetal, psychic, spiritual.
I collected female images from many sources; anthropology, archaeology, mythology, art history. I drew them on pieces of mat board, then cut them out like paper dolls. Pattern and texture are both built up and cut away with glue and X-acto knife. After the plate is assembled, it is coated with acrylic spray or gesso. Oil based colored inks are applied with rollers, mat board squares, daubers, Q-Tips. The plate is printed by placing a piece of damp 100% rag paper on top of it and running it through a flatbed etching press. It may be re-inked and printed many times to build up color. Darker inks are intaglio wiped in the later stages to create variation and depth.
Since I enjoy pulling my own prints, editions are small, from 6 to 10 prints. Please contact me if you are interested in any of the prints. Collagraph printmaking synthesizes a variety of art forms and experiences for this artist. Therein lies its strength and appeal.
 Oviform
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 Mons Colorado |
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 Strata Colorado |
 From the Plains
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 Over The Wine Dark Sea |
 The Goddess Has A Thousand Faces |
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 Anadolu Twins |
Printmaking Bibliography
- Ayres, Julia. Monotype. Mediums and Methods for Painterly Printmaking. New York: Watson-Guptill Publications. 199l Printmaking Techniques.1994
- Bickford, John. New Media in Printmaking. New York: Watson-Guptill Publications.1976
- Heller, Jules. Printmaking Today. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc. 1972
- Leaf, Ruth. Intaglio Printmaking Techniques. New York: Watson-Guptill Publications. 1976 Etching, Engraving and Other Intaglio Printmaking Techniques.
- Newman, Thelma. innovative printmaking. New York: Crown Publishers, Inc. 1977
- Peterdi, Gabor. Printmaking. New York: Macmillan. 1980
- Romano, Clare and Ross, John. The Complete Collagraph. New York: The Free Press, Macmillan, Inc. 1980.
- Ross, John and Romano, Clare. The Complete Relief Print. New York: The Free Press. MacMillan, Inc. 1974
- Ross, John, Romano, Clare, Ross, Tim. The Complete Printmaker. Techniques. Traditions. Innovations. New York: The Free Press. Macmillan, Inc 1990
- Saff, Donald and Sacilotto, Deli. Printmaking, History and Process. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. 1978
- Stoltenberg, Donald. Collagraph Printmaking. Worchester, MA: Davis Publications, Inc. 1975
- Wenninger, Mary Ann. Collagraph Printmaking. New York: Watson-Guptill Publications. 1975
- Woody, Russell O., Jr. Polymer Painting: Collagraphy and Other Printing Techniques.New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Co
