Collagraphy

Collagraphy is printed collage. You build a plate pretty much the same way you put together a collage but you have to build it in a way so that it can withstand the printing process. When I was introduced to printmaking in college, I fell in love with collagraphy. (It's no wonder I am now doing collage) Collagraphy was my favorite type of printmaking. Unfortunately, all of the prints and plates I did in college burned up in an apartment fire back in SC. The only existing prints reside with friends (I hope they still have them).

The collagraph above is the second one I ever did. The first was a trial in which I glued a work glove to a piece of cardboard and tried to print it. It was a mess. After that fiasco, I figured out the limitations and proceeded to make a plate. When I brought it in and started to print it, my teacher told me that I should spend more time on the plate...that it was too early to print it. I ignored her and printed it anyway. Her reaction was pretty sweet in that she had to admit that it was a really good image. I added some color and printed a small edition. It was fun. I really wish I had an original of this or a better image. It was a pretty amazing piece. And the funny thing is that I went home and built another plate and brought it in and my teacher told me the same thing. And the next turned out even better than the second one. I think she left me alone after that. Actually, she had me teach a workshop on collagraphy later on and I had similar experiences at other schools. The teacher's asked me to teach collagraphy because I was better at it than they were.

I really miss doing collagraphy. Perhaps one of these days I will be able to take a class at Sev Shoon or somewhere else in Seattle so that I will have access to a press. Of course, I've forgotten most everything I ever learned about it. But I can still build a plate. Who knows. I might just start with that.