Printsy Interview - Diane Podolsky - Anniepod Pressworks

Website & Blog: anniepod.blogspot.com
Etsy: www.anniepod.etsy.com

Brief Bio
I have worn many hats; artist, teaching artist, arts administrator, gallery director to name a few. To this day, I have no real idea how I ended up in this crazy business.

How did you get started in printmaking?
I was working in handmade paper and collage and found myself embellishing the papers with a mixture of media. My work always had a graphic quality and I felt that I wanted to make something “all on one sheet of paper” rather than piecing things together. All of these factors came together resulting in my experimenting with reduction block printing. Not long after, I enrolled at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts where I studied intaglio methods. I have taken sabbaticals from printing to paint and do installations but my real love is the print studio.


Describe where you work.
I work small so I set up a print studio in a spare bedroom. However, should I want to print large, I am fortunate to live in proximity to a number of professionally equipped printmaking studios.

What's your favourite printmaking process?
Intaglio methods because I find that, for me, they leave the most potential for improvisation as well as the ability to turn a mishap into something wonderful (if you are open to that). I think the best example of this is when I spilled soy solvent on a plate covered with hard ground. I let the plate lay exposed to the acid where the soy solve hit and it turned into something I never could have dreamed of on my own. Another time, a copper plate printed so bad, but was so beautiful in itself, so I saved it. A year later, I took a pronto plate lithography class, photocopied the copper plate, transferred it to a pronto plate, and my etching is now a lithograph! (See blog post “The Prodigal Plate”).


What's your creative process for any given print? (eg. sketch first? Pre-planned or free-form?)
Printmaking is an art form where it is difficult to avoid at least some preliminary planning because mistakes can be costly. I do try to be open about how the plate or block can progress. Usually I have some imagery in mind; it could be an abstract form or a “scene” of sorts. For intaglio plates, I do not do editions (except for the occasional print exchange). I will use the plate for monoprints combining the matrix with other processes such as chine colle, viscosity printing, watercolor, etc.

What do you enjoy most about printmaking?
The total immersion of the process. If I go in my studio before I get ready for the day, it could easily be 5 pm and I may still find myself in my pajamas.

What's your least favorite part of the process?
The clean up!

What are your inspirations (other artists, people, places, events, etc.)?
My favorite printmaker is William Stanley Hayter. I enjoy the outdoors and believe the natural world influences my work; ironically, so does the urban environment in which I live.


How has your work changed and evolved since you started?
I would like to think I have become a better technician though I still find I make lots of mistakes. I probably take more chances with my imagery, but I believe that comes from having a better knowledge of the methods and a wee bit more confidence.

How do you get past creative slumps?
My creative slumps have to do with time devoted to unnecessary things. Printing takes time and dedication and silly distractions can be costly in the amount of effort needed to get back to work. I recently heard that a 5 minute interruption (in anything) actually costs 45 minutes when you factor in the mental strength needed to get back to where you were before the interruption.

How do you promote your work?
Just recently, I went back to doing outdoor shows and I finally opened my own Etsy shop in spring, 2009. I also have work in some local galleries and shops on consignment. Here is some good news – when I stopped doing outdoor shows in the late 1990’s, one of the reasons was because of all the reproductions. People did not know the difference. Guess what? People now DO know the difference and appreciate the handmade.


Any other comments or advice for others who want to try making hand-pulled prints?
Be yourself! Your imagery must be sincere or it will show. Try to set goals according to how you see your career and work progressing; not by what your fellow artist friends are doing. My blog posts include both printmaking and art/business topics. Please feel free to check it out!

Printsy Interview - Coco Berkman

Websites: fattybirdpress.com, cocoberkman.com, fattybird.1000markets.com
Flickr: flickr.com/photos/cocoberkman
Etsy: www.fattybird.etsy.com

How did you get started in printmaking?
I remember making my first linoleum print in kindergarden and it felt like making magic.

Describe where you work.
I have a large live in studio over a consignment shop on the Main street in downtown ‘Gloucester’, an old fishing village in Massachusetts. I have a wonderful view of the harbor on one side and downtown on the other.

What's your favourite printmaking process?
For the past year I have been obsessed with making linoleum prints. They are so user friendly. I’m getting ready to visit my daughter in South Korea and I will pack some linoleum and cutting tools to take with me.


What's your creative process for any given print?
I try to draw everyday and try to keep a sketchpad with me most of the time. I like to draw, doodle really, until some image shows up on the paper and then I work into those doodles more consciously.

As much as I preplan any print I know by now that its in my nature to not stick to the initial plan. I find myself impelled to shake things up by changing the image midstream and or changing the color palette. When I make mistakes, then the real creativity kicks in. Mistakes are inevitable in any creative process and I’ve learned to embrace them as opportunities. Mistakes are interventions by the Muses. They are the Muse guiding you in new and surprising directions.

What do you enjoy most about printmaking?
I love visiting and taking workshops in different printmaking studios. There’s always more to learn. I also enjoy turning other people onto printmaking by teaching workshops.


What's your least favorite part of the process?
My pet peeve in regards to printmaking is keeping the image clean. As any printmaker knows this is not an easy thing to do because printmaking is one of the messiest art forms . You need to be willing to make a right mess if you want to move forward in your image making. Then of course you need to clean up afterwards which sometimes can take longer than the actual printmaking.

Also selling my work. The one part of being an artist that never gets easier.

What are your inspirations (other artists, people, places, events, etc.)?
I am inspired by other peoples art. I love going to museums and galleries. I love taking out art books from the library. If I see someone’s work I love, I try to figure out why I love it, why it speaks to me. Then I’ll try to emulate some of those qualities in my own work. There’s a “spirit” or “buzz” in some artists work that is not there by accident. I think its a very conscious intention on the part of those artists to imbue a “magic present moment in time” into their imagery. When I see this in a piece of art, it reminds me why I want to be an artist. Lead into Gold.


How has your work changed and evolved since you started?
I am so much more confident. I am unafraid to go forward. Well, I am afraid but I’m more courageous I guess. Because of my commitment to making art. There is nothing I’d rather be doing. If I have an idea I will pursue it. Making art is a priority for me so I think nothing of spending money to purchase materials. I use the best tools and materials I can afford. My kids are grown now so I can indulge in my passions and not be as concerned about parsing out time and money.


How do you get past creative slumps?
If I’m in a slump its usually because I’m not making art of some kind. So the cure for me is to somehow find a way to lighten up by doing some smaller work that's easy and maybe funny.

There are 3 books that I’ve read over and over and they have to be the best writing there is on the subject of creativity. If anyone knows of any others please let me know! Here they are:

• Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art by Stephen Nachmanovitch (Paperback - May 1, 1991)
• The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield (Paperback - April 1, 2003)
• Art & Fear: Observations On the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking by David Bayles and Ted Orland (Paperback - April 1, 2001)

Trust me if you’re an artist and are reading this, go and get these books! Buy them or order them from the library.


How do you promote your work?
This is a hard one for me. Promoting can take so much time away from making art. But I make the effort. I try to always have work out there...hanging in cafes and coffee shops. I sign up to show my work in local libraries. Once in awhile I’m fortunate enough to get a gallery show.

I like to give my prints as gifts, especially if someone falls in love with an image and doesn’t believe he or she can afford it. It is challenging to stay true to your creative vision and resist thoughts of “will this sell?” There’s nothing that will drain your creative juices more than dwelling too much on that question.


Any other comments or advice for others who want to try making hand-pulled prints?
Not necessarily about printmaking but some general advice.

Art has profound value. You don’t ever need to justify making art. Yeah its fun but its hard and necessary work even if you can’t put into words WHY its important. If we could put it into words we’d be writers. On a deep level we all know making art, i.e. bringing forth new images, is important for humanity.

“You have a real job! You’re an artist! Its our job as artists to make art. That's our job. That's what we do.” * Emphasized by my artist friend, Gigi Madieros, in response to my comment that I needed to get a real job.