Etching Professor's Papers

The professor explains the living print, the history of printmaking, and keeps the academic community informed.

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She was laughing when I came in and she said, without looking up, "Listen to this!" The radio was playing and a man was saying, ".. . Mr Rogers, Sesame Street and Where in the World is Carmen San Diego? All-in-one? Sounds like he's the Swiss-army knife of media arts."

"Who?" I asked, but she just grinned and kept wiping the plate.

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When I found them they appeared to be having a meeting of some kind. The printer was trying to convince the artist he had to slow down, for some reason she insisted he had to coat his plate in two steps. He was reluctant, I think impatient to get on with his drawing.

She reminded him, "We don't DRAW an etching, we NEEDLE it." She continued, and the curator sat and listened but did not say anything; she agreed whenever the printer looked at her as if to confirm what she was saying. "The mordant will find its way into every speck of an opening. And where you put that plastic stuff, the edge might open up, or leak and let mordant under. You've GOT to seal it before you pour the ground."

Then the curator said, "And there can't be any oil or grease film on the copper." "Right", added the printer, "So you've got to clean the copper with acetic acid or something strong."

The artist said, "Vinegar?" "Yeah, I guess," one of them said. He said, "got a brush I can use?"

	Artist's Diary	The artist provides the vision and imagery of the living print, laboring after the compelling image.
	Curator's Log	The curator is seldom seen but is always seeing to it that the living prints' records are correct and rules followed.
	Printer's Notes	The printer performs many tasks to keep prints alive, crafting and designing solutions to problems the artist, curator and publisher propose.
	Publisher's Journal	The publisher produces the bases for living prints by supporting all the players and keeping communications clear and on course.

©1999 Bill H. Ritchie, Jr. ritchie@seanet.com