COCTEAU # ONE: ORPHEO Painting

Imagery and storyline—both vital components of my creative process—enable me to create a form of visual poetry. Consequently, photography is intricate to my artistic strategy, especially with regard to my etchings. In view of this, many of my printed images—accomplished via the studio techniques of intaglio, aquatint, drypoint, and Chine collè—originate from my own photographs, as well as ones I uncover during research into the archives of academia, historical societies, and museums. Upon locating a scene that fascinates me, I first sketch a few original drawings of the likeness, and next transfer that drawing onto my prepared zinc etching plate. NOTE: In my etchings that incorporate the Chine collè process, I use mulberry bark paper from Thailand, which is infused with Japanese kozo threads. The paper is also treated with methylcellulose. I endeavor to establish links between the metaphysical and physical worlds . . . between the realms of dream and reality . . . and between the natural and the fabricated. In a sense, I believe that art unveils everything that we mask behind our assumptions and biases . . . or rather, those realms we neglect—or refuse—to perceive. My label for our failure to examine these areas is, “The Phenomenology of Non-Connectedness", which I blame on today’s communicational tools such as Social Media, the Internet, texting on smart phones, and “tweeting”. MY ETCHING TECHNIQUE I work on metal etching plates treated with both hard and soft grounds. These grounds consist of mineral spirits, beeswax, oil of spike lavender, and other natural substances. After these grounds dry, I draw images with needles and other tools onto the plate. Next, the exposed areas are “etched into” the zinc or copper plate in a bath of Nitric Acid and spring water. An artist’s proof in then printed after the plate is cleaned; Moreover, two to seven additional plate workings, acid baths, and proof printings occur before my desired effect is obtained. When satisfied with my end result, I apply oil based etching ink onto the clean plate and then remove the excess ink with several wipes. Next, I align my etching plate onto the printing press bed and cover it with papers and press blankets. Finally, the plate goes through the press to obtain my print. This process is repeated until all editions are created. I usually create three to five editions of five or six etchings for each one of my plates.