MIRROR / SELF REFLECTION
series of two CHINE COLLE INTAGLIO PRINTs
This print series began as a media exploration but became more emotional than I intended. I have been interested in printing using unorthodox techniques, such as taking relief prints of household objects or children’s toys. I began to expand on this by thinking about how, in intaglio printing, the ink is absorbed into the paper from the recesses in the plate, and I began to wonder what else the ink could be absorbed from. At the beginning of the school term, I was struggling with some family issues, and because I struggle with emotional regulation, I spent a lot of my time feeling emotionally numb and angry. I had a lot of destructive energy and decided to put that excess energy into art.
I had an old 14” by 50” mirror that had fallen off my wall, breaking the frame. I decided to use the sheet of mirror for a media exploration in intaglio. I mounted the mirror onto a 14” by 50” sheet of masonite and hit it many times with a hammer. I then carefully inked, wiped, and printed the mirror as if it were a very large and fragile copper etching plate. After printing a few copies, I decided to add some colour by using the chine collee technique with a soft blue Japanese paper.
The most significant issue I had with this body of work was the size. I found it incredibly difficult to control a sheet of paper large enough to fit a 14” by 50” print without getting tears, fingerprints or smudges on the print. It took a very long time and a lot of patience, but in the end, it was a very rewarding and almost therapeutic process. I will explore this again on a smaller scale when I have more time to be slow and precise with the process, to hopefully get a cleaner edition.
My story
Hello! My name is Emily Scriver, I am a queer, chronically ill and autistic artist based out of Mississauga, Ontario. I create art part-time while also working full-time and working towards completing my bachelor of fine arts. I am specializing in art and art history and I am a Sheridan college alumni with an advanced degree in visual and creative arts.
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