Charlene Vickers is
an Anishinaabe artist living and working in Vancouver. Born in Kenora,
Ontario and raised in Toronto, her painting, sculpture, and
performance works explore memory, healing, and embodied connections to
ancestral lands. Vickers’ work has been exhibited across Canada and the
United States. Vickers’ holds a BFA from Emily Carr University of Art
and Design, a BA in Critical Studies of the Arts and MFA from Simon
Fraser University.
This print was produced using a technique
called soft ground lift, where the texture of fabrics (felt, foam and
cloth) selected by Vickers and her hand sewing was transferred into the
soft ground and then etched into the plate. The fish silhouette is a
copper plate cut into the shape of the fish and aquatinted to achieve
the rich black colour and texture. The final piece to this work is the
addition of a button that is hand sewn to the printing paper. Printed by
master printer Peter Braune and Sarah Madgin at New Leaf Editions.
Charlene Vickers | Fish in Astral Projection under Moons, 2022
Seven colour, six plate, intaglio, chine colle, hand coloured, mixed media print
BFK Rives 100% rag paper, colour tissue paper tie
Edition of 50 with 5 Artists Proofs
image: 27 cm x 34 cm
paper: 40 cm x 45 cm
Courtesy of Macauley & Co. Fine Art
Call to inquire about availability (604) 903-3798
There are four major classes of printmaking techniques, intaglio, relief printing, stenciling, and lithography. Intaglio printing derives its’s name from the Italian intagliare, meaning to incise. Among intaglio techniques are engraving, etching, drypoint, aquatint, and mezzotint. Using one or a combination of these techniques an image is cut, scratched or etched into the printing surface or plate. Copper or zinc are historically the most common surfaces (plates) used however, aluminum, magnesium, plastics or even coated paper are used. When using a metal plate a waxy ground is applied to the surface and then using a scribe, needle or texture this ground can be removed in specific areas, leaving the metal surface exposed. The metal plate is immersed in an acid bath, where the acid bites into the incised/exposed areas. The waxy ground is removed and the plate is covered in ink and wiped. The wiping removes ink from the smooth surface area of the plate and leaves ink in the incised/etched areas. The inked plate is printed on damp paper using a press, the paper is forced into the etched area collecting the ink and resulting in an image left behind on the paper.
"Fish in Astral Projection under Moons" presents an exquisite translation of Vickers' textiles that is truly unique. Artists for Kids is grateful to learn from and support this
work through the team at New Leaf and with Vickers personally. Artists
for Kids would like to acknowledge Vickers’ generous contribution to our
program, in sharing her time, and of her remarkable donation of this print to our program.