Carolyn Howse
Mayne Island, BC
I'm an artist/printmaker based in the beautiful Southern Gulf Islands of British Columbia.
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About
After a career as a graphic designer, Carolyn reoriented her creative focus towards the fine art of printmaking. She has spent several years studying printmaking in Oaxaca, Mexico and has participated in many collective print shows in Chiapas, Oaxaca, Mexico City, Oregon, Québec and BC. Influences include 20th century British printmakers, Mexican print masters as well as early botanical illustrations. Initially hand-drawn, her works take shape etched or cut on a plate (linoleum, steel or copper) and are hand-printed on a manual etching press with custom inks resulting in a sensuous textured image on paper.
Statement
Printmaking is a methodical, centuries-old, hands-on process of making art where each print is an original made entirely by hand without digital interference. To me, it feels like an antidote to our current age saturated in technology. The tactile results have a vintage look and harken back to a forgotten age. I enjoy the creative expression and challenges that are offered in the world of printmaking. Sensitive explorations of flora and fauna which incorporate human and animal themes and the natural world, upon which humans depend for survival, is a recurring theme in my artwork. More recently, I have been exploring abstract expression in the collagraph mediums as well as creative side-trips into painting. The possibilities in the world of printmaking offer challenge and a constant development of skill.