From story to sketch to print
Two copper plates were used for this print. The first one was etched with
various methods starting with a softground, then followed by aquatint and
in areas emphasised by drypoint.
The second plate the text of the Haiku and tonal areas of the dolls were
etched with the softground method and the bitten areas were deepened with
aquatint. The first plate was inked up with a blue black mixture of ink,
taken through the press.
The second plate, inked up with orange and red ink mixtures, carefully
repositioned where the first plate was and rolled back through the
printing press.
Annabel's Story
CONVERSATIONS AND INSPIRATIONS
When Annabel and I first met at a Columba1400 Coracle, she inspired me with her story how she had discovered her talent for writing during an earlier leadership academy on Skye also with Columba1400.
She shared her poems and writings with me and her evolvement through Columba1400, which she likened to a set of Matryoskha dolls. During one of our many conversations during our time together on Skye, Annabel described to me how she saw her life as a set of Russian dolls –the big doll carrying a heavy load of problems and by opening up, overcoming the problem. The next problem then appears so much smaller and easier to overcome.
She told me she was somewhere halfway.
It was the description of these Russian dolls that planted the seed for this etch that we together offer in aid of Columba1400.
Annabel wrote a Haiku for it and we both feel wholeheartedly inspired that ALL PROCEEDS of the sale of these original prints go to COLUMBA 1400.