During the July First Friday Gallery Walk, the Paseo Art Association’s annual juried printmaking exhibition, Print on Paseo, had its opening reception in the Paseo Art Space. Through this exhibition, the Paseo Arts Association strives to represent and spotlight the depth and diversity of Oklahoma printmakers.
Prints are created from a single original surface, known as a matrix or plate. Plates can be made from a variety of materials and the methods of printmaking are diverse. Most methods are represented in this year’s show, but two specific pieces standout. One artist created their print with a fish, and the other used their very own face.
Kafie Carman’s piece School of Gyotaku utilizes an ancient method called Gyotaku, which dates back to the mid-1800s. It began, not as an art form, but as a way for Japanese fishermen to keep a record of their catches.
School of Gyotaku, Kafie Carman
For Carman, Gyotaku gave her an opportunity for her to combine her hobby of fishing with her love for art.
“Gyotaku just clicked with me,” said Carman. “While there’s definitely a challenge in capturing the fine details of the scales, fins and eyes, I was instantly drawn to the incredible detail that is achievable.”
According to Carman, the title of her print references both the subject matter, a school of fish, and how she’s still being “schooled” by her group of artist friends, whom she meets and creates with biweekly.
Skins 1.25, Emily Hoebing, Honorable Mention
Like Carman, Emily Hoebing used an existing object to create her print Skins 1.25 rather than make a new plate - her face.
Hoebing didn’t originally plan to use her face for printmaking, but after a few months of saving her makeup wipes, she knew she had to create something with it.
“I used the makeup wipes to tell a story about my day,” said Hoebing. “It was an expressive thing for me, and I wanted to preserve what was on my face at the time--whether it was tears, dirt or makeup.”
Hoebing says the “1” in the title of her piece represents her face, while the “.25” refers to the 25 different “faces” displayed in the print. She hopes this print will be the first in an anthology that she will add to in the future.
Both Carman’s School of Gyotaku and Hoebing’s Skins 1.25 will be on display until July 28 in the Paseo Art Space Tuesday-Saturday 12-5pm. These prints, along with the other Print of Paseo prints are all available for purchase.
BY KATIE HUDSON
PAA Intern