Lizzie's Shrooms: a hand pulled mixed media etching authentic

Lizzie's Shrooms

Medium: Etching Chin Colle Monoprint
Size: varies, 17 x 10”, 7 x 9.5”, 7.25 x 9”
Substrate: Mulberry paper laminated to book pages
Edition: 10

My friend Elizabeth took some photos of mushrooms while walking her neighborhood. She allowed me to reference her photos for some botanical studies I'm doing for various series.

I decided to have fun with these mushrooms. First I etched a line drawing of the mushrooms into repurposed plastic blister packaging. I laminated mulberry printmaking paper to pages torn from various books: a dictionary, a dollar store book and a vintage art history book. I then scraped black Gamblin etching in into the etched line, cleaned excess etching ink from the plastic surface then did a “rainbow roll” of soy based Akua printmaking inks onto the surface.

At my printing press I carefully laid the inked plate onto one of the laminated sheets then ran the bundle through my press. After repeating the process 9 more times I now have an edition of 10 adorable psychedelic mushrooms.

There are slight variations in each of these prints not just because of the different book pages but also due to the hand work in every step of making them. Add to that the various moods I brought to the studio on each of the three days it took me to print the edition.

I've make a pledge to create one edition of prints per month in the year 2020. These prints are my May 2020 authentic edition.