Platemark Ann Shafer

In s3e55, Platemark host Ann Shafer speaks with Miguel A. Aragón, artist and professor at the City University of New York, Staten Island. They talk about CNC routers, drills as woodcutting tools, growing up in Juarez, Mexico, and that city’s war on drugs as a subject in his art. He weaves a tight conceptual circle in prints that explore violence, death, perception, and memory in surprisingly subtle works.

Miguel A. Aragón (Mexican, born 1978). Espectadores (Spectators), from the series Meoria Fracturada, 2013. Burnt residue embossment. 11 x 15 in. Courtesy of the artist.

Miguel A. Aragón (Mexican, born 1978). Retrato 18, negro (Portrait 18, black), 2008. Hand-drilled paper with drywall dust. 96 x 48 in. Courtesy of the Artist.

Miguel A. Aragón (Mexican, born 1978). Retrato 18, negro (Portrait 18, white), 2008. Hand-drilled paper. Each: 96 x 48 in. Courtesy of the Artist.

Miguel A. Aragón (Mexican, born 1978). Retrato 06, panel de yeso (Portrait 06, drywall). Hand-drilled drywall. 96 x 48 in. Courtesy of the Artist.

Miguel A. Aragón drilling into drywall for the Retrato series.

Miguel A. Aragón (Mexican, born 1978). Retrato 06, panel de yeso (Portrait 06, drywall). Hand-drilled drywall. 96 x 48 in. Courtesy of the artist.
Miguel A. Aragón (Mexican, born 1978). Aplacado (el Veladero) [Appeased (el Veladero)], 2016. Woodcut. Image: 48 x 36 in.; sheet: 51 ½ x 38 ½ in. Published by Flatbed Press, Austin.

Miguel A. Aragón working at Kala Art Institute in Berkeley, CA.

Miguel A. Aragón working at Scuola Internazionale di Grafica di Venezia in Venice, Italy.
Miguel A. Aragón working at Zygote Press in Cleveland, OH.

Miguel A. Aragón working with Wuon Gean Ho at East London Printmakers.

Studio view of the Edinburgh Printmakers in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Studio view of the Glasgow Print Studio in Glasgow, Scotland

Studio view of the Grafikwerkstatt Dresden in Dresden, Germany.

Michael Barnes working at the Steindruck München Lithografie-Werkstatt in Munich, Germany.

Miguel A. Aragón’s mother’s doilies at the Morgan Conservatory in Cleveland, OH.

Miguel A. Aragón. 26.06.2009, 20:07:31. Color lithograph. Sheet: 27.5 x 22 in. Published by Flatbed Press, Austin.

Miguel A. Aragón. Index: 2170. Color lithograph. Sheet: 27 1/2 x 22 in. Published by Flatbed Press, Austin.

Installation shot of Miguel Aragón: Holding it all Gently. February 13–March 14, 2024. College of Staten Island, City University of New York, Staten Island.

Installation shot of Miguel Aragón: Holding it all Gently. February 13–March 14, 2024. College of Staten Island, City University of New York, Staten Island.

Installation shot of Miguel Aragón: Holding it all Gently. February 13–March 14, 2024. College of Staten Island, City University of New York, Staten Island.

In s3e54, Platemark host Ann Shafer talks with Andrew Raftery, artist, professor, scholar, and wallpaper designer. Andrew works in several modes, most notably in engraving. The through line in the work is domesticity. An early print featured a young man suit shopping. Next was a portfolio of engravings detailing rooms during a real estate open house. Then engravings representing each month in the life of a garden were transferred to twelve dinnerplates and sold as a set. His latest show included watercolors depicting historical interior rooms that feature French and Chinese wallpapers. He also produces letterpress wallpapers himself.
 Ann and Andrew talk about how engraving shows itself completely—there is no secret to how it is made, the inscrutability of Vermeer’s paintings, the importance of understanding the history of prints, how the transfer process works with ceramic dinnerware, how French and Chinese wallpapers were made (some were hand painted!), and hatboxes.
Images of Andrew's art are by Erik Gould; Andrew's headshot is by Ned Lochaya. Andrew is represented by Mary Ryan Gallery. 

Andrew Raftery (American, born 1962). Human Resources, 1990s. Engraving (unfinished). Courtesy of the artist.

Andrew Raftery (American, born 1962). Cosmetic Counter, 1990s. Exterior of folding triptych. Courtesy of the artist.

Andrew Raftery (American, born 1962). Cosmetic Counter, 1990s. Interior of folding triptych. Courtesy of the artist.

Andrew Raftery (American, born 1962). Suit Shopping: An Engraved Narrative, 2002. Diptych, engraving. Courtesy of the artist.

Andrew Raftery (American, born 1962). Suit Shopping: An Engraved Narrative, 2002. Triptych, engraving. Courtesy of the artist.

Andrew Raftery (American, born 1962). Scene 1 (living room) from the portfolio Open House, 2008. Engraving. Courtesy of the artist.

Andrew Raftery (American, born 1962). Scene 2 (dining room) from the portfolio Open House, 2008. Engraving. Courtesy of the artist.

Andrew Raftery (American, born 1962). Scene 3 (kitchen) from the portfolio Open House, 2008. Engraving. Courtesy of the artist.

Andrew Raftery (American, born 1962). Scene 4 (hallway) from the portfolio Open House, 2008. Engraving. Courtesy of the artist.

Andrew Raftery (American, born 1962). Scene 5 (bedroom) from the portfolio Open House, 2008. Engraving. Courtesy of the artist.

Andrew Raftery (American, born 1962). January (recto) from the set Autobiography of a Garden on Twelve Engraved Plates, 2009–16. Earthenware dinner plate with transferred engraving. Courtesy of the artist.

Andrew Raftery (American, born 1962). January (verso) from the set Autobiography of a Garden on Twelve Engraved Plates, 2009–16. Earthenware dinner plate with transferred engraving. Courtesy of the artist.

Andrew Raftery (American, born 1962). February from the set Autobiography of a Garden on Twelve Engraved Plates, 2009–16. Earthenware dinner plate with transferred engraving. Courtesy of the artist.

Andrew Raftery (American, born 1962). March from the set Autobiography of a Garden on Twelve Engraved Plates, 2009–16. Earthenware dinner plate with transferred engraving. Courtesy of the artist.

Andrew Raftery (American, born 1962). April from the set Autobiography of a Garden on Twelve Engraved Plates, 2009–16. Earthenware dinner plate with transferred engraving. Courtesy of the artist.

Andrew Raftery (American, born 1962). May from the set Autobiography of a Garden on Twelve Engraved Plates, 2009–16. Earthenware dinner plate with transferred engraving. Courtesy of the artist.

Andrew Raftery (American, born 1962). June from the set Autobiography of a Garden on Twelve Engraved Plates, 2009–16. Earthenware dinner plate with transferred engraving. Courtesy of the artist.

Andrew Raftery (American, born 1962). July from the set Autobiography of a Garden on Twelve Engraved Plates, 2009–16. Earthenware dinner plate with transferred engravin

In s3e53 of Platemark, hosts Ann Shafer and Tru Ludwig conclude their conversation with Carol Wax, artist and author of The Mezzotint: History and Technique. Carol recently published the second edition of The Mezzotint, expanding greatly in every area from the 1990 first edition. As she tells us, there is a better break down of rocking the copper plates, and of inking and printing them, plus there are new chapters about printing papers and the history of the medium and how it fits in the greater history of prints.
They talk about the early history of mezzotint, whether one can over rock a plate, what happens when you do, and about Carol’s dislike of perspectival composition, all the machines and their personalities, and her dogs Cecil, the Weimaraner, and Delia, the new dog in her life. The conversation ran long, so the episode is split into two parts.

Carol Wax (American, born 1953). Singer I, 1984. Mezzotint. 11 ½ x 8 in. Courtesy of the artist. This was a beautiful tensile piece of copper (ground exact same way as Singer II, but totally different experience and different result).

Carol Wax (American, born 1953). Singer II, 1985. Mezzotint. 14 ½ x 7 3/4 in. Courtesy of the artist. This was a brittle copper – two of several state proofs illustrating process of solving technical problem and the finished state. This process led directly to historical research that resulted in my writing The Mezzotint: History and Technique.

John Martin (British, 1789–1854). Belshazzar’s Feast, 1826. Mezzotint. Plate: 23 ½ x 32 in. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Martin’s large plate was printed with up to eight different inks to enhance the tonal range and compensate for the peculiarities of mezzotints engraved on steel.

Richard Earlom (British, 1743–1822), after Frans Snyder (Flemish, 1579–1657). A Game Market, 1783. Mezzotint and etching. Plate: 16 ½ x 22 ¾ in. New York Public Library, New York.

Richard Earlom (British, 1743–1822), after Jan van Huysum (Dutch, 1682–1749). A Flower Piece, 1778. Etching (early state before mezzotint). Plate: 558 x 420 mm. (21 15/16 x 16 9/16 in.). Yale Center for British Art, New Haven.

[Right] Richard Earlom (British, 1743–1822), after Jan van Huysum (Dutch, 1682–1749). A Flower Piece, 1778. Mezzotint and etching. Plate: 558 x 420 mm. (21 15/16 x 16 9/16 in.). Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore.

J.M.W. Turner (British, 1775–1851) and Charles Turner (British, 1774–1857). Scene from the French Coast (Liber Studiorum, plate 4), 1807. Etching and mezzotint. Plate: 20.9 x 29.1 cm. (8 ¼ x 11 7/16 in.). Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago.
[DETAIL] J.M.W. Turner (British, 1775–1851) and Charles Turner (British, 1774–1857). Scene from the French Coast (Liber Studiorum, plate 4), 1807. Etching and mezzotint. Plate: 20.9 x 29.1 cm. (8 ¼ x 11 7/16 in.). Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago.

Thomas Goff Lupton (British, 1791–1873), after Thomas Girtin (British, 1775–1802). Chelsea Reach, Looking toward Battersea, from the series Gems of Art, 1825. Mezzotint and engraving. Sheet: 260 x 341 mm. (10 1/4 x 13 7/16 in.); plate: 168 x 252 mm. (6 5/8 x 9 15/16 in.). Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore.

Carol Wax (American, born 1953). The Old Clothesline, 1983. Mezzotint. 11 x 11 in. Courtesy of the artist.

Carol Wax (American, born 1953). Fanfare, 1983. Mezzotint. 16 x 11 in. Courtesy of the artist. This was the first image I did with a mechanical subject and the first time I subtracted so much of the background.

Carol Wax (American, born 1953). Singer I, 1984. Mezzotint. 11 ½ x 8 in. Courtesy of the artist. This was a beautiful tensile piece of copper (ground exact same way as Singer II, but totally different experience and different result).

Carol Wax (American, born 1953). Under Wraps, 2008. Mezzotint. 16 x 20 in. Courtesy of the artist. One of many images of animate/inanimate objects. This series turns the table and uses fabric to objectify

In s3e52 of Platemark, hosts Ann Shafer and Tru Ludwig talk with Carol Wax, artist and author of The Mezzotint: History and Technique. Carol recently published the second edition of The Mezzotint, expanding greatly in every area from the 1990 first edition. As she tells us, there is a better break down of rocking the copper plates, and of inking and printing them, plus there are new chapters about printing papers and the history of the medium and how it fits in the greater history of prints.
They talk about the early history of mezzotint, whether one can over rock a plate, what happens when you do, and about Carol’s dislike of perspectival composition, all the machines and their personalities, and her dogs Cecil, the Weimaraner, and Delia, the new dog in her life. The conversation ran long, so the episode is split into two parts.

[Top] Carol Wax (American, born 1953). Eleven Shells, 1982. Mezzotint. 2 ¾ x 5 inches. Courtesy of the artist. First mezzotint I felt comfortable signing and which shows the influence of Hamaguchi.
{Bottom] Yozo Hamaguchi (Japanese, 1909–2000). Shells. Mezzotint.

John Raphael Smith (British, 1751–1812), after Henry Fuseli (Swiss, 1741–1825). The Weird Sisters (Shakespeare, MacBeth, Act 1, Scene 3), 1785. Mezzotint. Sheet: 18 1/16 x 21 7/8 in. (45.8 x 55.5 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

[Left] John Raphael Smith (British, 1751–1812), after Sir Joshua Reynolds (British, 1723–1792). The Infant Jupiter, 1775. Mezzotint. Plate: 20 x 14 in. New York Public Library, New York.
[Right] Valentine Green (British, 1739–1813), after Sir Anthony Van Dyck (Flemish, 1599–1641). The Earl of Danby, 1775. Mezzotint. Sheet: 20 7/8 x 13 7/8 in. Chazen Museum of Art, University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Carol Wax. The Mezzotint: History and Technique (2nd Edition). Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, 2023.

Hendrick Goltzius (Dutch, 1558–1617). After Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem (Netherlandish, 1562–1638). Icarus, from the series The Four Disgracers, 1588. Engraving. Sheet: 13 7/16 x 13 1/4 in. (34.2 x 33.7 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Ludwig von Siegen (German, 1609–after 1676). Amelia Elizabeth Landgravure of Hesse-Kassel, 1642. Mezzotint. Sheet: 16 7/16 x 11 15/16 in. (41.8 x 30.3 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Prince Rupert (German, 1619–1682). Head of the Executioner, 1662. Mezzotint. Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Institution, New York.

Theodor Caspar von Fürstenburg (German, 1615–1675). Salomé, 1656–75. Mezzotint. 191 x 149 mm. British Museum, London.

David Lucas (British, 1802–1881), after John Constable (British, 1776–1837). The Rainbow, Salisbury Cathedral, 1855. Mezzotint. Sheet: 24 ¼ x 28 ¼ in. (61.5 x 71.7 cm.). Christie’s.

Thomas Frye (British, 1710/11–1762). Head of a Man Wearing a Turban, 1760. Mezzotint. Plate: 19 7/8 × 13 15/16 in. (50.5 × 35.4 cm.); sheet: 23 3/8 × 16 15/16 in. (59.4 × 43 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Valentine Green (British, 1739–1813), after Joseph Wright of Derby (British, 1734–1797). A Philosopher Shewing an Experiment on the Air Pump, 1769. Mezzotint. Plate: 19 × 23 in. (48.3 × 58.4 cm.). Sheet: 19 7/8 × 25 5/8 in. (50.5 × 65.1 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Joseph Pennell (American, 1857–1926). Hail America, 1908. Mezzotint. Plate: 8 7/16 × 14 11/16 in. (21.5 × 37.3 cm.); sheet: 9 7/8 × 15 3/4 in. (25.1 × 40 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Reynold Weidenaar (American, 1915–1985). The Bridge and the Storm, Mackinac Straits, 1957. Mezzotint. Sheet: 19 5/8 x 15 ½ in. Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum, Mackinac.

Mario Avati (French, 1921–2009). Le Goût acide du jaune citron, 1982. Mezzotint. 29 x 37.7 cm. Fitch Febvrel Gallery.

Yozo Hamaguchi (Japanese, 1909–2000). The Three Lemons, 1956. Color mezzotint. Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland.

Art Werger (American, born 1955). Clarit

In s3e51, Platemark host Ann Shafer talks with Chris Santa Maria, artist and gallery director at Gemini G.E.L. at Joni Moisant Weyl. As director of the New York gallery, Chris is responsible for showcasing and selling the print output of the storied LA workshop to enable it to keep working with amazing artists and producing incredible editions.
Chris and Ann touch on Gemini’s history, the structure of the workshop, how artists get to work there, and Julie Mehretu, Julie Mehretu, and Julie Mehretu. They also talk about Chris’ side hustle as an artist and his intricate paper collages.

Josef Albers. White Line Square IV, 1966. 53.3 x 53.3 cm (21 x 21 in.). 2011. The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York; ©Gemini G.E.L. and the Artist.

Chris Santa Maria wrangling prints at Gemini G.E.L. at Joni Moisant Weyl, New York.

Sidney Felsen, co-founder of Gemini G.E.L. Photo by Alex Berliner.

Gemini G.E.L. at Joni Moisant Weyl, 535 West 24th Street, third floor, New York. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California.

Chris Santa Maria hanging Julie Mehretu’s print at Art Basel Miami, 2019.

Julie Mehretu’s etching installed at the New York gallery, June 8–August 24, 2023. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California.

Julie Mehretu at work at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles. Photograph by Sidney B. Felsen. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California.

Julie Mehretu at work at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles. Photograph by Sidney B. Felsen. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California.

Analia Saban working at Gemini workshop. Photograph by Sidney B. Felsen. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California.

Robert Rauschenberg working on the limestone for Waves from the Stoned Moon series with Stanley Grinstein in the background. Photograph by Sidney B. Felsen, 1969. From the collection of Getty Research Institute.

Jasper Johns deleting imagery from a lithography plate for Cicada, November 1981. Photograph by Sidney B. Felsen. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California, 2001.

Richard Serra at work on his etchings and Paintstik compositions, November 1990. Photograph by Sidney B. Felsen. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California, 2001.

Ellsworth Kelly (left) and NGA curator Mark Rosenthal at Gemini; Ellsworth canceling a print from the Portrait Series, February 1990. Photograph by Sidney B. Felsen. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California, 2001.

Works by Richard Serra and Julie Mehretu at the IFPDA Print Fair, October 2023. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California.

Joni Weyl and Sidney Felsen at the 2019 IFPDA Print Fair, New York.

Tacita Dean at work at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles. Photograph by Sidney B. Felsen. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California.

Roy Lichtenstein at work at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles. Photograph by Sidney B. Felsen. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California.

Julie Mehretu at Gemini G.E.L.’s booth at the IFPDA Print Fair, October 2023.        

Tacita Dean. LA Magic Hour 1, 2021. Hand-drawn, multi-color blend lithograph. 29 7/8 x 29 7/8 in. (75.88 x 75.88 cm). ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California.

Chris Santa Maria. Field 31, 2023. Paper college on 4-ply ragboard. 10 x 10 in.

Chris Santa Maria’s studio.

Chris Santa Maria’s studio.

Chris Santa Maria. President Trump, 2020. Paper collage. 72 x 72 in.

Chris Santa Maria. No. 5, 2014. Paper collage on MDF. 58 x 60 in. in the window of Jim Kempner Fine Art, New York.

Ellsworth Kelly. The River (state), 2003 and River II, 2005. Lithographs. Installed during the exhibition Ellsworth Kelly: The Rivers, October 25–December 8, 2007 at Gemini G.E.L. at Joni Moisant Weyl, New York.

Julie Mehretu’s etchings installed at the New York gallery, June 8–August 24, 2023. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California.

Bruce Nauman in the curating room canceling a copperplate by drawing a sharp tool across it to destroy the image with assistance from William Padien, 1983. Photog

In s3e50, Platemark host Ann Shafer talks with Allison Tolman, a private dealer handling prints by contemporary Japanese artists. The Tolman Collection has branches in Tokyo and New York and works with a range of artists. Allison is a second-generation dealer—her father heads up the Tokyo branch while Allison is holding down the fort in New York. She enjoys personal relationships with her artists and is a tireless promoter of prints from the other side of the world.
Ann and Allison talk about cultural differences relating to aesthetics, manner of working, and business dealings. They also talk about managing a business without a bricks-and-mortar space and their love of this admittedly tiny corner of the art world.

SHINODA Toko (Japanese, 1913–2021). Awakening, 2017. Original painting. 24 3/4 x 40 1/2 in. The Tolman Collection of New York.

YAMAMOTO Kanae (Japanese, 1882–1946). Fisherman, 1904. Woodcut. 12 3/8 x 10 11/16 in. Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland.

HOKUSAI Katsushika (Japanese, 1760–1849). Under the Wave off Kanagawa, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, c. 1830–32. Woodblock print. 10 x 15 in. (25.4 x 38.1 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

KAWAMURA Sayaka (Japanese, born 1990). I Dream of Floating, 2021. 27 5/8 x 27 5/8 in. The Tolman Collection of New York.

YOSHIDA Hadaka (Japanese, 1926–1995). Night (drops), 1954. Woodblock print. 16 x 10 7/8 in. (40.5 x 27.5 cm.). Scholten Japanese Art, New York.  

KURODA Shigeki (Japanese, born 1953). Yellow Flow. Etching. 7 x 11 in. Gilbert Luber Gallery, Philadelphia.

KAWACHI Seiko (Japanese, born 1948). The Flying (Metropolitan Government-I), from the series One Hundred Views of Tokyo, Message to the 21st Century, 1989–99. Color woodblock print. 27 x 20 in. (68 x 50 cm.). Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago.

TAKAHASHI Hiromitsu (Japanese, born 1959). Blizzard of Blossoms, 2013. Stencil print. The Tolman Collection, Tokyo.
 
USEFUL LINKS
Artists | The Tolman Collection of New York
Japanese Woodblock Print Search - Ukiyo-e Search
What is an Original Print? | Print Council of America
Lucas Martineau. Takahashi Hiromitsu: The “DyEing” Art of Kappazuri, 2020.
Takahashi Hiromitsu “DyEing” Art of Kappazuri Lucas Martineau | Tolman Collection of Tokyo (tolmantokyo.com)