Joyce May
Artist’s Statement:
“Etching, though undoubtedly one of the most fascinating of all the graphic arts, is, at the same time, one of the most exacting. It is comparable to the playing of a difficult instrument, such as a violin or piano, in that it demands constant practice.”
(From The Art of Etching by E.S. Lumsden—published 1924 London)
Etching is indeed complicated and demanding, there are so many variables and I love it for all its intricacies and peculiarities. The temperature of the chemical used to bite the copper plate, the length of time in the mordant, the stickiness of the ink, the wetness of the paper, and the nature or the paper itself all contribute to the quality of the hand pulled print. When working on an etching my mind is completely absorbed in the process in an ever-renewing form of meditation. My work is about Island Life and some of it contains a personal form of whimsy and personal philosophy geared to getting us through the rougher patches in life.
I hope you enjoy my work and that it makes you smile.
Joyce May