Artist Statement

This series is the beginning of investigating the use of chine colle techniques along with collography. For me collograph plates seem to demand to work in a more abstract fashion. Although elements of drawing can be added, there isn't the same kind of facilitiy working with hard ground on an etching plate allows. For this reason I've tended to work abstractly, using the plate as a way of investiaging form and texture. Nonetheless, I find myself still drawn to working figuratively and this is where the chine colle technique has been helpful. It allows me to add drawn or photographic elements to prints which otherwise would be strictly abstract. I'm still working on finding a good balance between the two techniques but there have been some pleasant surprises.

All images copyright © 2001-2012 Michael McCarthy, all rights reserved.