Women Printmakers of Austin is an organization dedicated to encouraging artists to actively pursue artistic expression through printmaking and to promote community through annual exhibits, regular meetings, and outreach projects. Our objective is to expand the audience for Fine Art Printmaking by increasing public awareness of historical traditions and contemporary techniques.
Events & Exhibitions | |
| 7/7 - 8/18 | Nexus in Texas 2012 Nexus in Texas 2012 7/7-8/18 Women Printmakers of Austin will present an art exhibition of print work by national and international artists at the Live Oak Center in Columbus, Texas July 7th to August 18th, 2012. This exhibition is open to all artists in any print media and is devoted to fostering a deeper understanding of the current worldwide trends in printmaking. The theme of the exhibition is Nexus. Name of ExhibitionNexus (title of exhibition and theme). Columbus, Texas is at the nexus or crossroads between the major Texas cultural centers of Austin, Houston, and San Antonio. Although it is a small town (population: 3,916), Columbus has positioned itself as a supporter of cutting edge cultural talent. The WPA is proud to be a participant in this cultural nexus. Juried ExhibitionAwards: There will be three awards, First Place $300, Second Place $200, and Third Place $100, chosen by the jurors. Jurors
EligibilityThe competition is open to artists working in all printmaking media, 2D and 3D. Wall mounted works and sculptural work must fit through a standard height, 36"wide entry door. All work must be original, no reproductions, giclees, or posters. Please do not submit works that hang from the ceiling, or by large bolts, or weigh more than 100 pounds. Submissions: See "How do I submit my work" in the participant FAQs below. FeesApplication fees: $40 for non-members Membership applications can be accepted at the time of entry. Pay through Pay Pal on the WPA website, or mail a check to the WPA, PO Box 33271, Austin, TX 78764. All fees are non-refundable. Accepted artists will be included in a color catalog of the exhibition, available from Blurb or similar website. CommissionThere will be a 40% commission on any sales made during the exhibition (30% to Live Oak Center, 10% to WPA, 60% to artists). All work submitted must be for sale. Calendar DeadlinesMarch 15th Submit applications with photos of work through the website, by e-mail or mail, with application fee, entry form, and artists' statement, must be post marked by March 15th. Work submitted after this date will not be considered. April - The jurors will determine accepted entries and prize winners. May - Notifications sent to artists by e-mail. June – Selected entries will be collected in Austin for delivery to the Live Oak Center, or work can be shipped or delivered directly to the center. July 7th – August 18th the exhibition, at the Live Oak Center, Columbus, Texas. The opening reception will be July 7th. August - Return of work to artists RulesThe art work will be judged from photos, so they must be good representations of the work. The photos of accepted work may be used for publicity. Art must have a title. Art must be for sale, at a reasonable price. Art must be ready to hang, with sturdy hangers on the back, and look professional. Artist must submit one page with a resume and artist statement (one page only, if longer only first page will be presented) Artists may submit one to four (4) artworks that must be available for sale at the exhibition. Accepted work can be hand delivered or shipped, shipped work must be prepaid return. The jurors reserve the right to reject work that differs from submitted photographs. Submission of entries constitutes agreement to these conditions. Websites |
Workshops | |
| 5/22 - 5/25 | Laser Cutting for Matrix Building Laser Cutting for Matrix Building 5/22-5/25
$60 fee for both days + $15 supply fee Read Cathy's Blog about her process May 15th: JPG file of work to be "etched" should be emailed to Cathy Savage by May 15 for file setup. High contrast files work best. When creating file, black will indicate area you wish "etched." JPGs should be 300 dpi and can be any dimension--we can reduce the size in the workshop.* *We are limiting the size of matrices to 5 x 7" to accommodate all workshop participants. While this size is smaller than most of our members work, since this is a digital process, it's a good test for a larger print. MAKEatx will have information on hand on how workshop participants can set up additional print time in the future. May 22nd 6:30-9:30 PM: Workshop participants will laser cut into chip board or mat board. Wood and acrylic will be on hand if the laser cutting takes less time than expected. WPA print shop will be open for printing. Since laser cutting takes a bit of time and there will be a queue, workshop participants can bring something to proof even if not made during the workshop. Mat medium really needs to cure, but we'll have a hair dryer here in case people want to proof. May 25th 6:30-9:30 PM: Workshop participants will laser cut into acrylic or wood WPA print shop open to test relief matrices and chip board "etchings" Supplies: Your supply fee will cover the following supplies. You are more than welcome to bring your own supplies if these items do not meet your needs. chip board (you could bring mat board) ++If you are bringing your own supplies, note that not all surfaces can be cut, since some plastics omit hazardous fumes when lasered. Please email Cathy ahead of time if you are bringing your own substrate. |
| 6/9 | Experimenting with Solar-plate Experimenting with Solar-plate
Instructor: Carol Hayman
When: June 9th, 10am-4pm
Where: The WPA Studio
Cost: $75 per student
Note: a minimum of 3 participants are required.
ProcessAn image is made on the transparency through copying a photograph or drawing on the copier, drawing on the transparency with opaque pens, or scratching ink off a printed transparency. The image on the transparency is then transferred to the solar plate using the UV light box. After exposure, the plate is etched by washing away the soluble polymer (the part not hardened by light) in cool water. The plate is then dried and hardened and is ready for printing. The plate is then inked and printed on damp paper with an intaglio press. What to Bring
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| 6/23 - 6/24 | Intaglio: Line Etching Intaglio: Line Etching 6/23-6/24  Etching is a method of making prints from a metal plate which has been bitten with acid. In this workshop you will first coat the plate with an acid-resistant substance and draw into the surface using a sharp needle. The acid eats the plate through the exposed lines; the more time the plate is left in the acid, the coarser the lines. When the plate is inked and its surface rubbed clean, the ink captured in the lines is transferred to the paper.
Instructor: Belinda Casey
Belinda Casey is a multi-media artist with an exhibit record of over 30 years. She has taught for over 20 years, many age levels, many schools. Currently she is a Professor teaching printmaking at Austin Community College. Belinda says, "Art is my dessert and very much a part of my everyday life and my philosophy is ‘Eat dessert first'.” When: June 23-24 from 10am-4:30pm
Where: The WPA Studio
Cost: $100 per student ($75 class, $25 studio day) Note: A minimum of 4 participants are required. What to Bring:
Itinerary:
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| 7/21 - 7/22 | Advanced Printmaking: Aquatint Advanced Printmaking: Aquatint 7/21-7/22  Aquatint is an etched plate that is created for making tones. It can be used alone or with other intaglio techniques.
We will use the most traditional method is composed of fine particles of ground pine rosin. We use a state of the arts aquatint box designed and built by Ward Walker for applying dust. The dust is melted creating a ground that is not solid like a hard ground. The acid bites around the particles, creating a tooth in the plate to hold ink. In this workshop we will explore a variety of ways to make tones using soft- ground, burnishing, litho crayons, sugar lift and spitbite Hints for wiping a plate and registration guides also included in workshop. Instructor: Belinda Casey Belinda Casey is a multi-media artist with an exhibit record of over 30 years. She has taught for over 20 years, many age levels, many schools. Currently she is a Professor teaching printmaking at Austin Community College. Belinda says, "Art is my dessert and very much a part of my everyday life and my philosophy is ‘Eat dessert first'.” When: July 21-22, from 10am-4:30pm What to Bring:
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This is a 2 day workshop demonstrating how laser cutting can be used for matrix building. We will be working in conjunction with MAKEatx (our neighbor) to laser cut our materials.
The process of creating solar plates uses non-toxic light and water and is combined with the intaglio press, which has been in use for centuries. Turning photographs and drawings into fine art prints is a laborious, but satisfying, printmaking process. We will be trying some experiments with making solar plates, including sun exposure. Bring your ideas!
