Printmaking is an acquired taste, one that Rachel Singel (rachelsingel.com) definitely has. It is not a direct-to-paper process but one that requires a number of steps to get the image wanted. Just ask her students at UofL.
LEO: What type of artist are you? Rachel Singel: Printmaker, papermaker and book artist.
Whats your artistic process? My imagery comes from what I see in nature. From a hollow in a tree to a break in the clouds, absence is a recurring motif. These spaces intrigue me, and I begin to wonder where they might lead. Lines are the building block of my works. The printmaking process allows for a technical consideration of how the lines are distributed, with the weight of each line relating directly to how much time it etches. The lines develop into curves, from curves to semi-circles, and from semi-circles to the full circle. As each line extends outward, the form begins to resemble how it occurs in nature, subject to the elements around it. This may be a vine changing direction because of competing growth, a tree trunk consuming a barbed wire fence, or even the clay that once made up a riverbank eroding away during a flood.
What do you want to do that you haven’t done? I would like to sew my own mould to make paper with and construct a large vat to hold the water and pulp. I am also hoping to travel to Japan one day to learn more about both papermaking and printmaking techniques.
What is something most people do not know about you? I love gardening, running, hiking and traveling.
Is there a local artist you think is doing great work that hasnt been noticed yet? There are so many talented artists in and around Louisville! I am happy to see the number that are involved in positive social activism. I would encourage readers to follow the great work being done by our local arts organizations including Calliope Arts Printmaking Studio and Gallery, Hound Dog Press, Brad Vetter Design, Starpointe Studio and the Steam Exchange, and the list goes on! I feel incredibly grateful to be living and working here in Louisville. I appreciate how kind and generous our community is and look forward to making more art and meeting more people along the way.
This article appears in July 19, 2017.
