Backward is Forward

For centuries artists have been using printmaking to create thought provoking and accessible works of art, but the process is often a mystery to viewers. Backward is Forward: Layer and Impact in Printmaking, brings together the work of nineteen artists with the objective of explaining relief, intaglio and planographic printmaking processes. Viewers of all ages will have the opportunity to explore a range of content, from the work of well-known artists who include printmaking among their many modes of expression, to artists who use printmaking as their primary method of creative practice. Along with works of art, viewers will discover the tools of the trade that facilitate the artistic techniques related to the print medium and enjoy art activities in the hands-on community gallery.

Printmaking has played a key role in the history of civilization; its impact unparalleled until our current age of technology. Originally used as a form of communication that allowed the production of multiples that could be distributed to large numbers of people, printmaking has become a valued artistic medium. The traditional technical processes of printmaking can be broken down into three main categories: relief, intaglio and planographic. All three methods utilize a matrix or base from which the print is made.

Over the course of the last century, these three processes have been adapted and combined with new technology, leading to further experimentation and invention on the part of the printmaker. Today’s printmakers still utilize time-honored processes, often in collaboration with printmaking studios that cultivate innovation and build upon the traditions of the past.