Print Research Network
Wisconsin print program was at the center of the print explosion in the 60s and 70s but things have changed as your topic demonstrates.
I'm particularly interested in the the decline of lithography in the US. At the moment The interest in the process at UW is nothing like a decade ago. This comes at a time when I continue to introduce more contemporary support processes like digital imaging, photographic plates, transfers, etc. The love I have for the process just does not seem to capture the current student that comes here. The drop off is drastic! In addition I have to confront my own colleagues who feel the print processes are outdated although the issue of multiples, duplication and dissemination of information is certainly a PostModern paradigm.
Best wishes,
Jack Damer
Professor of Art
04 November 2007
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Professor Damer,
I sympathise with your position, and as I read of others in the same boat, it seems to me that what logically has to be done, is for Printmakers and Educators to move forward and utilise new knowledge.There are a lot of people working on safer techniques which are better from a Health and Safety point of view, and therefore work better in an Educational setting, they are ethically better too, as well as opening up doors for creativity.
Have you read about Nic Semenoff's techniques with waterless lithography? Or Alfons Bytautas's work with Acrylic Relief Etching?
There is a lot of interest among young people for such new information, but the techniques have to be demonstrated and taught to them. In my experience,as a student, budgets are not extending to pay Printmaking teachers who can do this, so interest is dying from a lack of support for the students.
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