Platemark: prints and the printmaking ecosystem

Platemark: prints and the printmaking ecosystem

Why do fine art prints (etchings, woodcuts, lithographs, screenprints, etc.) and printmaking draw such fervent practitioners, collectors, and fans? Find out how prints were the first internet disseminating images since the mid-15th century. Find out why it takes a village to make, sell, study, and collect these affordable beauties. Who are all these people in the print ecosystem, anyway? Series one looks at prints and printmaking and how they fit in in the context of museums, the market, critiques, and the print ecosystem. Series two offers a history of prints and printmaking in the West. Series three offers interviews with the people who perform various roles in the print ecosystem. Join us and find out why prints and printmaking occupy the best little corner of the art world. We'll turn you into a fan, too. Platemark offers a bit of art history, artistic creativity, and introduces listeners to artists, printers, dealers, print publishers, gallerists, art historians, curators, and scholars. Host Ann Shafer is a curator specializing in prints and printmaking. Formerly she was a curator at the Baltimore Museum of Art and the National Gallery of Art. She's a podcaster, blogger, and organizer of the Baltimore Fine Art Print Fair (baltimoreprintfair.com).

Episodes

July 15, 2025 64 mins

In this episode of Platemark, Deb Puretz, an IT professional and artist, discusses her journey into the art world and navigating it as an outlier. Deb, originally from California and now based in South Carolina, shares her experiences of making connections, l...

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In this episode of Platemark, Ann talks with artist and teacher Jonathan Thomas who shares insights from his time at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), the printmaking program he chairs, and his personal studio in Baltimore. We take a deep dive int...

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 In this episode of Platemark, Ann sits down with the legendary artist and printmaker Dan Welden. The artist is known for his pioneering work in solarplate etching, a revolutionary, chemical-free printmaking process. Welden recounts his experiences and collab...

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In this episode of Platemark, I talk with Ellen Heck about her artistic journey and work. We talk about the intricacies of printmaking techniques, Ellen's various portrait series, and the conceptual ideas behind her work. Ellen shares her journey from studyin...

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In this episode of the Platemark, I interview Mike Stark, the co-founder and owner of Stark Press Company. The New Jersey-based company, run by Mike and his brother Tom, builds new presses, services old presses, and aids in moving them. They often collaborate with Perry Tymeson, a legendary press repairman. Mike shares insights into designing new presses, managing a small business, and balancing creative work. We talk about studyin...

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In this episode of Platemark, I talk with Mae Shore, a collaborative printer and owner of Shore Publishing in Tuxedo Park, New York. Mae shares her experiences working at Pace Editions with notable artists like Jim Dine and Chuck Close. She discusses the history and evolution of her gallery and print shop, which she established to merge her love for printmaking and curating exhibitions. Mae touches upon specific projects, such as h...

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In this episode of Platemark, I talk with Michael Verne, the owner of the Verne Collection in Cleveland, Ohio. Mike's gallery specializes in contemporary Japanese art and works by American artists residing in Japan. We talk about the challenges and rewards of running a small gallery amid larger competitors, and the importance of finding and promoting new artists. Mike shares insights about his journey in the art world, from his chi...

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In this episode of Platemark, Myles Calvert, a printmaker and professor, shares his extensive journey from growing up in Ontario, Canada, to studying and working in the UK, and eventually returning to Alfred University in New York, to become director of the Institute of Electronic Arts. Myles discusses his experiences working at prestigious galleries in London, giving up a tenure-track position, and the pivotal moments that shaped ...

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In this interview with the director and founder of Lily Press and the Printmaking Legacy Project, Susan Goldman shares her passion for printmaking and documentary film making. Susan discusses her journey from discovering printmaking at Indiana University, Bloomington, to founding Lily Press and creating impactful documentaries like Midwest Matrix. She highlights her educational experiences, mentors, and the vibrant printmaking comm...

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In this episode, Ann talks with Bryan Raymundo, owner of the Black Fragment Press. They discuss their meeting at the Mid America Print Council conference and Bryan’s background, from growing up in Mexico and Kansas to his love for Black Sabbath and printmaking. Bryan reveals his journey into art, inspired by comforting his sick grandmother with drawings, and his challenges in balancing his family’s immigrant expectations with his a...

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In this episode of Platemark, Ann sits down with Angelina Lippert, a poster historian and the curator and director of Poster House, to discuss the inception and growth of the first museum in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to the art and history of posters. They talk about what makes posters and fine art prints the same and different. And they discuss the challenges and processes of acquiring, preserving, and showcasing posters, the...

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In this episode of Platemark, Ann talks with Susan Dackerman, a curator and art historian specializing in Northern European print culture. They discuss Susan's recent book, Dürer's Knots: Early European Print and the Islamic East, which looks at the artist's relationship to the Islamic world, revealing groundbreaking insights about the intersection of early modern printmaking and contemporary history. 

Susan's book covers three of ...

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In this episode of Platemark, Jonathan Higgins discusses his journey as the owner and master printer of Manneken Press, established in 2000 in Bloomington, Illinois. We talk about his early life in Berkeley, California, his initial interest in art and ceramics, and his transition to printmaking. After exploring lithography and working for various artists and print workshops in New York, including at Galamander Press with Randy Hemm...

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In this episode of Platemark, I interview Art Werger, a renowned printmaker and retired professor from Ohio University. We discuss Art’s extensive experience and techniques in printmaking, focusing on his work in etching and mezzotint. Art shares his innovati...

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In this episode Platemark, I talk with Leslie Diuguid, owner and founder of Do-Good Press in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. Leslie shares her journey as a screenprinter and discusses the intricacies of screenprinting, including processes, challenges, and the nuances of halftone and moiré patterns. We talk about how much math comes into the enterprise, especially about the relationship of mesh counts of screens and the frequency modulation of ...

In this episode of Platemark, I interview Cole Rogers, a master printmaker who recently co-founded C&C Editions after his long tenure at Highpoint Center for Printmaking in Minneapolis. Cole talks about his journey into printmaking, his approach to the creative process, and the importance of experimental collaboration with artists. We talk about the mission-driven establishment of Highpoint Center, which he co-founded with Carla Mc...

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In this History of Prints (HoP) episode, Tru and I finish talking about the life and work of William Hogarth, the father of Western sequential art.  We look at and pick apart three series: Industry and Idleness, The Four Stages of Cruelty, and Humours of an Election. Timely, no? Hogarth continues to point out society’s faults and baser instincts. He never stopped trying to teach the masses about comportment and judgment.

Episode im...

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In this episode of Platemark, I talk with Judith Solodkin, a renowned master printer and founder of SOLO Impression. Judith shares her extensive experience, from being the first woman to graduate from the Tamarind Master Printer program to her unique work in digital embroidery. She reflects on her collaborations with notable artists like Louise Bourgeois and Sonya Clark, and her teaching role at various art institutions. We talk bo...

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In this History of Western Prints (HoP) episode, Tru and I begin to explore the life and work of William Hogarth, the first British artist featured on Platemark’s HoP series. Hogarth, renowned as the father of Western sequential art, is discussed through detailed analyses of three of his best known series: A Harlot's Progress, A Rake's Progress, and Marriage A-la-Mode. The episode delves into 18th-century London's morality, capturi...

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