Alethe Barber (Q&A, September 2010)
Q. What was your first experience of printmaking?
Alethe: My first experience of printmaking was that of making collographs and monoprints at Derby College as part of a level 4 art course which I undertook to fill the gap between BA(Hons) Fine Art and MA ADAPT courses at the University of Derby. Interestingly, given the present enjoyment, I disliked my experience of printmaking at that stage.
What inspires you as an artist?
The short answer would be the world or the universe in which we find ourselves, our experience of it – existing as we do at specific coordinates within historical time – and the ideas and interpretations that I and others come up with in our attempt to give meaningful interpretations to our experiences.
What are you working on at present?
At present I am learning how to etch and aquatint on copper plates for the express purpose of producing aquatints of a series of seven drawings that are to illustrate a booklet describing how those drawings came into being and the concerns and thoughts that accompanied the making of them. I’ve always liked etchings and it occurred to me that specific kind of printing for the illustrations would engender some kind of quality not to be found in digital imagery.
What is special about Printmaking?
I can only speak of the printmaking I am currently engaged with – etching and aquatinting. What seems special to me in this particular kind of printmaking are the number of involved yet very necessary procedures that one must follow because of the effect that the substances have upon the metals, papers and inks that are used in the process. Briefly what may be thought of as ‘special’ in this kind of printmaking is the need to be very aware of the chemistry and science that grounds the technical processes and thus the final outcome. Perhaps another element is printmaking’s constant element of surprise. The result may either be to one’s liking or disliking – there are simply too many variables at work that are beyond the human capacity to observe, for one to have any sure judgment of outcome.
Etchings by Alethe Barber. Part of a larger series entitled 'I Remember, I Remember...', 2013
What is special about Green Door?
Green Door is a fabulous studio in so many ways. For a start it has two gifted, approachable and totally dedicated Directors – mother and daughter – Anna and Pan. Secondly, though small, Green Door is beautifully equipped for all kinds of printmaking processes.
Thirdly (and what particularly impresses me) are the instructions, methodology notices and points of health and safety to be observed that are clear to read and on display throughout the studio space.
One has but to use one’s eyes – one need not ask – to learn what one must observe and how to do things at each stage of one’s printmaking. Fourthly, Green Door is immensely helpful and friendly. There is no sense of competition, merely a determination on the part of each individual to produce the best possible work.
What is your favourite colour?
My favourite colour is yellow.
What is your favourite paper and ink?
Well my experience of papers and inks is very limited. Not that I have experience of Hahnemühle I would say that it and Fabriano are my favourite papers. As for ink, I cannot say since I have never used it in any of my previous marking of art, surprising as that may seem.
What kind of music do you listen to whilst Printmaking?
If I were to listen to music whilst printmaking, it would be classical music – in particular JS Bach though my repertoire has extended since coming to Green door to include Bob Dylan whose voice may oddly drone on but whose lyrics are truly poetic and socially conscious speaking as they do of the sufferings and experiences of the human kind.
Who is your favourite printmaker?
I have to say, not ever having taking an interest in printmaking except in that of Durer’s perhaps, that it is only since coming to Green Door that I have become aware of just how many artists of today and yesterday engaged with printmaking. Thinking of my contemporaries, I would name my favourite printmakers as Anna Johnson, Pandora Johnson and Brendan McDowell all of whose printmaking seems to me to be not only very expert but who bring an additional dimension to their work in their beautiful use of colour. It is principally the colour in the work of Pandora and Brendan and the panache and quality of line of Anna that appeals.
What is your favourite printmaking process, and why?
I would have to say, now that I have gained some experience of it, that my favourite printmaking process is that of etching and aquatinting because it is the latter that seems to offer the greatest interest and challenge on the way to producing the final image. For one thing with the aquatinting, one has to determine the kind of integrated tone that one will achieve. It is this selection as well as the challenging technical skills needed that I find absorbing.
This Q&A with Alethe was featured in our September 2010 newsletter. Alethe was a valued member of Green door Printmaking Studio who sadly passed away earlier this year (2014). Alethe would have turned 85 today, 11th July 2014.