Stop 4

Virtual World Tour 2021 Demonstration 4

University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia

Duration: 73 minutes

Experimental Etching Resists for Copper Sulfate Mordant with Hanah Williams

Hanah Williams came to Zea Mays Printmaking in 2018 to participate in our Green Printmaking Certificate Program. As a studio educator in Printmaking at the University of South Australia (Adelaide) she teaches Eco-Aware Etching and Relief printmaking processes. During Hanah’s time at ZMP she worked in all facets of safer etching and shared her expertise in the use of Copper Sulfate Saline as a mordant for aluminum and steel, which she introduced to the University years prior. Hanah spreads her knowledge of safer printmaking throughout South Australia through workshops and demonstrations.

In this demonstration, Hanah presents etching resist techniques on aluminum in a copper sulfate mordant. Resists include oil-based paint marker, experimental applications of BIG ground and litho crayon. Using different materials as resists gives artists the opportunity to experiment with mark making, texture and shape. Resists can be applied intuitively and provide the freedom to develop new ways of working and image making.

Hanah demonstrates printing on an MES etching press by Melbourne Etching Supplies in the University of South Australia’s printmaking studio. The department is home to five etching presses, a lithography press and a Columbian press. Two of these are historic items, one belonged to renown South Australian feminist printmaker Barbara Hanrahan, and the other to the Advertiser newspaper, established in 1858. Hanah gives us a tour of the studio and discusses these historic printing presses.