Printmaking began as just an elective, but it quickly became a creative outlet away from photography. While exploring different techniques, I gravitated towards etching and woodblock. The carving process was very meditative, and I was able to get lost in what I was creating without much of a plan. This was very different from my photos, where I had every part of the process planned from start to finish, with meaning behind all of it. I took an ‘Off the Wall’ printmaking class that challenged us to make our work three-dimensional. It was a significant turning point in my journey and made me realize there was so much more for me to create. 

The first three-dimensional piece I created was called “Do You See Them,” using etching and cut-out bugs hidden within the linework. It was a fun project that brought my interest in bugs and printmaking together. My newest piece is currently untitled, as I am still discovering what it means to me. My plan for this project was laughable. “I want to make a box with lines wrapped all around the inside.” I had never made a box. I had never made a piece this big. I had never mixed etching and woodblock. I had never layered a piece to this extent. To put it simply, I had no idea what I was doing. However, I think that’s what excites me the most with printmaking: I don’t need to have a plan. It is a lot more instinctual, and I really let my imagination lead the way.