My recent experience working in Soledad Salame’s Sol Print Studios unfolded into an invigorating, productive adventure. It was like shining a light on your work but viewing your process through a different lens and angle. As an artist and teacher, immersing myself for four days in the etching and printing process proved to be pure fun and luxury.
I was fortunate to be in the company of three other artists, and the camaraderie was energizing. Leading with equal parts inspiration, integrity and efficiency was artist and printmaker Soledad. From day one we were immersed in our production, with many able assistants helping to keep the studio running smoothly. This allowed us to concentrate solely on prints and to find our way to the next step with ease.
To an artist, printmaking is a wonderful medium due to the challenges involved in bringing together many mechanical hurdles. The process is so ripe with experimentation, technical feats to master, and all the accompanying magic, expectation and chance that it can’t help but be exhilarating. There is nothing like that giddy anticipation as the blankets fall back, the corner lifts off and the print is revealed. For those who teach, it’s wonderful to allow yourself to thoroughly immerse in a process that may be different from the approach in your own studio; It is also illuminating to be a student again. I have worked as a printmaker, so revisiting the medium was like finding your favorite old shirt but realizing this time it is has been enriched and energized by the wonderful mixture of life, nurturing and commitment that Soledad evokes in her studio.
I come away from Sol Print Studios excited to delve into my work, infused with the richness of the past few days. I am also going to miss the hugs when a little piece of alchemy finally emerges. Truly this experience is a gift you give to yourself as an artist.
—Randi Reiss-McCormack
I decided to take a 4-day workshop with artist and master printmaker Soledad Salame because of her professionalism and experience.
The first day of the workshop I met 3 wonderful artists, who were also taking the workshop. Soledad provided several dedicated assistants to help artists taking the class. The studio was perfectly prepared and there was great background music for making art.
In the first class, we exposed photographic transparences we had made prior to the class to light to obtain images that we printed permanently on our plates. In few hours we saw our first prints emerge, which we improved on in the following days. Soledad and the assistants were always alert to our needs and guided us with dedication to our final prints. We printed on different papers using wet and dry techniques, and on our fourth day we used the encaustic technique.
We learned from from Soledad and also from each other as we experimented and developed techniques and possibilities.
The lunch time was the perfect time to celebrate, comment and share visions and also have delicious food prepared by Soledad.
I sincerely recommend this workshop to artists who want to learn and produce a solid body of work in a few days using new techniques and in a physical space that is filled with inspiration and creative energy.
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| A/P EKIA 15"x22" |
—Joan Belmar
The Solar Printing and Encaustic workshop that I was a part of this spring was fruitful in many ways; from viewing my images through a different process that allowed a fresh point of view, to the companionship of three fellow artists who all brought their ideas to the table.
Soledad gave her inspiration and tireless energy to our group and we were all helped by the wonderful assistants who kept our production running for maximum ease and print production.
Working out of Soledad’s studio and having this intense and productive four days of work produced a new step forward with my images, and the camaraderie certainly resulted in friends I’d like to see again. This is the second workshop I've taken and it has always resulted in growth and a new vitality.
—Peggy Fox http://www.peggyfoxPhotography.com
