The program of electro-etching for artists residents had to be suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, during 2020 and part of 2021. A disease that still affects us, although less, thanks to the fact that the population is being vaccinated and measures of prevention and control are in place. Several artists had to postpone their attendance, including Roberta Restaino, who was scheduled to attend in June 2020. However, now that the European Union has opened its borders and always respecting the pertinent measures, Roberta was able to come to Gran Canaria and fulfil her dream: to learn how to start out in electrolytic etching.
Roberta is an Italian artist graduated (BFA) in Visual Arts and Design at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Rome. She has an MFA in Printmaking from the University of Colorado Boulder (2016), where she taught Printmaking and Foundations. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor of Art at Greenville Technical College, South Caroline. Roberta is a versatile artist, who handles various graphic techniques with ease: screen printing, lithography, intaglio etching, and is also a great expert in ceramic sculptures as you can see from her website.
During her stay she practised with various different electrolytic etching techniques: lines on hard ground, “electrotint” tonal areas of open bite (a process that does not use the toxic rosins of traditional etching), lines and electrotint with graphite ink resist and Big Red varnish and galvanised lines, together with passive and semi-dry electro-etching. Even mezzotint a process she likes very much on a plate grained with electrolysis. She applied these techniques in her own personal style that represents a world of imaginary and almost psychedelic plants. She also printed the same original plate twice with different colours and off-shifting the stamping slightly, creating very special optical effects. I hope that this initiation into electro-etching will help her move forward and spread electrolytic processes in her own work and teaching.
Pictures from the workshop
Roberta Restaino speaks about her experience in the workshop-residency
Se stai cercando un'esperienza unica, sei nel posto giusto! Questa non è una residenza, ma LA Residenza con la L maiuscola! Nonostante avessi delle limitazioni dovute al covid, ho completato le due settimane di residenza/workshop di elettro incisione. È stata una benedizione apprendere questo processo con il Maestro - Maestro - Alfonso Crujera. Ha una conoscenza profondissima della tecnica e ha condiviso con me tutte le sue scoperte di anni ed anni di ricerca sull'incisione elettrolitica. Una esperienza senza prezzo! Alfonso Crujera ti trasmette la sua passione per l'insegnamento dell'incisione elettrolitica e la sua missione di diffondere la conoscenza di questo processo che usa materiali non tosssici da tramandare a future generazioni. Oltre ad insegnarmi le varie tecniche che si possono usare con l’incisione elettrolitica, ha anche personalizzato i processi con i miei interessi e le mie ricerche artisitche personali. L'incisione elettrolitica mi ha aperto apre ad un nuovo orizzonte da esplorare che offre tante possibilità e come ha affermato Alfonso: "l'unico limite può essere nella tua immaginazione".
Sono curiosa di vedere cosa mi porterà in futuro.
Inoltre se sarai residente, ti innamorerai del giardino di Amparo! Devi assolutamente vederlo e viverlo! È impossibile non lasciarsi ispirare da piante, fiori e pesci esotici!
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If you are looking for a unique experience, you are in the right place! This is not a residency, but THE Residency! Even though I had some restrictions due to the covid, I completed two weeks of the Electro-etching residency/workshop. It was a blessing to have learned this process with the Master - Maestro - Alfonso Crujera. He is very knowledgeable and shared with me all his discoveries of years of research on electro-etching that is priceless. You can feel his passion for teaching electro-etching and his mission to spread the knowledge of this non-toxic process to the world. Other than teaching the techniques, he customized the processes with my personal interests and inquiry. The electro-etching opened me a new horizon to explore, so many possibilities, and as Alfonso stated: "the only limitation can be in your imagination."
I am eager to see what it will bring in the future.
Moreover, you will fall in love with Amparo's garden! You must experience it! It is impossible not to get inspired by exotic plants, flowers, and fishes!
Roberta Restaino's electro-etchings
