Kennedy Museum hosts Teaberry Press prints

by Carrie Lauer
For The Post

Even in this digital age of computers and the Internet, Art Werger's ancient craft of intaglio printing serves a purpose.

Werger, a professor of printmaking in the School of Art, gave an instructional presentation on the art form Jan. 18 at the Kennedy Museum of Art.

Many artists and aspiring printmakers attended Werger's presentation, which included everything from a description of the intaglio process to a CD-ROM slide show of underwater prints.

"As a printing instructor, I'm always trying to teach about printmaking," Werger said. "So, it was a wonderful opportunity to be able to present here."

Intaglio printmaking has been around since the 15th century. It is the process of transferring an image from etchings in a metal plate onto paper. Ink is applied into these etchings, and excess ink from the surface is removed. Paper is then laid on the plate and rolled through a mechanical press. From the pressure from the press, the paper is pushed into the etched areas to create an intaglio print.

Intaglio requires craftsmanship to duplicate these images exactly, and all work is done by hand. The oldest technique of the intaglio process is engraving.

The exhibit is titled, "The Intimate Collaboration: Prints from the Teaberry Press." The Teaberry Press is a unique printmaking workshop located in San Francisco that produces only intaglio prints.

The shop is both owned and operated by artist Timothy Berry.

The exhibit's name is explained in a brochure about the press as an "Intimate Collaboration" between artist and technician. The exhibit has been showing since 1990 in various venues, and hosts prints by Berry, as well as those by other artists.

Although there are many prints on exhibit, a few stand out. The "Spoon Pier" etching by Claes Oldenberg is unique with its cartoon-like qualities. "I Keep Foolin' Around" by William T. Wiley also received great attention from gallery attendees. This work is a picture of an old attic or barn, with a portion of a checkerboard as the focal point.

Werger said artists often choose the intaglio medium because of the variety of techniques, embossment capabilities, potential for editions and its rich tradition. The exhibit includes a variety of intaglio techniques such as drypoint, etching, aquatint, soft ground, hard ground and photo-intaglio.

"Printmaking is closely related to cartooning, caricature and satire," Werger said. "It's all part of the intaglio tradition."

The Intimate Collaboration runs through Feb. 4 in the Kennedy Museum of Art. The museum is open from noon to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, noon to 8 p.m. on Thursday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Admission and parking are free.