Today we’d like to introduce you to Annie Silverman.
Annie, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
When I was in 5th grade we made linoleum cut holiday cards. I was the little Jewish kid who loved Christmas and designed a card with little striped stockings on a line that said `NOEL under it. I don’t think my teacher expected anyone to want to put text with their snowmen and reindeer, and since one must carve words backwards to have them `print frontwards, my card said LEON instead of NOEL. I threw everything out.
About 25 years later I was teaching paper making at a summer class at Art `new England at Bennington College, and walked through the print studio when someone was printing a monotype of umbrellas in thalo viridian, British racing green, and `I was enchanted with the color and the flat shapes being created. I started printmaking at Rugg Rd. in Allston in 1987, have printed in several community print studios in the Boston area like the Experimental Etching Studio, and Mixit Studios in Somerville, and have been the `proprietor of ABRAZOS PRESS in Somerville for the past 11 years.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
My work is primarily woodblock and polyester plate lithographic prints. I enjoy the hand work involved in carving and printing, and the way my materials link me to print makers across time and different parts of the world. Hokosai, Albrecht Durer, and Edvard Munch all carved and painted wood blocks and so do I. My prints are composed of layers of color, pattern and narrative elements that often have either ties to the natural world, or slightly surreal, quirky elements. Sometimes these strands are all mixed together. I am interested in the history of science and botany and have done installations with prints that deal with Vanishing `Pollinators like bees and hummingbirds.
Sometimes I exhibit my actual carved woodblocks as part of an installation to help people understand the process of how the prints can happen. My hope is that people will gain an appreciation of these processes and techniques and maybe want to sometime take a class with me. ABRAZOS PRESS is both a professional print shop and teaching studio where people of all experience levels can `embrace`’ printmaking, since that is what ABRAZOS means in Spanish.
What would you recommend to an artist new to the city, or to art, in terms of meeting and connecting with other artists and creatives?
I think that if you find people’s work that you like, get in touch with them, and tell them. I have had the good fortune to attend artist residencies in different countries like Denmark and Ireland and have made friendships and contacts in this way.
Like with any relationship, why one enjoys or connects with another person through their artwork is ineffable and a little bit of a mystery, but being able to talk shop and be in community with makers is important however it happens.
One of the people who really understands and appreciates my work is the Cuban artist `Norberto `Marrero, who lives outside of `Havana and who `doesn’t speak English yet we `’get”‘ each other’s work completely. We don’t see each other often, but have hopes someday to do a book together.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I participate regularly in Open Studios at the `Miller St. Studio Building in Somerville, Ma as well as in Somerville Open Studios, and people can come and visit at Abrazos `press by appointment.
I am in several exhibitions every year and am working on an index of my woodblocks that will be published in book form in 2019. `People can find out about classes and current art activities that `I am involved in on the ABRAZOSPRESS website. My own website is soon to be updated: www.anniesilverman.com.
Contact Info:
- Address: Annie Silverman ABRAZOS PRESS
11 `Miller St. Somerville, `MA 02143 - Website: www.abrazospress.com. ,www.anniesilverman.com
- Email: silverman.annie@gmail.com
- Facebook: abrazospress, annie silverman
Image Credit:
Annie Silverman
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