liz ingram (canada)

1. tell us about your everyday environment,
your hobbies and lifestyle

2. what do you see as the point of your works?

3. tell us your thoughts on the problems printmaking is facing today ? what might they be and where's the solution?

4. do you use computers in your work,
and if so, how do they help you and what do you think of them?

5. what do you think are the best and worst sides of print art?

6. what does printmaking give and mean to you?

7. where did you get the idea from to take part
in the tallinn print triennial?

8. your favourite artists?

for the past 26 years my artwork has revolved around the investigation of transitional states between material presence and the spiritual. i believe that my childhood life in india had a strong influence on my ongoing need and desire to contemplate human existence from both a physical and an ephemeral perspective. early exposure to extremes of physical deprivation butted up against heightened sensuality, exotic rich colours, sounds, smells and transcendental ritual practices have predisposed me to this continuing endeavour. the global digital world of "screen living" and the internet seem to be further distancing us from our physical instincts and bodily intelligence. in this environment of fragmentation which deprives us, to a great extent, of real first hand experience, of spiritual stimulus, and of connection with our natural biological pace, i worry that the physical/ mental split could prove catastrophic for the preservation of both human and environmental essential resources. my works represent an attempt to grapple with questions and feelings about the unification of our physical and spiritual natures using the body and natural elements as subjects. i think about the temporal nature of life and about the vulnerability of two essential sources for human continuity - water and intimacy. i live in edmonton, canada, a city of medium size situated in the prairies. i work in a print studio
which i built behind our house, and also spend a lot of time in our country house close to the rockie mountains.
i teach at the university of alberta that has a thriving and growing printmaking area. we are currently expanding our facilities to include new technologies for integration and mixing with traditional printmaking techniques. in my own art practice
i am employing the computer in some ways. i use it to help me to prepare photo images for transfer to traditional plates, to alter and adjust images. after experimenting with digital output,
i again am working with traditional printmaking methods, using colour intaglio printing to achieve the richness and desired colour control. by combining the high tech potential for improved image resolution at a large scale with traditional hand printing techniques, i am attempting to create images, which exploit digital potentials while preserving the sensual qualities of the handmade printed impression. printmaking is an art form which has unlimited potential and is currently on the verge of a new renaissance. it has the potential as a medium to act as a guardian of craft and the individually hand made, at the same time as exploring new possibilities made available with new technologies. it is a medium that can comfortably span the ages and build bridges between the first and the most recent human attempts to communicate with visual language.
i believe it is vital a medium for the future.