The IEA welcomed Scott Stevens, Lee Somers, and Elisabeth Pellathy for a residency over the week of March 27th. Scott, Professor of Printmaking at the University of Montevallo, Lee, Professor of Three Dimensional Design at the University of Montevallo, and Elisabeth, Professor of New Media at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, came together to collaborate on a project centered around Alabama’s Cahaba River, a free flowing river that connects Birmingham to Montevallo and contains some of the greatest biodiversity and historic significance in the South. The primary themes of interest in the Cahaba River centered around the natural environment, the human history that stretched from the Civil War to the Civil Rights movement and beyond, and its ecological and geological features that fed local economies, such as coal, limestone, and iron ore that were key components to the foundation of the iron industry in the area.
Throughout their residency Scott, Lee, and Elisabeth collaborated on laser etched acrylic plates which could then be used for both relief and intaglio printing. Each produced images from their own research on the Cahaba River and layered their images on top of each other to produce a series of prints. Each print contained multiple layers of the history and environmental features of the watershed and the hand of each artist, with photographic, CAD generated, and images from 3D models contributing to each piece. Additionally, a presentation and discussion was held where each artist spoke about their artistic backgrounds and work, how they came together to collaborate on this project, and their research they did to contribute to the Cahaba River Watershed Project.
Below is a sample of photos from their residency:
(L to R) Lee, Scott, and Elisabeth prepping plates for printing
Pressing second pass of layered print
Discussing print with IEA co-director Joseph Scheer (second from left)
Lee and Elisabeth inking plate for intaglio printing
Evaluating an intaglio with Elisabeth's image
Elisabeth wiping a recently printed plate
Two layered print with images by Scott and Elisabeth (note: print appears wavy because it was photographed while still wet)
Two layered print with images by Scott and Lee (note: print appears wavy because it was photographed while still wet)
Three layered print with images by Scott, Elisabeth, and Lee (note: print appears wavy because it was photographed while still wet)