The Archive

In the early spring of 2014 I was honoured to be one of the chosen artists for the King Family Bursary. My proposal was to use photos of the people and places of the bay as part of my printmaking practice.  I acquired a wonderful archive of slides and negatives which encompassed the experience of being in the grandeur of Georgian Bay.  This blog is an account of my process and the resulting works.

Developing Images

T Laurin, Canoes and Lillypads, prototype with hand colouring, 2014

I began by choosing images that I responded to and reminded me of my time growing up on Georgian Bay.  Many of the images were beginning to degrade which ties into my print practice.  I would layer various images and scan them together, creating a new visual narrative.  From there, I would create photo transfers onto japanese tissues and begin to stain the resulting image.  When I was pleased with the image development I would then affix the tissue (chine colle) onto cotton paper.

Manipulating slides

I have been doing much research into the notion of memory and how the photograph acts as a trigger for this.  I felt it necessary to erase (distort) the slide as a way of mimicking the lack of clarity that memory often offers.  I began sanding away part of the slide as a method of manipulating the image.

Final Phototype

T Laurin, Moored, Phototype with intaglio chine colle, 2014 (offered at GBLT Auction)

T Laurin, Rockslide, Phototype with hand colouring, chine colle, 2014

T Laurin, Ruth, Phototype with intaglio and conte on chine colle, 2014

Once I realized that I could alter the image by interfering with the emulsion on the film, I began to think about intended erasure in a graphic sense.  The emulsion can be softened by soaking in various solutions and then I began drawing back into the image. (Note: click "older posts" at the bottom of the page to see more works)

T Laurin, Camp Flare, Photoptype with chine colle, 2014

Other works….

T Laurin, Target Huntcamp, Phtototype with chine colle, 2014

This is created from two different slides that I drew (by removing the emulsion) in altering layers.

T Laurin, Target Rowers, Phototype with chine colle, 2014

T Laurin, Split/Double, phototyp with intaglio and dry media, 2014

This work was created with two slide images, torn and reassembled to produce the photographic element and then I decided to further separate the new image by cutting and intersecting with another printed chine colle.

Double images

T Laurin, Giant, phtototype with hand colouring on chine colle, 2014

After drawing lines into the slide's emulsion, I scanned the winter shoreline and copied/reversed the image resulting in this composition.

Back to representation

T Laurin, One Eyed Fisherman, prototype with hand colouring on chine colle, 2014

T Laurin, Bow, Phototype with hand colouring and pre-printed chine colle, 2014

After returning to representation within the photographic image, I felt it necessary to interrupt the visual planes with a different filmic presence. The addition of the drip-lines of ink represent both time and the non-linear representation of memory.

Moving Beyond the Bursary Work

T Laurin, Unkown Fisherman, Photo transfer with intaglio, 2015

This initial body of work, created out of the King Family Bursary, has further motivated me to  investigate the role of photography, memory and place within my work.  I am constantly drawn to historic images that both represent an iconic condition as well as offer the foundation for aesthetic exploration.

T Laurin, Fishing Boy, laser cut wood relief, 2015

T Laurin, Sailor Newton, Photo transfer with intaglio, 2015