Our relationship to nature shapes our sense of place and sense of self. It reflects us as a society and as individuals.  For me, watersheds are living entities with richly layered histories, narratives and morphologies. Human development has resulted in fragmented ecologies, loss of connection and marginalized habitat with the result that some species are thriving while others struggle. I am curious about this.  We are all connected.  Protecting habitat, preserving ecosystems and sustaining biodiversity is critical.  So far, I am remain cautiously optimistic, as nature has proven resilient.
 
My practice is rooted in traditional printmaking techniques – etching, drypoint and aquatint. Years ago, at an AGO exhibition of Rembrandt and Whistler’s etchings a printmaker was working at a very large press. I watched for so long that he said: “You know, you can take a class to learn this. There’s a place called Open Studio. There’s an etching class starting Monday night.” I got into that class and have never stopped.  My practice now includes relief, woodcut, letterpress and screen printing.   I love printing on exquisite Japanese papers and often incorporate pastels and hand-stitching into the work. During the pandemic, I began exploring alternative photography techniques (cyanotypes and photograms), began making ink from natural materials and focusing on artist’s books. While my work continues to evolve, curiosity about nature continues as the basis of my practice.

– Liz Menard