, etching on paper, 16 x 14 in., 5/65
A fresh take on the classic botanical print, Gráinne Cuffe’s effortless etchings are the fruit of a multistep process. Starting with a line drawing from life, Cuffe then etches the image to a copperplate and eventual aquatint. This technique consists of exposing the etched copperplate to acid through a layer of melted granulated resin. The process brings a deep range of tonal values and echoes the subtle colorations of a watercolor.
Dublin Ireland-based artist Gráinne Cuffe fell for the etchings of James McNeill Whistler while visiting the Boston Museum Fine Arts. Cuffe graduated from IADT in 1979 and furthered her study in lithography with a Fulbright Scholarship to Tamarind Institute, New Mexico in 1984.