Habitual: Prints by Sarah B. Shallbetter
In this series of linoleum prints, I represent elements of unremarkable daily life imbued with amusing and quirky thoughts. While I employ drawing materials to assist in sketching out final resolve, I work primarily in printmaking because it allows me to construct an image through gradual and varied steps. Each step brings unexpected results. The most important thing is the recording of what the hand leaves behind.
My creative process is initially driven by a fascination with a particular object or idea. I work physically, carving the linoleum like a sculptor. I carve things down to their most essential parts. In several works the matrix is completely destroyed and leaves only one unique image representing permanence. Although these relief prints have been the main focus of my recent work, I am influenced by my relationship to the process and the domestic setting in which I create the work.
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