William Kentridge, etching in progress. 3 layers of coffee lift and drypoint. Photo copyright Liz Chalfin 2019. I have been making prints for more than 20 years, and in the last 6 or 7 years I have practised non-toxic techniques to replace the practices and materials of the traditional etching studio, most of which were/are highly toxic (and capable of causing significant damage to the brain, skin, internal organs, and central nervous system). One of the most valuable resources around for nontoxic printmaking is the website of the Zea Mays studio in Massachusetts. They have a research program for testing non-toxic processes, which they publish on their website. Each section contains the results of their methodical experiments, often containing as much as 20 separate and highly documented steps. One of my many inspirations for etching is the South African artist William Kentridge, who has a lifelong and continued association with printmaking. To my delight, I just found out th...
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