Waterless lithography workshop artists produce vibrant prints

Dr Carole Shepheard says waterless lithography is a contemporary version of one of the oldest print processes that’s ever been discovered. “Once you know it, you’ll enjoy it. Why not give it a go?” she says. Front, Marija Cooper and Amber Graham. Back left to right: Norman Maclean, Ninja Helmling, David Andrew, Mel Tahata, Teressa Matthews, Carole Shepheard, Jean Johnston and Sally McIntosh. Picture by Avneesh Vincent

Have you heard of waterless lithography?

In simple terms, it’s an offset lithography printing process that eliminates the use of water or dampening system used in conventional printing.

“It’s not the easiest process to describe, but once you start working, it starts to make sense,” says tutor Dr Carole Shepheard who was conducting a print workshop at Lysnar House last weekend.

Nine locals who attended the workshop were guided through several steps before taking out their personally crafted and drawn print.

“I showed them how to go about drawing on to an offset aluminium plate using a toner or water soluble pencil and bonding the image to the plate using heat.”

The result is a beautiful and vibrant print, she said.

Shepheard said the process was invented by an artist of many talents, Nik Semenoff, who had made valuable contributions to the printmaking world among many other achievements.

“The best thing about this is that we  can be really free with it. It’s pretty cost effective since printmaking can be quite expensive.”

Hailing from Taranaki, Shepheard, who has about 50 years experience in printmaking, said she went to art schools in the 60s  in Auckland. When she was unable to enrol in summer school to learn painting (fully booked class),  she was advised by a woman to learn printmaking instead.

“So, it was a total accident — but I must say that when I walked into the Prince Studio at the Auckland Society of Arts, I realised that it was just the right space for me. That’s how it all started for me.”

She said early on she got a job as a printmaking lecturer in a university and remained as a tutor for about 16 years. As years rolled by, she fought breast cancer, but this did not deter her love for printmaking and she continued to hold weekend workshops all across Aotearoa.

“My commitment has always been to community art making. I love coming back here. It’s quiet, you can hear the birds sing, it’s very healing.

“I feel privileged to come into a group like this. There’s not many throughout the country that have got a designated space with a group that have worked together for some time.”