Laura Casas Valle, a graphic artist based in Arnhem, The Netherlands.
Laura Casas Valle is firstly fascinated by the etching technique, which using hair-thin lines on paper, and in combination with another technique called aquatint, allows her to produce beautiful images with sharp details and contrasting deep and dark coloured areas.
The etching technique is however a difficult and elaborate process to produce an image, that requires not only a lot of concentration and physical strength to control, but also reverse image-thinking. The artist first needs to work on the image using the etching needle on waxy zinc or other metal plates, drawing lines and scraping off the wax to expose the bare metal for the larger tinted areas. The metal plates then undergo a chemical process with acid baths, carving the bare metal to form cannelures and eroding surfaces to hold the ink. When finished, these plates will be pressed onto paper to produce a number of editions of the image.
The human figure is a recurring element in Laura Casas Valle’s works, while the architectural elements and colour intensity create the sense of depth. In her new works she explores the spatial quality of her images and the boundaries of the two-dimensional flat etching prints, into 3-dimensional creations permitting the viewers to literally peek inside the artworks.
Born:
Amersfoort, 1974, The Netherlands
Education:
Propedeuse Kunstgeschiedenis en Archeologie, Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen (1997 – 1998)
Propedeuse Spaans, Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen (1997 – 1998)
Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Arnhem, Vrije Kunst (1993 – 1997)
Artist’s website:
https://www.lauracasasvalle.nl/
