ABOUT DIANE
Diane T. Marks is an artist, printmaker and teacher currently residing in Oregon after retiring from a nationally recognized and awarded teaching career at the Houston High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, The University of Houston Clear Lake, and The Kinkaid School in Houston, TX. Diane is a native of Florida and graduated from Florida State University with a BFA in painting and printmaking. A scholarship from the University of Dallas took her to Texas where she earned her MFA mentored by the innovative printmaker Juergen Strunck. After graduating, she worked in CA as an assistant professor in art for Cerritos College where she helped build and design a Printmaking program. Marks has also worked at museums, print studios, galleries and schools throughout her career. Her award-winning art has been exhibited nationally.
PRINTMAKING TECHNIQUES
I love making prints because the final artistic result can be simple, complex, unique or even a surprise for me as an artist. I choose printmaking techniques that I think might best illustrate my intentions. Often this might be Intaglio, which includes drypoint engraving, etching and aquatint. I also utilize the techniques of monotype, photogravure, paper lithography, silkscreen, polaroid lifts and polaroid transfers.
I print by overlaying two or more main plates, which means that the original paper may be run through the press several times. I layer my art pieces with various hues to create moods and incorporate a variety of drawing marks that hint at figurative imagery. The multiple technical layers in my work imply multiple conceptual layers of thought.
As I allow myself to investigate possibilities within the plates in every print I make, I’m not interested in printing these plates as traditional editions. Consequently, the signage is artist proof followed by a number, A/P 1, A/P 2 etc. or unique print, U/P 1, U/P 2, etc.
