Bill Ritchie design work in California
in the
Cathy Immordino Collection
The passive and active sides of Cathy's halfwood press
Galleon Halfwood Press No. 17
Comment: In her work as a photographer, Cathy learned the old-time method of photogravure, with carbon paper, ". . . the way it's supposed to be done!" She's able to turn her negatives into etched metal plates, and then she can print them intaglio with black etching ink - or colors. Not only does the photogravure method give a depth and tone to her images not seen in silver photos, but also she can also incorporate a range of effects possible only with ink-on-paper printing (including chine colle, varieties of papers, wiping methods, etc.) As she is an actor she may find her Galleon Halfwood press opens up a new stage in her performance art repertoire.
Five-year old takes proofs from his printing plate, "Elephant"
About Cathy Immordino: Cathy is an artist and actor. Her art spans photography and printmaking from photogravure plates. In her book, "Dominican Republic 2/2011," you can see hundreds of her travel photos - and buy it online. Her bio is copied here with her permission: "Cathy Immordino grew up in the suburbs of Minneapolis where she was exposed to the arts before she even spoke a word. Around the age of five, she was gifted a Polaroid instant camera to help occupy her time as her bones healed from a destructive car accident. That was when Cathy developed a keen eye for the arts and noticed the world around her differently. It wasn’t until after a career as an entertainer that Cathy considered her photography as more than just a hobby. In 2008, her first assignments were to photograph the nightlife of Los Angeles at places like the Playboy Mansion and stadiums turned into massive raves. Cathy grew out of photographing the nightlife as soon as she discovered fine art and the possibilities of digital manipulation. In 2009, Cathy began exhibiting her work in galleries and online exhibitions. As an emerging photographer, she is one of 160 Los Angeles photographers to be featured in the 2010 Month of Photography Los Angeles, better known as MOPLA. Cathy hopes to one day take over the fine art of photography world with a unique edge to make a name for herself in this world."
Cathy's statement on the Web: "I started photographing to remember the world that exists at that particular time in my life. I remember looking through everything my mother photographed several years earlier when I was a child and noticed how much the world around us has changed. Now, I photograph people, places and things to bring awareness and also to completely change them in the final print. Every picture I take I want the viewers to be moved to change the way they perceive the world around them. I have become fascinated at manipulating several photos to achieve a new directing for my photography based art. I have always wanted to make my photography more personalized by adding a signature trait. In this case, I choose to hand gild the entire Bonsai series to enhance the overall perception of the image viewed. In complete amazement of the final result, I knew this will be my signature addition to my photographs from here on out. I am inspired lately by Japanese artwork and anything related to babies. I also love to travel to places that are nothing like where I live and photograph everything little inch that I love about that area. I am a frequent visitor to the Dominican Republic, where I have a house and sponsor a tiny village in the north called Las Canas. As life evolves, so will my photography and style of artistic manipulation."
Cathy Immordino's press: Completed in 2016. Galleon Halfwood Press. Serial No. 90017. Specifications: Roller diameter 2 1/4" x 9" long, top and bottom. Bed is 5/16" polycarbonate, 9" x 26". The overall length is 27"; overall width is 13 3/4"; overall height is 15". Weight is 50 lbs.; Drive wheel is 12" diameter stainless steel. The bed is rack-driven, approximating a 3:1 mechanical advantage. Woods used are American black walnut with wenge interlayering. The pressure screws are linked and synchronized. The press included three etching felts, User's Manual and PressGhost memory and USB extension cable for connecting to a computer.
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