THE ENGRAVERS SMACKDOWN: WOOD vs METAL

Demonstrators: James Ehlers and Joanne Price

 

Graver to graver, magnifiers poised; the game is on. During this lively demonstration we will be doing an unprecedented face off between metal and wood engraving to see who comes out triumphant. On one side, we will have a formidable opponent, James Ehlers demonstrating metal engraving. James Ehlers is the only tenured professor in the U.S. to hold the title of “Firearms Engraving Guild of American Master Engraver,” and he also heads the only BFA Engraving Arts program in the U.S. On the other side, demonstrating wood engraving is Joanne Price, President of the Wood Engravers’ Network, an elected member of the Society of Wood Engravers, and owner of Starpointe Studio. Moderating the face off will be John Hancock, a University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Texas print professor and visual & performing artist. As we discuss the pros and cons of each technique, the moderator will dazzle the audience with props and performance to demonstrate close-up views of each process in action. Come see the tiniest marks made by our engravers as they discuss the differences in approach, materials, tools, process and printing. Which technique will come out at the top? Come to the demo to find out!

 

ABOUT JAMES EHLERS

James Ehlers was born and raised in Lake Charles, LA.  He earned his MFA from the University of Florida and is currently the Don and Mary Glaser Distinguished Professor of Engraving Arts at Emporia State University in Kansas — the only school in the nation to offer a BFA in Engraving Arts. Since 2007, he has given numerous engraving workshops at various events including the Frogman’s Printmaking Workshop (South Dakota), IMPACT Printmaking Conferences (Dundee, Scotland and Bristol, England), MAPC (Minnesota), and universities around the country. He has participated in group exhibitions in Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Poland, Portugal, Norway, Romania, The Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, and across the United States.  He is also recognized as a Master Engraver by the Firearms Engraving Guild of America.

 

ABOUT JOANNE PRICE

With over 25 years of professional printmaking experience and over 10 years of exhibition management, Joanne Price has made good use of her BFA from Buffalo State College (1997) and a MFA from the University of Minnesota (2002). Price is the founder and owner of Starpointe Studio (started in 2013), which specializes in printmaking and book arts providing custom illustrations, art prints, book binding design and letterpress printing. Joanne is the current President of the Wood Engravers’ Network as well as an elected member of the Society of Wood Engravers.

 

Price is honored to be included in the collections of the Guangdong Museum of Art, China; Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum, Two Rivers, WI; Yale University, New Haven, CT; University of Colorado, Boulder, CO; University of Denver, Denver, CO; University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY; Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN; and many more public and private collections.