Jim Powlan

There are several reoccurring themes in my work, love, relationships, turning points in life and the Hawaiian Islands.

I work with a reverence of traditional techniques and materials while pushing the boundaries of what they are and have been.

Color and texture have always attracted me. I create one of a kind etchings hand printed on silk highlighting both as well as deeply etched copper that is painted and then clear coated.

Often my work reads as a painting but as it draw’s you in there is much more. The combination of etching, painting, and or printing create a textural image that cannot be duplicated with other mediums.

I blend traditional European style of etching ( Intaglio ) and oil based inks with Asian silk and it’s sense of feel. The silk after printing is archivally mounted onto plywood using scroll mounting techniques.

Some years back I worked primarily with representational images. In more recent years I have moved more to contemporary abstract work. That said I sometimes drift back and do what I call non traditional Hawaiiana using semi abstract images to tell the story of Hawaii, it’s discovery and peoples.

I start with polished copper plates which for me represent new life and how perfect it is. I then etch my plates in acid for 24 hours. This simulates the bumps and bruises, highs and lows of life creating deep relief images etched in to the plate. As in life itself each plate and print tells its own story.

I hand ink the copper plates and print on silk I source from Japan. I will only print an image between one to three times but each is one of a kind as they are printed on different types of silk or with different color inks. Sometimes I will etch a plate and never print it but paint it and turn it into a one of a kind art piece right away.

Whether printing from the copper plate or not I will then take the deeply etched metal and ink, paint and clear coat it. The clear coating adds UV protection. The coated copper is so durable it can be displayed in an outdoor setting. The copper can be mounted on silk, framed in wood or hung as is to give it a more modern look. Sometimes I bend the copper before painting and mount onto wood forms making them sculptural wall pieces.