s3e10 making etching color palettes for artists with printer Julia Samuels, Overpass Projects

Platemark: prints and the printmaking ecosystem

In s3e10, Platemark hosts Ann Shafer and Ben Levy talk with Julia Samuels, master printer and owner of Overpass Projects, Pawtucket, RI. Ann and Ben were thrilled to visit Overpass in person for the recording of this episode. It’s so great to see what guests are talking about and to be able to take photographs of the space, artists, and prints.

Julia creates her own work primarily in black-and-white linoleum cuts, but is, in fact, a natural colorist—it comes easily to her. She is on a mission to economize colors for artists she works with, and she often creates palettes for them to plan their projects from. She has created such palettes for artists working in both screenprint and etching—two very different techniques requiring different approaches to layering colors. Sounds complicated, and, for me, it is. See if you agree.

Ben Levy, Julia Samuels, and Ann Shafer at Overpass Projects, August 2022.

Overpass Projects, Pawtucket, RI.

Julia Samuels with screenprinted color palettes.

Andrew Raftery (American, born 1962). Autobiography of a Garden on Twelve Engraved Plates, 2009–2016. Set of twelve earthenware dinner plates with transferred engravings (recto and verso). Each plate: 12 1/2 × 12 1/2 in. (31.8 × 31.8 cm.). Courtesy Mary Ryan Gallery, New York.

Julia Samuels shows the color palette she designed to help the artist with his project. Michael Menchaca (American, born 1985). LA RAZA COSMICA 20XX, 2021. A suite of 16 screenprints. Sheet (each): 21 x 22 ½ inches. Printed by Julia Samuels at Overpass Projects.

Michael Menchaca (American, born 1985). LA RAZA COSMICA 20XX, 2021. A suite of 16 screenprints. Sheet (each): 21 x 22 ½ inches. Printed by Julia Samuels at Overpass Projects.

Venn diagrams created for Eric Diehl.

Three plates, three inks, myriad colors, by Julia Samuels at Overpass Projects.

Three-plate etching by Julia Samuels at Overpass Projects.

Color gradations in etching by Julia Samuels at Overpass Projects.

Eric Diehl (American, born 1984). Resting Snake, Suburbia, 2017. Three color etching with line etching and aquatint. Plate: 17 7/8 x 15 7/8 inches; sheet: 22 x 19 inches. Printed by Julia Samuels at Overpass Projects.

Color gradients in etching by Julia Samuels at Overpass Projects.

Julia Samuels (American, born 1985). Carpenter and Dean Streets, 2017. Linoleum cut. Image: 12 1/4 x 16 1/8 inches; sheet: 16 x 12 inches. Printed and published by the artist at Overpass Projects.

USEFUL LINKS

Overpass Projects’ website

Overpass Projects’ Instagram