In 2015 Nordic Jazz, a group that had been performing around the Boston area for years, put out its first CD, fronted by singer (and friend) Anna-Frida Abrahamsson. I was commissioned to create the artwork for the cover.

Final Print

I created the print matrix using a technique called organza collagraph, and sometimes silk mezzotint. For the base, I used a piece of mat board that had been sealed with gesso. A piece of organza material was then adhered to the surface using a mix of acrylic medium and water. The pores in the fabric create a black screen when printed. The image is built up by applying acrylic gloss medium in layers, gradually creating grey tones and white areas. With this method, one is working from dark to light. The image was drawn onto paper and transferred to the surface of the plate. I mixed a little paint with the acrylic mixture so I could see the detail I was painting and the layering of color.

“Gentle Old River” by Nordic Jazz is available for listening on Spotify.