October Note 1 – 4

‘What I like about etching is that it is a mental and physical construction involving both a direct and an indirect process. And there is nothing like an etched line. It carries an authority, presence and weight all its own. Even haphazard incidental lines, random scratches, and the most delicate wavering marks remain with clarity.’
– John Zurier

The soft ground etchings from Zurier’s October series (2017) were influenced by the experimental prints of the Dutch artist Hercules Seghers (1589–1638), one of the most innovative and prolific print makers of his time. Seghers’ experimental printmaking practice involved pulling prints in different colours from one matrix, producing highly diverse versions of the same motive. Referencing this strategy, Zurier had his four plates printed both in a colour and in a grey version.
John Zurier’s October series is completed by four black-and-white line etchings entitled October Notes. They convey the carefree intimacy of small drawings in a sketchbook.