Artçffulture
aced&clackam as.edu
Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012
The Clackamas P r in t1')
INTAGLIO: Printmaking exhibit
presses artistic style
Continued from Page 1
Priors intaglio press was used to demonstrate the careful process o f prin tm a kin g to her audience
during the opening o f the gallery on Jan. 19. The show W illrem ain open u n til Feb. 16. •
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5
IAS PRINT
w o rk d id n o t. W h ile I
becam e a w hiz at playing
“Super M ario W o rld ” an d
“T h e O c arin a o f T im e ,” m y
grades suffered, w hich was
to be expected. T h e ensuing
“n eed” to play was n o t. All
I th o u g h t a b o u t was gettin g
h om e to u nlock a new secret
level o r cheat code. M y nam e
By Isaac Soper
was B ond, Jam es B ond.
F o r m an y years, video
Arts & Culture Editor
games have been m y second
Q u a rters slam in to coin ary life, som e days th ey were
slots an d lights and so u n d even th e prim ary. M y m in d
em erge. You p u sh th e pow er has been stu c k in a c o n stan t
b u tto n on y o u r new Star y earning to play, to get m y
W ars-them ed X box 3 6 0 an d h a n d s o n a co n tro ller o r a
R 2 D 2 lets you kn o w w hat mo.use an d ru n , ju m p and
tim e it is: i t ’s tim e to close shoot.
y o u r school books, ignore
M y goal as o f th e end o f
y o u r friends a n d family, stop last sum m er was to stop m y
show ering a n d play som e b u tto n -m a sh in g d u rin g the
video games.
school year. T h a t lasted m ost
W ith th e o p e n in g o f o f fall term . As th e en d o f
Stryker’s M a in Street A rcade the term neared, I th o u g h t
in d o w n to w n O reg o n C ity I co u ld get away w ith play
last m o n th , it brings to m y ing som e console em ulators
a tte n tio n the love/hate rela on m y laptop, w hich tu rn e d
tio n sh ip I have w ith video in to play in g nearly every
games. O n th e on e h a n d , day.
I get to be a character th a t
D u rin g w in te r break ,
changes th e w orld, w h e th er “L.A. N o ire ” w as fin ally
it’s a super-spy chasing dow n released for P C , a gam e th a t I
y our form er p a rtn e r tu rn e d was literally w aitin g for since
nem esis, a m in e r digging to its a n n o u n ce m e n t in 20 0 6 .
th e core o f th e E arth w hile I co u ld n ’t play it enough. I
fig h tin g for survival o r an am a huge fan o f th e film
Italian p lu m b e r sto m p in g n o ir genre an d being able to
on m ushroom s a n d in n o ce n t “live” in th a t w orld was fun
tu rtles, I get to be som ebody w hile it lasted. T h e n “L.A,
th a t I ’m n o t. O n th e other, N o ire” ended a n d w h at d id I
w hile I am h u n tin g dow n w ant? M ore. As th e R olling
S torm troopers w ith a lig h t Stones said lo n g ago, “I can’t
saber, I c o u ld be w riting, I get no satisfaction.”
co u ld be hiking, I co u ld be
P la y in g v id eo gam es,
living.
albeit e n te rta in in g an d usu
W h en I take the role o f a ally an in s ta n t source o f
video gam e character, I feel pleasure, always gives m e the
n o p ain, I am invincible, I reeling th a t I ’ve d o n e som e
am capable o f great things: th in g w rong afterw ard, th a t
I can save th e w orld. In I ’ve w asted so m u ch tim e;
th e real w orld I am w eak, I ’ve lived as th is video gam e
th ere ’s n o “so ft reset” for c h a ra c te r fo r tw o h o u rs
m e. H ealing doesn’t com e in w hen I c o u ld have been liv
th e form o r p o tio n s o r m ed- in g m y ow n journey, m y
packs, it com es from expen ow n adventure.
sive hospitals.
O n e w eek ago, I m ade
As a k id , I grew u p w ith th e decision to stop playing
th e know ledge th a t m y o lder video gam es. So I m n o t a
b ro th e r h id a Sega G enesis detective, n o r am I a Jedi.
in the a ttic w ith a copy o f T h e lo n g in g to play is still
“M o rtal K o m b at.” T h o u g h there b u t th a t’s okay, because
I h a d never played a video I am a h u m an . I have w eak
gam e a t th e tim e, th e dragon nesses th a t I have to keep in
logo o n th a t plastic cartridge m in d . I have p o w e rs th a t I
beguiled m e. “Play m e,” it c a n . bu ild up o n . I am n o t
hissed.
lim ite d to 30 p re -d e fin ed
I d id n ’t ow n a gam ing skills th a t I can acquire over
console o r a decen t cq tn p u te r a p e rio d o f 20 levels. I am
u n til m id d le school, w h e n a b e tte r th a n any video gam e
frien d gave m e his o u td ate d character. M y adventure is
N in te n d o 6 4 a n d I b o u g h t real a n d th e ch allenge is
a Super N in te n d o from the a sto u n d in g . I d o n ’t know th e
n o w -d e fu n c t
G a m e C ra z y en d yet, because this quest
th a t was in O re g o n City. has m o re gam eplay th a n
G a m in g follow ed; h o m e “Skyrim .”
In etching, an image is etched into a plate and
in k is pressed in, then after rubbing away the
excess ink, a wet piece o f paper is pressed onto the
plate. T he plate and paper are covered by a thick
blanket to ensure even pressure and a rolling press
applies very high pressure to the plate. T he blan
ket is then lifted, revealing the paper and printed
image. It is a process that requires focus and detail,
but can produce some great artistic results in the
end.
T he gallery really seemed alive and abuzz with
excitement as curiosity piqued people’s interest,
with some people just stopping by to see what the
comm otion was. A rt students seemed taken by the
resentation and many hovered around Prior like
oney bees. They asked her a few questions about
her work, which she was glad to answer.
| / “It’s great because printm aking is an antiquated
process that uses images, textile, wax, metal and
machines. Its very satisfying work,” said Prior. “J
would encourage others fo pursue this form o f art.
It can be very gratifying.”
Students and com m unity members who were
in attendance at the gallery’s opening seemed
A rtist N ancy Prior wipes in k o ff o f a sheet o f
entranced with the art, studying it and trying to
derive a meaning from it, to interpret it for them copper w ith a sponge.
selves. They even got see Prior do a live demonstra
tion o f printm aking right in the gallery, which was impressive. N ot to mention the food really made
a very unique and interesting process.
m y day,” said Otnes.
> “It’s pretty great that you can look at the art * So whether it was the food, the art or just the
while you see a live demonstration, :at-die same general comm otion that drew viewers in, the show
time. Simply fantastic.” said Clackamas student had a very pleasant opening day and hopefully will
Ryan Otnes.
continue to hold people’s interest during its run.
It seemed to be a hit amongst those who were Everyone should take a look, if just to see the art. It
there and the free refreshments were a plus. “It’s couldn’t hurt to take a chance. O ne may come to
very interesting. T he art is excellent and pretty find a new love for the art o f intaglio printmaking.