RESIDUAL INK DRAWINGS plays with reclaimed ink from the inkjet printing process to consider our understanding of photographic reproductions as objects by placing them within the world they describe and the one they inhabit. Read full statement HERE  

    Inspired by the early modernist artists who experimented in the darkroom making photograms and chemograms, I turned to the digital darkroom to play and experiment with the materials of inkjet printing. Celebrating and exploiting their unique beauty, the inks, materials and processes of the digital darkroom become my subject. This is an ongoing project that I began in 2014.


    I begin my process by collecting empty ink cartridges from various professional and consumer inkjet printers and then pour, stamp, rub or roll the unused ink directly onto photo rag paper, allowing the materials to take the lead in the forms they create. These unique drawings are then digitally reproduced (scanned and printed via an inkjet printer) and displayed side by side setting up the tension between the “thing” and the representation of the “thing”. The materiality and appearance of the two prints are similar yet one is generated by chance directly from materials, the other is a photographic clone translated through digital data. One IS something while the other is a representation OF something.  The copy is never perfect and when placed beside its source print, the slippage becomes apparent. I invite the viewer to carefully examine the difference between the sensibility of touch and that which is derived from pixels and codes.


    I adhere to a system determined in part by myself, and in part by the manufacturer of the printer. Many of the used ink cartridges are gifted to me by fellow artists, bringing a communal aspect to the work. 

    Epson Stylus Photo 2100 Ann (2021)
    Reclaimed Epson Ink on Hahnemumhle Photo Rag Paper (top) / Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (bottom)
    16 unique 11" x 17" assembled folded prints
    Epson WorkForce 645 16.01 Paula (2016)
    Reclaimed Epson Ink on Hahnemumhle Photo Rag Paper (top) / Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (bottom)
    8 unique 4.25”x5.5” assembled prints
    Epson Stylus Color 600 15.01 Sarah (2015)
    Reclaimed Epson Ink on Hahnemumhle Photo Rag Paper (top) / Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (bottom)
    8 unique 4.25”x5.5” assembled prints
    Epson Stylus Photo R 1900 19.15 Liz (2019)
    Reclaimed Epson Ink on Hahnemumhle Photo Rag Paper (top) / Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (bottom)
    16 unique 8.5”x10” assembled prints
    Epson Artisan 700 18.01 Oliver (2018)
    Reclaimed Epson Ink on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (top) / Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (bottom)
    12 unique 4” x 8” folded assembled prints
    Epson Stylus Photo Pro 1900 9 Gloss Optimizers and 1 Light Magenta (2018)
    Reclaimed Epson Ink on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (left) / Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (right)
    2 unique 6.5" x 8" assembled prints
    Epson Stylus Photo Pro 1900 9 Gloss Optimizers and 1 Light Cyan (2018)
    Reclaimed Epson Ink on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (left) / Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (right)
    2 unique 6.5" x 8" assembled prints
    Epson Stylus Photo R 2000 17.02 Liz (2017)
    Reclaimed Epson Ink on Hahnemumhle Photo Rag Paper (top) / Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (bottom)
    16 unique folded 4.5”x13” assembled prints
    Epson Stylus Pro 2200 16.01 Ann (2016)
    Reclaimed Epson Ink on Hahnemumhle Photo Rag Paper (top) / Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (bottom)
    12 unique folded 4” x 8” assembled prints
    Epson Stylus Pro 3880 17.05 Mary Ellen (2017)
    Reclaimed Epson Ink on Hahnemumhle Photo Rag Paper (left of each color) / Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (right of each color)
    18 unique folded 5.5”x22” assembled prints
    Epson WorkForce Pro 4720 19.14 Tom (2019)
    Reclaimed Epson Ink on Hahnemumhle Photo Rag Paper (top) / Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (bottom)
    8 unique 4.25”x5.5” assembled prints
    Epson WorkForce Pro 3720 19.13 Paul (2019)
    Reclaimed Epson Ink on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Paper (top) / Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (bottom)
    8 unique 4.25”x5.5” assembled prints
    Canon Pixma Pro 1 19.06 Barbara (2019)
    Reclaimed Canon Ink on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Paper (small) / Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (large)
    12 unique 5.5” x 5.5” and 12 unique 11” x 11” assembled prints
    7 Random Blacks, 8 Gloss Optimizers, 1 Magenta Liz (2018)
    Reclaimed Ink on Hahnemumhle Photo Rag Paper (left) / Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (right)
    2 unique 11” x 13” assembled prints
    Epson Stylus Photo R 1900 15 Black, 1 Orange Liz (2018)
    Reclaimed Epson Ink on Hahnemumhle Photo Rag Paper (left) / Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (right)
    2 unique 11” x 13” assembled prints
    Epson Stylus Pro CYMK 0+90/180-90 Renate (2018)
    Reclaimed Epson Ink on Hahnemumhle Photo Rag Paper (small) / Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (large)
    4 unique 11”x 11” and 4 unique 5.5” x 5.5” assembled
    Epson Stylus Pro CYMK +180-180 Mary Ellen (2018)
    Reclaimed Epson Ink on Hahnemumhle Photo Rag Paper (center) / Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper
    8 unique 11”x 11” and 1 5.5” x 5.5” assembled
    HP Office Jet 8000 16.01 Paula (2016)
    Reclaimed HP Ink on Hahnemumhle Photo Rag Paper (top)/ Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (bottom)
    8 unique 4.25” x 5.5” assembled prints
    HP Office Jet 8000 16.02 Paula (2016)
    Reclaimed HP Ink on Hahnemumhle Photo Rag Paper (top) / Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (bottom)
    8 unique 4.25” x 5.5” assembled prints
    Epson Stylus Pro 3880 14.66 Mary (2014)
    Reclaimed Epson Ink on Hahnemumhle Photo Rag Paper (left) / Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (right)
    2 unique 13” x 19” assembled prints
    Epson Stylus Pro 3880 14.74 Mary (2014)
    Reclaimed Epson Ink on Hahnemumhle Photo Rag Paper (left) / Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (right)
    2 unique 13” x 19” assembled prints
    Epson Stylus Photo R 1900 17.01 (2017)
    Reclaimed Epson Ink on Hahnemumhle Photo Rag Paper (left) / Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (right)
    2 unique 4.5" x 7.5" assembled prints
    Canon Pixma MG 6620 17.02 (2017)
    Reclaimed Canon Ink on Hahnemumhle photo rag paper (left) / Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (right)
    2 unique 4" x 4.5" assembled prints
    14.10 (2014)
    Reclaimed Ink on Hahnemumhle Photo Rag Paper (left) / Inkjet Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper (right)
    2 unique 3.5" x 5" assembled prints