Hat Lady

Intaglio Print

60 cm x 45 cm

In the intaglio process, an image is etched in wax and then placed in an acid bath so that the image can be eaten into the metal plate. Each time the artist feels satisfied with a state, she makes a print, then continues with a new coat of wax and new etching. Each state, therefore, is unique. In this case, only one of each state exists.

On assignment for a college photography class, I walked the Columbia Mall looking for a person to photograph. In the Kokopelli shop, I found lots of big hats, attractive saleswomen and no customers--a situation which netted me permission to set up. I asked the young women to try hats on and shot them in various poses; interrupting for customer service, of course. After I developed and printed the film, I decided I could use one shot as the basis for a large intaglio print, and I drew the young lady in wax.

The Hat Lady represents that feminine side of us which has largely been submerged in favor of more practical dress and attitude; that whimsical, delicate and charming politeness of nature which some parts of our generation eschews because males disparaged it. We should not allow their blindness regarding the contributions of women to the warp and weft of civilization to determine our view of our inherent natures. Rather, I would celebrate our caring sensitivities, our child bearing and rearing, our homemaking, and all that heroic intelligent life-giving loving and caring which sustains our civilization and not only makes life bearable, but raises it to art.