Katie Caulk
Self-taught, print-maker Katie Caulk has carved over 100 linoleum blocks. Her vibrant multicolored linocuts create a contemporary vibe to traditional compositions.
Linocut is a relief printmaking technique carving into a linoleum block, inking and then pulling a print by hand (no printing press). “Not only is printmaking a challenge, but it’s fun to take a simple sketch and make it as complicated and error-prone as possible,” jokes Katie.
In 2009, retiring at the age of 61, Caulk devoted full time as an artist, mastering the “reductive” process after studying Picasso’s methodology. Using a single linoleum block for all colors, the image emerges after a progressive series of carvings and printings. “Because I am essentially ‘destroying’ the block, once my printing edition is complete, that’s it! Consequently, my editions are extremely limited, often no more than ten in a series.”
Caulk finds inspiration in the Sierra foothills, her imagination, and by photos she’s taken during her and husband Bob’s travel adventures. Katie’s linocuts have been published as book covers, featured in articles, enjoyed by collectors nationwide, and earned multiple awards.
