Julie Williams - Reduction Woodcut Printmaker
Location: Flagstaff, Arizona
Julie Williams earned her BFA from Northern Arizona University and specializes in color reduction woodcuts and handmade books. She has received a number of awards for her work, including People of Print, Best of Show at the Tempe Festival of the Arts, and most recently Honorable Mention for her piece Reverence at the Tubac Center of the Arts Impressions exhibit in 2021. Her work is included in permanent public and private collections across the country.
Color reduction is a more recent modification of the centuries-old woodcut printmaking technique. They begin the same way, with an artist carving into a woodblock, and then printing the image onto paper by rolling ink onto the wood and running them together through a press. The artist does this on multiple pieces of paper to create a set of prints, called an Edition. However, with reduction printing, instead of using a new block the artist continues to carve away more areas of wood on the same block, and another layer of color is printed. Going in progression from light to dark colors, the artist prints multiple layers of color from the single block (usually between 8-24) that create the final image.
Every print in an Edition is an original piece of art that the artist has inked and run through the press. Since the previous layers are carved away, no more can be created. Printmakers pride themselves on the consistency within their Editions, and there is little to no difference between prints.
Learn more about Julie's artwork in an article in the Noise magazine featuring her and David Williams (her husband and fellow printmaker!).
Color reduction is a more recent modification of the centuries-old woodcut printmaking technique. They begin the same way, with an artist carving into a woodblock, and then printing the image onto paper by rolling ink onto the wood and running them together through a press. The artist does this on multiple pieces of paper to create a set of prints, called an Edition. However, with reduction printing, instead of using a new block the artist continues to carve away more areas of wood on the same block, and another layer of color is printed. Going in progression from light to dark colors, the artist prints multiple layers of color from the single block (usually between 8-24) that create the final image.
Every print in an Edition is an original piece of art that the artist has inked and run through the press. Since the previous layers are carved away, no more can be created. Printmakers pride themselves on the consistency within their Editions, and there is little to no difference between prints.
Learn more about Julie's artwork in an article in the Noise magazine featuring her and David Williams (her husband and fellow printmaker!).
Please visit our Online Store to order Julie's work with just a few clicks! A larger selection of her art is available in our storefront at 20 N San Francisco St in Flagstaff, AZ.