Valerie Syposz

I have always been inspired by direct observation and experience of my physical surroundings. Travelling for exhibitions, artist-in-residence programs and school and moving often, my surroundings have spanned multiple countries. Through these relocations, my images slowly transformed from portrayals of objective reality into more subjective depictions. My images remain figurative, focusing now on the inner world of those portrayed.Currently I work with relief (woodcut, linocut and wood engraving) and lithographic techniques that allow me to print by hand at home without the need for a specialized printmaking studio. Wood engravings are special in how they are miniature in scale yet filled with rich detail, allowing for an intimate encounter between the viewer and image. I love the ethereal effects that can be achieved by layering colours and printing with subtle gradients in linocut and woodcut. Lithography offers a more direct mark-making approach that can be worked to various degrees of refinement.What attracts me to printmaking is the unique aesthetics of each print technique as well as the importance on both the creative and technical aspects. I love the entire process of printmaking—planning, preparing plates, printing, problem-solving; the craftsmanship involved. I think there is something very special about indirect art techniques—where the plates and blocks you spend hours, days, even weeks carving, drawing, or etching are not the finished product. All the extra steps required make the final artwork ever more rewarding.

Valerie Syposz (Canada, born 1984) studied printmaking in Canada and Japan. Her practice, focused on hand-printing, offers glimpses into the inner world of those portrayed.Valerie Syposz was born in Ottawa, Canada. She obtained a BFA from Concordia University, where she studied a wide array of print media, including intaglio, lithography, and serigraphy. In 2010 Syposz was selected as a Japanese Government MEXT Scholar and moved to Tokyo. She received an MFA in printmaking from Tokyo University of the Arts, focusing on ball-grained plate lithography. After graduating from a formal arts education, Syposz began a new chapter of self-study in mokuhanga, wood engraving, and, more recently, alternative methods of lithography.Syposz continues to focus her creation on printmaking in its many forms, usually with hand-printed techniques. She has held solo exhibitions in Canada, Japan, Australia, Norway, and Korea. She has participated in multiple artist-in-residence programs, including at Guanlan Original Printmaking Base, Lademoen Kunstnerverksteder and the Ottawa School of Art. Syposz continues to exhibit extensively in group exhibitions in North America, Europe, and Asia.