Umbrella Feathers, lithograph. Series of three. 2025.
In this self portrait I am exploring my identity with dual citizenship from England. There, I'm seen as sweet innocent Emily. Here, others see me differently. That lack of familial recognition can feel isolating.
The process of lithography depends on the relationship between oil and water. I used a wax crayon to draw my image and then use rosin, talc, and gum arabic in the etching process to solidify the image in the stone. I found that using the crayon was rather intuitive to use. I enjoyed using contrast to intensify different parts of the composition. Some of the marks from printing had covered the characters face with a blemish that was not in the original drawing. The detail smudging on the face was not intentional but appeared after inking the stone. These blemishes add to the over arching narrative about how I am perceived in the two countries.
