Sue Oehme solo show and opening exhibition at Space Gallery. On view until February 24th.

The recent works from 2022-24 all revolve around the seemingly constant barrage of

information and ideas that enter into our consciousness via the internet, consumerism, work, self-care, and world events. As a means to achieve an end inrecognition of these elements, I turn to the use of printmaking as my primary vehicle. It’s the best way for me to get the results I want, which also incorporate many hand-painted elements. I utilize all sorts of miscellaneous ephemera culled from life’s experience, including many cast-off old plates that were previously used by some of the artists at Oehme Graphics. I cut the plates into oddly different shapes to enhance the discordant disorder I wish to enhance. If you look closely into the pieces, you can find many treasures.

Each piece goes through a similar transition to its final state: intensive inking of all the potential elements that I need with a specific color palette, preparation of numerous water-colored stencil elements; two or three ‘’runs” through the etching press to build up layers of color and shapes; and lastly, sometimes extensive, hand-painted and drawn additions to the image while it dries on the wall.

The installation works are all comprised of either printed elements or the actual ‘plates” themselves, composed on site, and pinned to the wall with various specialty tacks. I envision these pieces in advance, sometimes with preparatory sketches, but they really come together once I am physically participating in the actual space. This 3-dimesionality is new for me, and it’s always fascinating to see how the final version evolves in space or on the wall.

I must give a giant hug of credit to my amazing assistants: Chachi Riesco, Teddy Benson and Kristina Petrash. They tirelessly mixed colors, inked, cleaned-up, cut-out, grommeted and tied literally thousands of elements over the past year. Without them, this work would not be possible, and I am forever grateful.

- Sue Oehme 2024