I enjoy using macro photography to explore the textures, patterns, and semi-abstract forms of small subjects. When COVID hit, I turned to the many plants in our yard as subjects. Fortunately, my wife is a native plant gardener so there is lots of variety, though I’ve expanded the range of my explorations since then. I am an admirer of wood engraving and when I began to work with these subjects in black and white, I saw in them some of the characteristics I admire in wood engraving prints. This is especially true when printed on art paper. After testing a variety of papers, I’ve settled on a textured etching paper from the German company Hahnemühle founded in 1584. Their inkjet papers are based on traditional fiber art papers using old recipes. Since my educational background is in European history, and my Anabaptist religious tradition is rooted in the 16th century, this is especially meaningful for me. Often lost in the digital age are the visual and tactile qualities of the print as physical artifact. Viewing and handling a fine print is quite a different experience from viewing a photo on a screen. I especially enjoy small, intimate prints and have been printing these images 5x7” on 8 ½ x 11 textured German etching paper. If you are interested in purchasing any of these signed prints, please contact me through this website.