Growing from the roots
About the studio
Taller Radal is a self-managed creative initiative based in Villa Los Coihues, Bariloche, Patagonia Argentina. With more than thirty years of experience in the field of graphics, this workshop has hosted various initiatives in the field of art and graphics.
Since 2013 we have had our own building on the same property where the artist Marta Di Bitetti lives. The studio, workshop and artist residence facilities emerged as a project to give rise to her extensive artistic and teaching activity. Her interest was always linked to the development of printmaking and experimental printing media by the dissemination of techniques through teaching and the exchange of experiences with other artists.
Artist Marta Di Bitetti standing at the door of the studio, November 204.
One of the first experiences was carried out in the summer of 2013 when the artists of the Tormenta collective from the city of La Plata gave their screen printing workshops. At that time the workshop space was under construction and there was minimal equipment to work with.
Then in 2017, the chalcographic press was incorporated and the first printing experiences with a press began.
Silkscreen workshop with "Colectivo Tormenta", Jan 2013.
In 2021, the printmaker Kimey Catalano moved to Bariloche and approached the studio with the proposal to carry out etching with non-toxic mordant salts based on his teaching experience in the Printmaking Department at Rosario National University, Faculty of Humanities and Art. From this moment on, the studio gained new strength with the approach to sustainable production procedures.
Etching with salin mordents workshop with Kimey Catalano, March 2022.
In May 2024 we organized a less toxic printmaking seminar with the presence of the artist Pablo Delfini to promote this activity and disseminate the book that he has published compiling techniques and experiences. Short workshops were offered to develop new experiences with different techniques: lemon gum lithography on aluminum plate, intaglio on tetrapack, water-based monotypes and gelatin matrices. With the attendance of artists from Bariloche, San Martín de los Andes, Lago Puelo, Epuyén and General Roca, this meeting meant a boost for less toxic graphics throughout the region. For a week we worked, shared experiences and talked about our vision of art and graphics in the middle of an intense snowfall.
Pablo Delfini introducing his book "Less toxic printmaking" at Inefable Cafe.
Marta Di Bitetti and Pablo Delfini at Lake Gutierrez near Taller Radal.
Pablo Delfini explaning how to polish aluminium plates with sand.
Fat elements to draw on aluminum plate.
Preparation of gum arabic with lemon for lithography on the plate.
Pablo Delfini preparing the plate to print.
Printing a lemon gum lithography plate.
Lemon gum lithography.
Pablo Delfini explaining how to make an intaglio on tetrapack sheet.
Cutting the tetrapack plate to make an intaglio.
Tetrapack plate inking.
Tetrapack intaglio.
Filling the molds to make gelatin matrices.
Molds for gelatin matrices.
Water monotype workshop for families.
Painting with watercolors in the water monotype workshop.
Printing water montypes.
Marta Di Bitetti and Pablo Delfini exchange their aprons at the end of the meeting.
Simultaneously, we began a series of short residencies aimed at disseminating, learning and deepening less toxic printmaking techniques.
These experiences are focused on three modalities:
→ Basic Training Residency
A printmaking learning residency program aimed at artists from other technical fields or art students.
→ Guided Specialization Residency
Aimed at printmaking artists who want to break new ground or try different things, especially in the field of non-toxic printmaking process.
→ Self-Directed Residency
This type of residency offers time and space to carry out a printmaking project independently, applying all the techniques and resources available at the studio. It is an invitation to engage with your practice and creative process. This residency is conceived for emerging, mid-career and established artists who wish to work independently on research and/or production.
Some of the testimonies of artists in residence who carried out this experience:
"Days of artistic residency at Taller Radal reconnecting with printmaking to continue investigating and deepening my work, working with aquatint and etching hand in hand with less toxic engraving. Everything happened surrounded by incredible landscapes that fed and enriched the work process. All in happiness and gratitude." @guadalupebujan
Guadalupe Bujan from Buenos Aires polishing an iron plate.
Guadalupe Bujan in Taller Radal.
The artist Guadalupe Bujan and her first state proof.
Final Talk with the artist Guadaulpe Bujan sharing her experience.
Such an amazing and inspiring experience at Taller Radal in Villa los Coihues just outside of Bariloche, Argentina. Carly Dahl and I thoroughly enjoyed the supportive atmosphere and inspiring locale. Thanks Marta Di Bitetti and Kimey Catalano for assisting us so greatly in our etching and printing process. I highly recommend the experience to my artist friends. Such a great place to live and work on art.
Dustyn Bork
@
dustyn_bork_art
Carly doing an aquatint on zinc plate.
Carly printing her plate.
Carly printing her etching and aquatint with chine collé.
Dustyn and Carly working on less toxic intaglio.
Dustyn working on one of his zinc plate projects.
Dustyn and our printing assistant Kimey.
Dustyn and our printing assistant Kimey working with the etching press.
Kimey performing a print test for an Dustyn's intaglio on tretapack.
Fulfilling wishes, dreams, and years in the best place surrounded by greats like Marta Di Bitetti and Kimey Catalano. What more could you ask for! Forever thankful.
Ivana Aruz
@iviaruz
Ivana Aruz carrying out an artist proof of her etching on zinc plate.
