We were lucky to catch up with Priscila Holtz recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Priscila, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

As a linocut printmaker, what i appreciate most about my craft is the variety of skills needed to make the final product. Aside from composition and good old fashioned drawing skills, there’s carving, inking, and printing.

The carving of the linoleum has to be the most satisfying part of the process for me. At first my lines were very thick because I wasn’t familiar enough with the gouges, so my artwork wasn’t very detailed. To top that off, I was putting way too much ink on the carving, which bled into the white spaces when I pressed the paper on. It was overall a frustrating part of my learning curve.

Once I learned how much ink to put on the carving and how to press the paper properly, I realized I could do finer lines and actually work with the negative space for a more minimal look, which I’ve ended up preferring. Now I enjoy filling my art with lots of detailed lines to balance the overall darkness if working with negative space and black ink.

The biggest obstacle in this whole experience has been being patient with myself as I learn and improve my skills, as well as my tool kit. My style has changed since I started carving as a result of this improvement, and since there’s a lot I’m still learning about this medium, I need to be patient with myself as my style continues to change.

I would like to say too that another big obstacle for my learning process has been my mental health. When I’m not doing so well, I don’t spend as much time experimenting with new ideas or doing the more energy-consuming steps, like printing itself. This inevitably puts my growth on hold, but I try to have compassion for myself in those moments and keep active doing other kinds of art. It’s important to understand that an artist cannot always be producing art. Resting and taking care of our mental health is as important to the creative process as putting pencil to paper!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a queer, Mexican artist based in Canada. I moved here when I was 15 years old, and although my Mexican identity had been established well by that point, I still struggled with what it meant to now be part of another society. My one refuge from my internal confusion was art. It took me the better part of 10 years, many discarded projects, and various iterations of identity crises, to finally know myself and be able to express that with my art.

I chose printmaking as my main medium of expression because of happiness and calm I feel when carving, and the satisfaction and wonder of seeing that work be transferred onto paper. It’s quite different from, say, a painting, where you see your progress as you go. With printmaking you have to sort of imagine it all and then find out in the end what the piece actually looks like.

My prints have very specific subjects: botanical illustrations, cats, and portraits, in black ink. I like working with negative space because it allows me to add more fine detail in an unconventional way, and I like how striking the white lines look against the pure black background.

Lately I’ve been experimenting with including other media along with the printing, like gouache, and watercolours. A recent trip to Mexico reminded me how much I love the design of talavera tiles, and I’d like to introduce those motifs into my work too.

I’m really proud of the growth I’ve had since starting printmaking, and of the community I’ve built with other artists. I want to keep building that community and sharing through ink and paper the unique perspective that my identity brings me.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I think a big misconception people might have about artists in the way our creative process works. We’re used to the idea of inspiration stiking artists, who suddenly have a lightbulb moment and must immediately put brush to canvas and work non-stop until they finish.

There are certainly times when artists have those moments, and they are certainly precious. But believe me, they are not the norm. It is an investment of time and energy in various forms.

Sure, there’s the time spent on creating a beautiful piece that will end up in a gallery or in a store. There’s also the time spent creating irrelevant or even failed pieces that will never see the light of day but serve as practice to teach us what what to do, and how to do it (and maybe what not to do too). There’s the time finding inspiration, translating an idea from its formless shape to something we can actually put on paper. There’s the time spent on learning the basic rules of aesthetics, of course, and applying then to whatever ”aesthetics” means to each artist.

And something that’s not talked about enough: there’s the time spent resting our creative muscles. Not making art is as important to an artist as making art. Taking care of ourselves, investing in our social lives, and having other hobbies aside from art (especially if we make a living out of it) is incredibly necessary. Otherwise, we burn out.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

One thing I wish I had done differently as a printmaker and artist is connecting with other artists, even ones who are in different disciplines than mine.

Although I do consider making art to be a private, individual experience -a meditation of sorts-, I’ve noticed that I’ve greatly benefited from having other artists in my life. Sharing about our obstacles and how we overcome them, asking questions, or talking about things that have inspired us: it all works to make us better artists, to ignite the flame of motivation and inspiration under our seats. I’ve felt it myself and I’ve seen it happen with other artists too.

Of course, if you can find a community of artists in the same style or medium as you, all the better! We are not each other competition, and we shouldn’t be afraid of lifting each other up. Having a community benefits us all!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: priscila.holtz.studio

Image Credits
Priscila Holtz