Autumn IX

Shirley E. Witebsky

As with many of Shirley Witebsky's intaglio prints, "Autumn IX" is a composition that reflects the forces of nature. Using Abstract Expressionism as the lens, she recreates the energy of an autumn wind as it rushes though fallen leaves, or skips across the surface of a pond. The artist's exploration of layered color and texture are elegantly presented in this mid-century work.

Around 1952 Shirley Witebsky traveled from her home in Minnesapolis, Minnesota to Paris, France to study with Stanley William Hayter at Atelier 17. There, she met fellow printmaker Krishna Reddy, who had developed the the simultaneous color printmaking method (color viscosity). They were later married and she and Krishna returned to the United States. Unfortunately, Witebsky died just short of her forty-first birthday, as her style came to fruition.