Artist’s Notes

The origins of this project came during a family trip to Mexico. I was fascinated by relief carvings of skulls on Mayan ruins and how small variations in a repeated motif create interest and variety.

This series is most definitely inspired by Mexican art, especially that of José Guadalupe Posada, the famous printmaker known for his use of skulls in his political art and prints.

In October 2018, as a creative exercise, I began drawing a skull each day, making small changes and adding elements to personalize each drawing.

What started as simple outlines evolved into unique characters, each with its own story to tell. After completing nearly 100 drawings, I transformed select pieces into linocut prints.

This collection pairs these prints with short stories about death - some funny, some tragic, all reflecting on mortality through an artistic lens.

The stories are written using “kishotenketsu” storytelling structure, chosen for its simplicity and ability to present a thoughtful narrative and twist in each of these short stories.

I’m new to printmaking and my technique is imperfect. I’m sharing them in hopes that they might inspire others to create something better.