Digital Atelier
Digital Atelier is an artist collaborative consisting of Bonny Pierce Lhotka, Karin Schminke, and Dorothy Simpson Krause, known for their innovative blend of traditional fine art techniques with digital technologies.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] Their artistic contributions have had a substantial influence on the fields of printmaking and photography, introducing new avenues for artistic expression.[9][10][11][12][13]
History
Members of Digital Atelier met at a workshop called “Beyond the Digital Print” at Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 1994. Subsequently a few of the attendees began to exhibit together and explore the viability of new digital tools. They adopted the name "Unique Editions" and began showcasing their work. In 1996 they collaborated on a three-week group artist-in-residency program at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, known as “The Digital Atelier: Printing for the 21st Century”. During this residency, Lhotka, Schminke, and Krause initiated their collaborative efforts under the name Digital Atelier.
The Digital Atelier operates in multiple locations including Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; Boulder, Colorado; and Seattle, Washington. Their artworks incorporate digital tools with traditional techniques such as painting, collage, mixed media, photography, image transfer/ monotype, print, and artist books. These pieces are created on a variety of surfaces including plywood, silk, rusty metal, wood, and handmade substrates.
The Digital Atelier has been at the forefront of embracing digital tools. This position has led them to consult with manufacturers of inkjet, UV, and flatbed large format printers, as well as with ink and media developers. They have encouraged the development of technologies that are suitable for fine artists, such as improving the permanence of printer inks and ensuring flexible head clearance to accommodate artist media. They have successfully refined and marketed paintable inkjet precoats specifically designed for artists. Examples of their expertise in developing original techniques for artists to integrate digital tools with traditional artist materials include processes for transferring inkjet prints onto different surfaces, printing on non-porous surfaces, and layering ink-jet prints with traditional artist media.
The collaborative also functions as a traveling educational forum, demonstrating and promoting the potential of digital tools for artists. In 1997 they were invited by the Vinalhaven Press & Foundation to work with museum curators from around the US to help them envision Media for the New Millennium. As a result of that workshop, they were invited by the Brooklyn Museum of Art to demonstrate digital printmaking techniques in conjunction with the opening of their museum's 27th Print National exhibition titled "Digital: Printmaking Now" and did workshops and presentations at colleges and conferences, including large gatherings like the Southern Graphics Council and MacWorld.
Influence and recognition
Since its inception, the collaborative has worked to redefine the realms of digital art and printmaking.[14][15][16][17] For example, in 1998, the collaborative received an invitation from Harvey K. Littleton Studios to delve into the exploration of digital imagery through vitreography, a printmaking method pioneered by Littleton. The collaborative efforts of Lhotka, Schminke, and Krause remain dedicated to pushing the boundaries of digital art and printmaking.[18][19][20][21][22][23]
The impact of Digital Atelier extends beyond their collaborative, reaching both the art and academic communities. Their artistic contributions have garnered recognition within the fields of printmaking and photography, often cited in relevant literature, and serve as exemplars of the creative utilization of digital technologies in fine art.[24][25][26] Their work was recognized at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, where they received a Smithsonian/Computerworld Technology in the Arts Award, and their work was included in the permanent collection of the Museum. Exhibitions featuring their work prominently showcase their approach, which seamlessly integrates traditional and digital techniques.[3][27][16][17][7][8] The American Print Alliance traveled the exhibition, “Work from the Digital Art Studio" for several years. Their influence on digital art has been substantial. By sharing information about discovered processes through workshops, visiting artists, artist-in-residencies, presentations, publications including their book, they inspire emerging artists to explore digital technologies as tools for artistic expression.[9][12][13]
Books
Digital Atelier has authored several publications that contribute to the literature on digital art techniques. Notable works include:
- Karin Schminke, Dorothy Simpson Krause, Bonny Pierce Lhotka, Digital Art Studio: Techniques for Combining Inkjet Printing with Traditional Art Materials Watson-Guptill Publications, 2004, ISBN 9780823013425.[17]
- Bonny Pierce Lhotka (20 December 2010). Digital Alchemy: Printmaking techniques for fine art, photography, and mixed media. Pearson Education, ISBN 978-0-13-256294-2.[27][28][29][30][31][32]
- Bonny Pierce Lhotka (9 April 2013). The Last Layer: New methods in digital printing for photography, fine art, and mixed media. New Riders, ISBN 978-0-13-337300-4.
- Bonny Pierce Lhotka (24 January 2015). Hacking the Digital Print: Alternative image capture and printmaking processes with a special section on 3D printing. New Riders. pp. 2–, ISBN 978-0-13-403653-3.[33]
- Dorothy Simpson Krause Book + Art: Handcrafting Artists’ Books, North Light, 2009, ISBN 9781600611544.