Parish Episcopal School hosted a steamroller printing event on Nov.11, where Greenhill students participated. The theme for the event was Texas flora and fauna, and it was also attended by students from Parish and Ursuline Academy.
Steamroller printing takes the same idea as a press, but instead of using an actual press, they use a steamroller and roll over the linoleum and paper to create prints. For weeks before the event, students utilized their free time to carve the design they made on the linoleum.
“We probably spent over 30 hours on it,” junior Ava Mao said. “[The Artistry Club] does not have a huge membership, so besides us, it was mostly just people who wanted service hours that were helping us. Anyone who wanted to help could.”
Mao and junior Fern Hignite took charge of the carving process. They experimented with many different animals and borders before settling on what they used.
“We went through many drafts before we got to the final design,” Hignite said. “I was originally thinking of doing a Texas state dog, but we ended up changing it to the Northern Mockingbird.”
The people who represented Greenhill at the event were Middle and Upper School visual arts teachers Lesley Rucker and Thomas Martinez, along with Mao.
“First, we would roll many layers of ink over the linoleum,” said Mao. “And then we would have to check for little specks of rubber that would come off ink rollers. Then, we would place it in front of the steamroller. We place a piece of parchment paper on it, and then two blankets, and then we just have the steamroller roll over it.
The event had to be rescheduled because of the weather, and this affected the outcome of the event and the print.
“When we originally had the date, which was two weeks prior, the weather was so bad, students in the Artistry Club couldn’t come because the new dates didn’t work for their schedule, so this really affected attendance,” Rucker said. “But other than that, it benefited us because we could add more details to everything.”
One of the prints they made will be donated to Parish to compensate the school for the linoleum and paper for printing that they provided. Another print they made will travel between Greenhill, Parish, and Ursuline.
“One of our prints will go with the rest of them to a traveling art show to the different schools that participated,” Rucker said. “We don’t have the details on that just yet, but this way, students can enjoy the prints.”
The last print will be in Greenhill’s annual Gala as part of fundraising.
“The whole experience was really rewarding,” said Mao. “It was definitely the most rewarding experience and project I have ever been a part of.”
