Dan Welden Demonstrates Printmaking at East End Arts

Renowned Sag Harbor master printmaker and author Dan Welden conducts a rare public demonstration of his working process on Friday, April 14, at 5:30 p.m. at East End Arts 11 West Gallery in Riverhead. Welden is well-known as the originator of a printmaking technique called the Solarplate method, innovating the alternative health- and safety-oriented movement of printmaking.

As the founder of safer and greener methods, he has been in the forefront of making printmaking free of potentially dangerous acids and chemicals. During his long career as an artist and master printmaker, he has shown his work in over 500 exhibitions across the U.S. and abroad and has written several books. Welden is one of the longest-running EEA members and continues to inspire artists, teachers and students in workshops where he demonstrates how to make Solarplates and print using both intaglio and relief plates.

The demonstration is prompted by EEA’s current art exhibition “Regeneration,” featuring works by North Fork artist Ted Thirlby. Thirlby began working with Welden in 2021 to evolve his plywood art into monoprints. Using the one-of-a-kind 8-foot printing press in Welden’s Sag Harbor studio, Thirlby inked both shaped and misshapen plywood scraps to create impressions on paper.

This event takes place in the gallery so the audience can see resulting exhibition pieces, and Thirlby accompanies Welden during the demonstration. East End Arts hosts a printing press and holds several printmaking classes for all levels throughout the year. EEA members who complete classes and show proficiency in using the press are eligible to access it for personal use during open studio, every Tuesday.

Dan Welden’s printmaking demonstration is open to the public. Register online at eastendarts.org. The event is free with a suggested $5 donation from attendees to support gallery programming. The 11 West Gallery is located at 11 West Main Street, Peconic Crossing, Riverhead. For more information, call 631-727-0900.