{"id":1905151,"date":"2026-04-27T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-26T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1905151"},"modified":"2026-04-27T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-26T21:00:00","slug":"rachel-mentzer-transforms-discarded-cartons-into-dusky-collagraphs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1905151","title":{"rendered":"Rachel Mentzer Transforms Discarded Cartons into Dusky Collagraphs"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content prose-colossal max-w-none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default entry-header is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"colo-post-featured-image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2107\" height=\"1527\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/mentzer-9-e1777275088694.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"a collagraph print made in the outline of a small, flattened, cardboard carton with imagery of birds in the air and huge electrical pulons\" style=\"object-fit:cover\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cWhere Powerlines Sing.\u201d All images courtesy of the artist, shared with permission<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group post-title is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0bc941e6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h1 class=\"alignfull wp-block-post-title\">Rachel Mentzer Transforms Discarded Cartons into Dusky Collagraphs<\/h1>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-meta is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2026-04-27T09:07:33-05:00\">April 27, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"taxonomy-category wp-block-post-terms\"><a class=\"category-art\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/art\/\" rel=\"tag\">Art<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/author\/kmothes\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"wp-block-post-author-name__link\">Kate Mothes<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-share-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6c531013 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing has-visible-labels has-icon-color is-style-logos-only is-layout-flex wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-is-layout-flex\">\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-facebook has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F04%2Frachel-mentzer-discarded-cartons-collagraphs-printmaking%2F&amp;title=Rachel%20Mentzer%20Transforms%20Discarded%20Cartons%20into%20Dusky%20Collagraphs\" aria-label=\"Share\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tShare\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-mail has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#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\" aria-label=\"Email\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tEmail\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><button class=\"simplefavorite-button preset\" data-postid=\"473370\" data-siteid=\"1\" data-groupid=\"1\" data-favoritecount=\"0\"><i class=\"sf-icon-bookmark\"><\/i>Bookmark<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>One of the most common sights in cities is birds perched on power lines, although it rarely elicits a second look. Starlings chortle, pigeons coo, and the occasional hawk perches on a pole to scan the ground for its next meal. And yet, as normal as this seems, there\u2019s nothing natural about it. Instead of trees, these feathered creatures rely on whatever infrastructure is around them, from wires and pylons to fences and rooftops.<\/p>\n<p>For Ohio-based artist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rachelmentzerart.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rachel Mentzer<\/a>, nature\u2019s resilience is central to a practice focused on sustainability and environmental renewal. Her work \u201cinvites viewers to reflect on the interplay between human activity and the natural world, emphasizing the adaptability and fragility of nature,\u201d says a statement.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/mentzer-3.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-473370\" title=\"\u201cFlying Hawks\u201d\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cFlying Hawks\u201d\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cFlying Hawks\u201d\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1280\" height=\"1014\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/mentzer-3.jpeg\" alt=\"a collagraph print made in the outline of a small, flattened, cardboard carton with imagery of three hawks in the air, surrounded by smaller birds\" class=\"wp-image-473375\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cFlying Hawks\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Mentzer\u2019s practice emphasizes <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Collagraphy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">collagraphy<\/a>, an <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Intaglio_(printmaking)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">intaglio<\/a> printmaking technique in which flattened materials\u2014especially paper and card but also other items like leaves or acrylic surfaces\u2014can be used to create a plate from which to make prints. She meticulously carves the delicate surfaces of found cartons with motifs of birds, trees, and energy infrastructure, then brushes them in polyurethane to preserve and prepare them for printing. Occasionally, she also employs <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chine-coll%C3%A9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">chine coll\u00e9<\/a>, which uses delicate papers, to add colorful backgrounds.<\/p>\n<p>The artist then coats the design with ink, wipes off the excess, and places the damp substrate into an etching press to transfer the image to a larger sheet of paper, producing the final piece. Thanks to the pressure of the transfer and the way the ink seeps into every handmade and incidental mark, the final print reveals a textural composition with crisp outlines. Birds and urban details alike are inextricable from the silhouette of a material that may have otherwise been destined for the landfill, summoning a constant reminder of the relationship between humans and nature.<\/p>\n<p>Mentzer\u2019s work was recently included in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.manhattangraphicscenter.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Manhattan Graphics Center<\/a>\u2019s community print studio exhibition, and this summer, she\u2019s looking forward to participating in the Suzanne Wilson Artist-in-Residence Program at <a href=\"https:\/\/glenarborart.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Glen Arbor Arts Center<\/a> in Michigan. See the artist\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rachelmentzerart.com\/process\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">process<\/a> on her website, where you can also check if she will be at an art fair in your area throughout the spring and summer. See more on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/rachelmentzerart\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/mentzer-1.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-473370\" title=\"\u201cAt the Flats\u201d\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cAt the Flats\u201d\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cAt the Flats\u201d\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1280\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/mentzer-1.jpg\" alt=\"a collagraph print made in the outline of a small, flattened, cardboard carton with imagery of power lines and many birds in the air\" class=\"wp-image-473371\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cAt the Flats\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/mentzer-6.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-473370\" title=\"\u201cPylon Birds\u201d\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cPylon Birds\u201d\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cPylon Birds\u201d\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1022\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/mentzer-6.jpeg\" alt=\"a collagraph print made in the outline of a small, flattened, cardboard carton with imagery of an electrical pylon\" class=\"wp-image-473378\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cPylon Birds\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/mentzer-4.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-473370\" title=\"\u201cGolden Eagles\u201d\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cGolden Eagles\u201d\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cGolden Eagles\u201d\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1280\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/mentzer-4.jpg\" alt=\"a collagraph print made in the outline of a small, flattened, cardboard carton with imagery of a silhouetted, leafless tree with birds and a nest\" class=\"wp-image-473376\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cGolden Eagles\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/mentzer-8.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-473370\" title=\"\u201cStill Standing\u201d\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cStill Standing\u201d\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cStill Standing\u201d\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"985\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/mentzer-8.jpeg\" alt=\"a collagraph print made in the outline of a small, flattened, cardboard carton with imagery of a water tower and birds\" class=\"wp-image-473380\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cStill Standing\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/mentzer-2.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-473370\" title=\"\u201cDockside Watch\u201d\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cDockside Watch\u201d\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cDockside Watch\u201d\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1280\" height=\"960\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/mentzer-2.jpeg\" alt=\"a collagraph print made in the outline of three small, flattened, cardboard cartons with imagery of pelicans sitting on wooden posts\" class=\"wp-image-473374\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cDockside Watch\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/mentzer-7.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-473370\" title=\"\u201cSkybound Over Steel\u201d\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cSkybound Over Steel\u201d\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cSkybound Over Steel\u201d\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1280\" height=\"960\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/mentzer-7.jpeg\" alt=\"a collagraph print made in the outline of a small, flattened, cardboard carton with imagery of an electrical pylon and birds in the sky\" class=\"wp-image-473379\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cSkybound Over Steel\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/mentzer-10.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-473370\" title=\"\u201cMagnolia Warbler\u201d\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cMagnolia Warbler\u201d\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cMagnolia Warbler\u201d\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1280\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/mentzer-10.jpg\" alt=\"a collagraph print made in the outline of a small, flattened, cardboard carton with imagery of a small songbird on a branch\" class=\"wp-image-473372\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cMagnolia Warbler\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"after-entry\" role=\"complementary\" aria-label=\"After Entry\">\n<section id=\"block-16\" class=\"widget widget_block widget_text\">\n<p><mark style=\"background-color:#88caf0\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>Do stories and artists like this matter to you?<\/strong><\/mark> Become a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/members\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"118516\">Colossal Member<\/a> now, and support independent arts publishing.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"block-17\" class=\"widget 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Starlings chortle, pigeons coo, and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,270],"class_list":["post-1905151","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-thisiscolossal-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1905151","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1905151"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1905151\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1905151"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1905151"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1905151"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}