Alabama

I was born in Huntsville, AL, and began drawing and painting from a very early age, then studied graphic design and intaglio print making in college. My artistic training and professional career have explored every medium - digital design, technical drawing,

website design, and now back to printmaking.

The natural world is a source of endless fascination for me; I've spent the last 18 years

observing and photographing the diverse wildlife of Florida. My drawing style is typically

very realistic, so I constantly strive to push my own limits by delving into various artistic

styles, such as the very stylized world of folk art. I always start from a standpoint of realism in my drawings, then work backwards towards the stylized: the pelican *must* be recognizable as a pelican, after all.

I've learned to have a clear path and know what in want to accomplish from the outset; you cannot just add a shadow with a slightly darker blend of pigment or lighten up an area with a bit more titanium white. In printmaking, everything must be planned from the start, whether it is positive-in the case a shape or pattern that gets - inked or negative - in the case of a space that is carved out and will not take ink. These work together to form highlights, the low lights, and the entirety of the piece, and there's no turning back once carving has started, so the plan must be solid.

The "You Are What You Eat Series" is comprised of multiple species of creatures, each

Depicted containing their primary food source in place of their scales, feathers, shells, and fur. They were drawn using pencil on paper then transferred to carving blocks via carbon paper. Each was carved and detailed using sharp woodcarving gouges, then inked and printed on fine, archival watercolor paper using professional oil-based relief ink. Select prints were then highlighted using mica-based watercolor paints in shades of gold, copper, and pearl.

The series is very much inspired by Scandinavian and Pacific Northwest styles of folk art, where all negative space is filled, and perspective is very subjective. Geometric shapes take the place of shadows and highlights, and key elements, such as the

lightning bolts and mayflies, and a reechoed throughout the entire series.

Stacy Tabb