Printmaking Unpacked: A Fresh Look at Hybrid Art

"Danielle Deery, who has long loved printmaking, turned that passion into a show called “Matrix Multiplied: Hybrid Approaches to Printmaking. ”The exhibition opened at the Oceanside Museum of Art and runs until August 2. Deery first started teaching screen‑printing in Encinitas in 2024 and quickly became curious about how local artists blend old and new techniques. While learning from fellow printmaker Frol Boundin, she saw a chance to showcase the wide range of experiments happening in Southern California. The museum has been her partner for years. After leading exhibitions there since 2009, Deery launched an independent curatorial practice in 2014. She chose Oceanside because the museum loves telling stories about regional artists, and its director had experience with a print shop in New York. The project fit the museum’s goal of highlighting local talent. Deery’s own print‑making experience helped her connect with artists on a technical level. She knows the challenge of setting up a plate, working in reverse and refining an image through many passes. That knowledge let her discuss not just ideas but also the tools, materials and layered processes that shape each piece.Reaching out across Tijuana, San Diego and Los Angeles proved surprisingly easy. Artists like Frol Boundin, Chris Lahti and Chris Padilla introduced her to colleagues at community colleges, universities and print societies. These networks supplied both artists and curators who offered advice on organizing the show. The toughest part was arranging a cohesive layout for 18 diverse works. Deery wanted visitors to see the “matrices” – the surfaces that transfer images – so she set up a dedicated wall and added a playful “hide‑and‑seek” activity to teach people about different substrates and techniques. Seeing the finished gallery was the most rewarding moment. Watching artists react to their work on display and hearing visitors talk about the creative process showed how alive printmaking can be. The goal for audiences is to leave with a sense that printmaking is approachable, experimental and full of possibilities. The exhibition features artists such as Frol Boundin, Michelle Burgess and Yvette Roman, among others. Each artist mixes traditional methods like relief or intaglio with digital tools, collage, drawing, sculpture and fiber arts to create layered, multidimensional pieces that challenge what printmaking can be.