The Archaeology of Water series

The Archaeology of Water: Five Prairie Poems
2004
Intaglio prints by Tracy Jager and Gordon Trick
Poems by George Amabile, David Arnason, Dennis Colley, Robert Kroetsch, and Birk Sproxton

Location: Library Information Common, main floor, northeast corner facing into the Computer common

The Archaeology of Water: Five Prairie Poems is a suite of poem prints that evolved through the collaborative and sometimes serendipitous connecting of creative interests, professional practices and friendships, some longstanding and some relatively new, amongst eight people. The idea for the project was initiated by Karen Clavelle (at the time, a student at the University of Manitoba) in discussions with five poets, all associated with the University of Manitoba, and two artist printmakers, Gordon Trick and Tracy Jager at Coconut Monkey Press in Vancouver.

The five poems in the suite were selected by Karen and the poets and sent to the printmakers in 2002. Over the next year, Tracy and Gordon created five copper etching plates incorporating the texts. The prints evolved, layer by layer, proof by proof, as the poems were read, discussed, and re-read, individually and as a group of writings. Images appeared and sometimes disappeared through the fluid nature of the intaglio processes on, above, and beneath the surfaces of the plates. This suite of prints is the final result of that process of submergence into words and images.

Karen and the poets approved the bon à tirer proofs in the summer of 2003. The plates were then hand-printed by Gordon on 15 ½" x 22" Hahnemuhle German Etching paper, using his 19th century 'Ledeuil à Paris' etching press. The image size is 14" by 18". Tracy sewed the portfolio cases of burlap and raw silk on her 1988 Kenmore sewing machine.

The first public showing of the prints, from September 23 to October 8, 2004, was at the Martha Street Studio of the Manitoba Printmakers' Association at 11 Martha Street, Winnipeg. The prints were next shown at Red Deer College Library from February 1 to 28, 2005.

The publicly available edition is twenty-six, identified by letters of the alphabet. One additional suite resides with Library and Archives Canada, identified by the letters 'LAC'. Proceeds from sales of the suites were used to set up scholarships at St. John's College, University of Manitoba, and at Langara College in Vancouver.

This edition of the suite of prints, edition 'B', belonged to Dr. Birk Sproxton, RDC English instructor from 1975-2007. When Dr. Sproxton passed away in 2007, the prints were donated to RDC by his family. On display are the five poem prints plus the burlap and silk portfolio case.

The five poems in the series are: "know it was for you," by Dennis Cooley; "Gimli Waltz," by David Arnason; "Riverhurst 3," by Birk Sproxton; "Fish," by George Amabile; and, "The Life and Surprizing Adventures...," by Robert Kroetsch.

For more information about the Library Art, contact Anne Marie Watson at (403) 342-3402 or via email at annemarie.watson@rdc.ab.ca.