The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

W h a t are t h e stick-like h u m a n f i g u r e s y o u use? Rathje Those are from Finnish rock paintings. A n d the t o p image is the t o p of a s h a m a n d r u m from t h e Lapland area. That a g a i n is g o i n g back t o my part of the w o r l d . Actually, I think I'm a closet a n t h r o p o l o g i s t ! It's h a r d t o u n d e r s t a n d w h a t such t h i n g s m e a n t in t h e i r o r i g i n a l c o n t e x t , t o t h e p e o ple w h o first m a d e t h e m . Jordan It's interesting because symbols get picked up by so many people a n d they c h a n g e over time. A n d their meanings c a n change, t o o . I a l w a y s remember a story a b o u t a w o m a n w h o w a s putting a p o t roast in the oven w h i l e she w a s t a l k i n g t o a friend. The friend noticed she cut the ends off, a n d asked why. The w o m a n said her m o t h e r h a d a l w a y s d o n e it that way, t h o u g h she d i d n ' t k n o w why. So she called her a n d asked. A n d t h e mother said she just did it because her p o t w a s t o o s m a l l . Do y o u t h i n k t h a t p r i n t m a k i n g is p a r t i c u l a r l y w e l l s u i t e d t o e x a m i n i n g t h e p a s t in this way? Rathje I'm sure painters c o u l d deal w i t h t h e s a m e subjects in their o w n way. But p r i n t m a k i n g has been my choice for a l m o s t t w e n t y years. I like t h e kind of effects I c a n get, t h e strong textures. A n d I actually echo the process of the w o r k i n g of time o n t h e m a t e rials. I etch t h e plates right d o w n so they are a l m o s t like a three-dimensional product, like t h e product of the erosion I a m d e s c r i b i n g . That's t h e w a y I've been w o r k i n g for t h e last eight years. It d i d n ' t start o u t that way. H o w d i d it s t a r t o u t ? Rathje In t h e M e t a - m o r p h o s i s series, w h i c h I f i n i s h e d i n 1998,1 w a s t a k i n g imagery o f man-made w o r k s that h a d been w e a t h e r e d by nature. I started to etch t h e plates in such a w a y that I w a s actually m i m i c k i n g the e r o s i o n . The longer y o u let t h e acid e a t a w a y at the metal of t h e plate, t h e m o r e interesting t h e results are. Especially w i t h copper; it forms funny little bubbles a n d breaks away. Some of this I discovered by accident w h e n I w o r k e d it. So I said, "I'll d o more of that, a n d m o r e . " I'd d o progressive etches; I'd print the plate before I re-etched it, t h e n d o another edition after etching it a bit more, a n d then another. I w a s very interested in the w a y t h e a c i d w o r k e d into the m e t a l , w h i c h is b e a u t i f u l . A n d I c o u l d see the c o n n e c t i o n again, b e t w e e n t h e process 10 May | June of acid a n d t h e process of nature. It w a s n ' t a p r e c o n ceived thing for me. It just e v o l v e d . Bonnie, h o w has y o u r process evolved? Jordan I've a l w a y s been interested in layers a n d in mixed m e d i a . M a k i n g things like t h e masks of my o w n face that I used in these prints really excited me. I used to Rathje points out that although none of the work is figurative, the presence of humanity is very strong w o r k w i t h multiple-plate images, printing o n e o n t o p of t h e other. Then I f o u n d t h e computer, w h i c h m a d e it s o m u c h easier t o get w h e r e I w a s g o i n g . I c o u l d s h o w t h e parts o f w h a t w a s b e h i n d this layer, s h o w the i n f o r m a t i o n that I w a n t e d t o s h o w through a n d w h a t I d i d n ' t w a n t t o s h o w t h r o u g h . I c o u l d really m a n i p u l a t e the images. It's still a mystery, a n d t h e parts that y o u can't see are as i m p o r t a n t as t h e parts that y o u c a n . I c o u l d also scan in things like the masks a n d m a n i p u l a t e t h e m further a n d c o m b i n e t h e m w i t h t h e other i n f o r m a t i o n -- p h o t o g r a p h s I'd taken w h i l e I w a s t r a v e l i n g . Things that h a d been t o u c h e d or made. I'm interested in p e o p l e tracks. G o i n g back to Irish history, o n t h e Internet I f o u n d a letter that h a d b e e n w r i t t e n by o n e J a m e s Jordan i n King's C o u n t y during t h e 1798 rebellion. There w e r e n ' t m a n y Jordans in the area at that time, so t h e chances of h i m being a relative are quite s t r o n g . This m a n could be my fifth-generation grandfather. To actually have his h a n d w r i t i n g , so many generations later -- it's those kinds of things that I find really exciting. It's like f i n d i n g live images. S o m e of your w o r k uses up t o thirty o v e r l a p p i n g layers. D i d it t a k e a l o n g t i m e t o l e a r n t o use P h o t o s h o p t o t h a t e x t e n t ?