1994, Couple, intaglio and aquatint, first state (3 out of 5) by Kenney Mencher
FREE SHIPPING Shipping takes 3-4 Weeks
This ships from Round Lake Beach, Illinois. A suburb outside of Chicago.
I use UPS and sometimes US Post.
This piece is titled Couple, and I made it in 1994 using etching and aquatint. It’s the first state of the plate, and this particular print is number 3 in a very small edition of just 5. It’ll come shrink-wrapped against a piece of white foam core for protection. The photo has a bit of glare—this one was tricky to capture—but the print itself is sharp and clear in person.
I based the image on a quick sketch I made while watching the film Ninotchka with Greta Garbo. There was a quiet moment between two characters that really stayed with me. I wasn’t trying to copy the scene exactly—just to capture the feel of it. I paused the movie, did a fast sketch, and later developed it into this etching.
This print is part of my Fresh Finds project—a collection of original works from my early studio years that I’m finally releasing. These are the pieces that built the foundation of my work, and I thought it would be meaningful to make them available now to collectors. They’re part of my personal archive and legacy, and it feels right to share them.
The process I used here is a combination of etching and aquatint. Etching involves drawing with a needle on a metal plate that’s been coated in a waxy ground. After drawing, the plate is submerged in acid, which “bites” into the exposed lines and creates grooves that hold ink.
Aquatint is a way of adding shaded areas, rather than just lines. You dust the plate with powdered resin, then heat it so it sticks. When the plate is put in acid, the acid bites around the grains, creating a textured, tonal surface. Goya used aquatint extensively in his prints—it’s a powerful tool, but a tough technique to master. You have to carefully time the acid baths to get the right values, and it’s easy to mess up if you’re not paying close attention.
In this image, you see two figures standing side by side, surrounded by vertical elements that suggest curtains or drapery. The background is minimal, putting the focus on the couple. Their coats, postures, and facial features are stylized using strong etched lines and layered tonal shading from the aquatint process. I wasn’t going for photographic realism—I wanted a simplified, expressive look.
The style is a mix of realism and abstraction. The figures are proportionally believable, but broken down into planes and graphic marks. The light and shadow are exaggerated through the aquatint, giving the piece mood and depth. The etched lines are sharp and angular, which adds energy and keeps it from feeling too soft or sentimental.
The composition is asymmetrical but balanced. The left figure is visually heavier, but the negative space on the right and the sweeping lines from the curtains help counter that. It’s quiet, but dramatic—kind of like the film that inspired it.
This connects with my broader practice and influences, especially the Bay Area Figurative artists like Richard Diebenkorn and Elmer Bischoff. Their work taught me how to blend figuration with abstraction and how to use memory, gesture, and simplification to build visual narratives.
Details:
Title: Couple (1st State)
Year: 1994
Medium: Etching and aquatint
Dimensions: approx. 8.5 x 11 inches
Edition: 3 of 5
Signed and numbered
Ships shrink-wrapped against white foam core
Part of the Fresh Finds archive release
FREE SHIPPING Shipping takes 3-4 Weeks
This ships from Round Lake Beach, Illinois. A suburb outside of Chicago.
I use UPS and sometimes US Post.
This piece is titled Couple, and I made it in 1994 using etching and aquatint. It’s the first state of the plate, and this particular print is number 3 in a very small edition of just 5. It’ll come shrink-wrapped against a piece of white foam core for protection. The photo has a bit of glare—this one was tricky to capture—but the print itself is sharp and clear in person.
I based the image on a quick sketch I made while watching the film Ninotchka with Greta Garbo. There was a quiet moment between two characters that really stayed with me. I wasn’t trying to copy the scene exactly—just to capture the feel of it. I paused the movie, did a fast sketch, and later developed it into this etching.
This print is part of my Fresh Finds project—a collection of original works from my early studio years that I’m finally releasing. These are the pieces that built the foundation of my work, and I thought it would be meaningful to make them available now to collectors. They’re part of my personal archive and legacy, and it feels right to share them.
The process I used here is a combination of etching and aquatint. Etching involves drawing with a needle on a metal plate that’s been coated in a waxy ground. After drawing, the plate is submerged in acid, which “bites” into the exposed lines and creates grooves that hold ink.
Aquatint is a way of adding shaded areas, rather than just lines. You dust the plate with powdered resin, then heat it so it sticks. When the plate is put in acid, the acid bites around the grains, creating a textured, tonal surface. Goya used aquatint extensively in his prints—it’s a powerful tool, but a tough technique to master. You have to carefully time the acid baths to get the right values, and it’s easy to mess up if you’re not paying close attention.
In this image, you see two figures standing side by side, surrounded by vertical elements that suggest curtains or drapery. The background is minimal, putting the focus on the couple. Their coats, postures, and facial features are stylized using strong etched lines and layered tonal shading from the aquatint process. I wasn’t going for photographic realism—I wanted a simplified, expressive look.
The style is a mix of realism and abstraction. The figures are proportionally believable, but broken down into planes and graphic marks. The light and shadow are exaggerated through the aquatint, giving the piece mood and depth. The etched lines are sharp and angular, which adds energy and keeps it from feeling too soft or sentimental.
The composition is asymmetrical but balanced. The left figure is visually heavier, but the negative space on the right and the sweeping lines from the curtains help counter that. It’s quiet, but dramatic—kind of like the film that inspired it.
This connects with my broader practice and influences, especially the Bay Area Figurative artists like Richard Diebenkorn and Elmer Bischoff. Their work taught me how to blend figuration with abstraction and how to use memory, gesture, and simplification to build visual narratives.
Details:
Title: Couple (1st State)
Year: 1994
Medium: Etching and aquatint
Dimensions: approx. 8.5 x 11 inches
Edition: 3 of 5
Signed and numbered
Ships shrink-wrapped against white foam core
Part of the Fresh Finds archive release
FREE SHIPPING Shipping takes 3-4 Weeks
This ships from Round Lake Beach, Illinois. A suburb outside of Chicago.
I use UPS and sometimes US Post.
This piece is titled Couple, and I made it in 1994 using etching and aquatint. It’s the first state of the plate, and this particular print is number 3 in a very small edition of just 5. It’ll come shrink-wrapped against a piece of white foam core for protection. The photo has a bit of glare—this one was tricky to capture—but the print itself is sharp and clear in person.
I based the image on a quick sketch I made while watching the film Ninotchka with Greta Garbo. There was a quiet moment between two characters that really stayed with me. I wasn’t trying to copy the scene exactly—just to capture the feel of it. I paused the movie, did a fast sketch, and later developed it into this etching.
This print is part of my Fresh Finds project—a collection of original works from my early studio years that I’m finally releasing. These are the pieces that built the foundation of my work, and I thought it would be meaningful to make them available now to collectors. They’re part of my personal archive and legacy, and it feels right to share them.
The process I used here is a combination of etching and aquatint. Etching involves drawing with a needle on a metal plate that’s been coated in a waxy ground. After drawing, the plate is submerged in acid, which “bites” into the exposed lines and creates grooves that hold ink.
Aquatint is a way of adding shaded areas, rather than just lines. You dust the plate with powdered resin, then heat it so it sticks. When the plate is put in acid, the acid bites around the grains, creating a textured, tonal surface. Goya used aquatint extensively in his prints—it’s a powerful tool, but a tough technique to master. You have to carefully time the acid baths to get the right values, and it’s easy to mess up if you’re not paying close attention.
In this image, you see two figures standing side by side, surrounded by vertical elements that suggest curtains or drapery. The background is minimal, putting the focus on the couple. Their coats, postures, and facial features are stylized using strong etched lines and layered tonal shading from the aquatint process. I wasn’t going for photographic realism—I wanted a simplified, expressive look.
The style is a mix of realism and abstraction. The figures are proportionally believable, but broken down into planes and graphic marks. The light and shadow are exaggerated through the aquatint, giving the piece mood and depth. The etched lines are sharp and angular, which adds energy and keeps it from feeling too soft or sentimental.
The composition is asymmetrical but balanced. The left figure is visually heavier, but the negative space on the right and the sweeping lines from the curtains help counter that. It’s quiet, but dramatic—kind of like the film that inspired it.
This connects with my broader practice and influences, especially the Bay Area Figurative artists like Richard Diebenkorn and Elmer Bischoff. Their work taught me how to blend figuration with abstraction and how to use memory, gesture, and simplification to build visual narratives.
Details:
Title: Couple (1st State)
Year: 1994
Medium: Etching and aquatint
Dimensions: approx. 8.5 x 11 inches
Edition: 3 of 5
Signed and numbered
Ships shrink-wrapped against white foam core
Part of the Fresh Finds archive release
