Machteld’s passion for printmaking was first aroused by childhood experiences of potato printing in Indonesia. This was further enticed by a woodblock printing course at Amsterdam University, now to be sated with her present involvement with viscosity printed collagraphs in Australia.
Her imagery is indebted to each of these three cultures: born in Holland, raised in Indonesia and now living in the Shoalhaven, Australia.
It has been coloured, also, by rich life experiences in various careers, as a ceramicist, computer analyst, librarian, teacher of Drama, Art and English, as well as project manager on building sites.
Her work seeks to explore and honour aspects of the natural world, the poetry of what is beneath our feet and all around, so familiar that it is often overlooked. The work seeks both to give pleasure and inspiration to the viewer and imbue them with respect and consequently care for our environment. The environment so loaded with memories of the past and the duel edge of promise as well as concern for its future. She specialises in viscosity printed collagraphs and also does etchings, lithographs and linocuts.
As teacher, Hali holds the deep belief, in the latent creativity in all people and works to facilitate its expression, using printmaking as the medium.
She has exhibited nationally and internationally and her work is in many private and some public collections.
Weekend workshops in various printmaking techniques are given in her Shoalhaven studio.
At present Hali is completing an M. Art majoring in Printmaking at COFA UNSW.
Machteld Hali 