Victoria Marie Barquin

Victoria Marie Barquin is a printmaker and visual artist from Cranbury, New Jersey. She received her BFA in Printmaking from Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2016. In addition to teaching private screenprinting lessons at CPC, she works on commissions, collaborative projects and her own work in a two-bedroom apartment in Logan Square.

TEACHER FEATURE: a Q & A with Victoria Marie Barquin

How long have you been at CPC?

I’ve been affiliated with CPC in a variety of ways for almost two and a half years. I started working as an intern at CPC shortly after moving to Chicago from Boston in 2016. I interned at CPC for eight months and then traveled to Spain on a travel grant from MassArt, where I received my BFA in Printmaking. While abroad, I participated in a residency program which led me to re-evaluate my priorities as an artist. When I returned to Chicago, I started renting a studio at CPC to focus more on my own art-making. Additionally, I started teaching private screenprinting lessons. I currently work out of my home studio but still teach and help out around the shop at CPC.

How does teaching and printmaking play a part in your studio practice?

Teaching has influenced my work on a subconscious level. It’s not something I actively think about while making work. However, I have recognized that teaching has forced me to become more articulate. Developing a vocabulary of terms and descriptions for various print processes has been incredibly helpful. It’s a good challenge for me to verbally break these processes down for people with limited exposure to print work. Further, going back to the basics of screenprinting in a classroom setting reminds me of all the tools I forget about when I’m generating my own imagery. My mark-making typically includes halftone dots and scribbly, digital paintbrush marks. I often forget about other techniques such as rubylith, stencils, and overlapping transparency, which are things I always go over with my students. Teaching others has inspired me to incorporate different tools, techniques and marks into my work.

What other media do you enjoy working in?

I love the act of painting but don’t think I’m very good at it. I’ve worked with collage a lot in the past and have started bringing that back into my work now. I also really enjoy building and assembling, using a drill, hammer, jigsaw, etc. Power tools are fun! I’d like to work with them more.

What direction are you planning to go in the coming year with your work?

I’m going to continue working on a series of screenprints inspired by walls, tiles, tags and graffiti—a theme I developed while working on the series of monotype prints that I produced during my residency at the Can Serrat International Art Centre in Spain. The presentation of this new work is something I look forward to resolving in the new year. Eventually, I’ll propose an exhibition for this body of work.

What book are you reading currently?

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

What is your favorite non-art distraction?

Eating, cooking, watching TV

Who are 3 artists (dead or alive) that inspire you?

There are too many! I will start by mentioning Shashi Caan, whose literary works have helped me to hone in on what my work is about. She is an architect and designer. For the series of screenprints I’m currently working on, I’ve been looking at the work of Dan Boardman and Laura Owens.

Who is your favorite printmaker?

David Hockney is so good.

What was the last gift you gave someone?

My mom’s birthday was in August and I bought her The New Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen. Turned out she already had it, so then I picked up a gradient puzzle designed by Bryce Wilner.

Favorite teaching moment?

Every time a student catches themselves making a mistake.

For more of Victoria’s work visit her website and follow her on Instagram.

To read more interviews from our Teacher Feature series, click here.here.