Grasmere Church Lake District, England Hand-colored etching, 3" x 5"         Bridge of Sighs Venice, Italy Etching, 12" x 18"	How long have you been an artist? Were you interested as a child or did you become interested later in life? I have been a full-time artist for seventeen years. I drew constantly as a child, continued seriously studying art in late teens, and then packed it in and became a surveyor. Then I went to law school. Meanwhile, the '60s did not pass me by, and my memories are somewhat hazy, to say the least.   Why do you do etchings and other graphic techniques? When I first started doing art shows, part-time over 20 years ago, I worked in pen and ink. However, I soon realized that this medium was not very practical in shows which did not allow reproductions. I digress because actually I went on a fishing trip to northern Wisconsin around 1989, and we stopped at this little country store and knickknack place. I discovered this remarkable book containing illustrations of British etchings from around 1930 and the rest, as they say, is history. I enrolled in printmaking classes at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and was a student for 10 years. (Actually, I was using their presses as a full-time artist until I bought my own.) The print medium, i.e. etching process, seemed a natural projection from pen and ink and, for some strange reason, I found it very easy and felt comfortable immediately. Note: Watch for an explanation of various etching and graphic techniques on our What is IT? page. Coming soon. Describe your technique. I work on either copper or zinc plates using traditional methods and tools utilizing aquatint and, lately, considerable use of drypoint which is basically scratching the plates with sharp point to create a burr to which ink adheres.
Como Park Conservatory Hand-colored Etching, 6" x 9"   Fisherman and Friends Etching, 12" x 18"	In normal etching, one uses acid to etch the lines, whereas drypoint is direct and safe. It takes up to three weeks to complete a plate but, sometimes, if every thing goes well, I can finish a plate in a few days. Later I may cut or change the image by scraping and burnishing the lines. Actually, the printing process itself and the wiping and inking of plates is by far the most difficult part, and I think one continues to learn and refine technique. Sometimes I use watercolors on certain etchings after they are complete. I also enjoy doing pure watercolor when I have the time.     If you couldn't be an artist, what other profession would interest you? If I couldn't be an artist, I, of course, would have wanted to be a professional soccer player. I did indeed play semipro at one time, so maybe that doesn't count. If not that, I would have wished to be the replacement for Brian Jones of Rolling Stones fame.
Mick with his wife, Laura, at the Art Fair Off the Square's Winter Art Festival in Madison   Loring Park Basilica Minneapolis, Minnesota Drypoint, 6" x 9"   Rothenburg, Germany Hand-colored etching, 9" x 12"   Bridge of Lucerne Hand-colored etching, 6" x 9"	What do you like least about being an artist? Most? I dislike getting ready for shows. I probably enjoy imagining__telling everybody I'm my own boss? If your art were a food, what would it be and why? If my art were a food, it would be bread in the old hippy vernacular__money. I'm not too worried about getting in the Louvre; I prefer to pay the mortgage off and maybe get to the next World Cup. Any biographical information such as age, married, children, interesting facts, awards. I immigrated to the United States in 1976, and studied printmaking in Minneapolis and at the University of Wisconsin. I've been happily married to Laura for sixteen years. (I don't know whether she agrees.) We have no children or pets but have lots of good friends. Though we make our home in Wisconsin for part of the year, I reserve large blocks of time for returning to England to draw. With Laura's wonderful assistance and sales presence, I have exhibited at all the major art fairs in the United States except Cherry Creek (in Colorado). This, of course, is not by choice. Numerous awards have come my way which I am glad to accept. However, such is the high quality of much of the work out there that I realize that a great deal of luck is involved and in no way do I feel I'm better than anyone else, only, perhaps__different. Michael Bond's work can be seen at our annual July Art Fair off the Square and our November Winter Art Festival, both in Madison, Wisconsin. And more of his work can be seen on his website at: www.michaelbondetchings.com