Black Women of Print stands on the shoulders of every Black woman printmaker that has come before her and she also stands next to those who are on this present journey with her. The portfolio’s theme centered the West African Sankofa principle, an Akan language,

SAN  (return),
KO  (go),
FA (look, seek and take)

that translates into "it is not taboo to go back and fetch what you forgot." Visually and symbolically, the Sankofa principle is expressed as a mystical bird who has the power to fly forward while looking back with an egg in its mouth.  

This migration of going forth, looking to the past for wisdom, while simultaneously holding and protecting the future as you are journeying is the foundation of Black Women of Print. 

In Continuum, founding members considered where they are journeying within their art praxis. They looked back at one Black woman printmaker's past works and selected some visual elements (line, shape, tone, pattern, texture, color, form) to re-envision and incorporate it into their print. This portfolio is a continuum of Black women's thoughts and how as Black women we use visual language through the medium of printmaking to pay homage and to reimagine.

In Sequence

*Expanded on visual elements utilized by this Black Woman printmaker

Delita Martin "Star Watcher," linocut, hand stitching, decorative paper collage
*Elizabeth Catlett
Jennifer Mack-Watkins "Future Undetermined" screenprint,
*Betye Saar
LaToya M. Hobbs "Mrs. Burroughs," woodcut,
*Margaret T.G. Burroughs
Tanekeya Word "Starshine & Clay," linocut, gouache, acrylic ink, decorative paper collage
*Alison Saar
‍Stephanie Santana “Note to Our Higher Selves," screenprint
* Belkis Ayon Manso
Leslie Diuguid "Untitled," screenprint
*Wanda Ewing
Angela Pilgrim "Tenderheaded & Heavyhanded," risograph and decorative paper collage
*Emma Amos

Continuum is in the collection of private patrons and the following

Public Collections

Smith College Museum of Art
Getty Research Institute‍
The Metropolitan Museum of Art‍
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston‍
Milwaukee Art Museum