palette Artwork by Natalie Bradford

by Pif Magazine

Published in Issue No. 284 ~ January, 2021

Natalie Bradford, a fine artist, and printmaker based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, uses prints and collages to explores memory, temporality, absence, loss, and the passage of time within families.

“My artistic process starts with identifying my sources: I pull my inspiration from family photo albums dating back to the 1930s through the present day. I then make photocopies of the pictures and physically cut out pieces of the image to strip it of its details, which speaks to the absence, the mortality of people/places, and the fleetingness of memories. With some prints, I incorporate excerpts from old family letters by using an ink pen or hand sewing.  I end my process by transferring the scraps onto a new piece of paper using lacquer thinner, or gel medium. In the process, the prints become immensely abstracted from their original start as a photograph, which shows the inconsistent but ephemeral side of our memories, while still honoring the past.”

See more Natalie’s work on her IG page: https://www.instagram.com/natalie.bradford/

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Pif Magazine primarily publishes fiction, poetry, and author interviews. We have been known to accept book, film, music and zine reviews — and we have published our fair share of essays and critiques. What we represent is the highest quality poetry, fiction and commentary by up-and-coming and established writers. We are the apex, the pinnacle, the starting point for the literary e-press.