Connie Saddlemire, Profiled By Influential Women, Explores The Boundaries Of Contemporary Printmaking

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO, UNITED STATES, September 17, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — A Distinctive Artistic Practice Blends Altered Photography and Innovative Photosensitive Plate Processes

Based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, studio artist Connie Saddlemire has developed a distinctive artistic practice grounded in contemporary printmaking and experimental image-making. With a Master of Arts in Studio Art (Lithography) from the University at Albany, NY, and a Bachelor of Arts (Studio Art) from St. Lawrence University, Connie has spent many years exploring both traditional printmaking techniques and innovative approaches to creating images.

Her artistic voice has been shaped not only by her formal education but also by a wide range of lived experiences across the United States and abroad. Time spent in Taiwan, New Mexico and the Washington, D.C. area has contributed to the depth and cultural awareness that inform her creative perspective. These experiences have helped shape an artist who approaches her work with curiosity, experimentation, and an appreciation for the ways different environments can influence visual expression.

At the center of Connie’s practice is printmaking, with a particular focus on innovative photosensitive plate processes. She has developed a unique technique that combines altered photography with traditional printmaking methods, creating complex images through a carefully considered sequence of digital manipulation, plate preparation, inking, and printing.

The process begins with a single, square, close-up photograph of corrugated Corten steel. Rather than treating the original photographs as finished images, Connie digitally alters them five or six times, transforming the source material through repeated manipulation. The resulting images are then exposed onto specially coated photosensitive printing plates.

Using a water-based process, the images on the plates are developed, then inked and printed on fine art printing paper on an etching press. Printing several plates on the same piece of paper further transforms the imagery, allowing the final works to develop a richly complex visual character. The resulting prints occupy an intriguing space between industrial abstraction and organic transformation, reflecting the physical qualities of the steel while simultaneously turning them into something more atmospheric and visually ambiguous.

This process reflects Connie’s interest in discovering what can happen when familiar materials and established techniques are approached differently. Her work does not simply reproduce a photograph or translate an object into a print. Instead, the original image becomes the starting point for an extended process of alteration and discovery.

Her approach evolved from participating in workshops focused on altered photography and also by taking Oehme Graphics workshops and then working in collaboration with master printer, Susan Oehme. Those experiences encouraged her to explore new possibilities by adding to her existing printmaking background. They also informed the innovative methods that have become an important part of her artistic practice.

For Connie, experimentation is an essential component of making art. Her work demonstrates how traditional printmaking can remain open to contemporary processes and technological experimentation without losing its connection to the physicality of the printed image. Photography, digital manipulation, photosensitive plates, water-based processing, ink, paper, and the etching press all become interconnected parts of a larger creative process.

Beyond her own studio practice, Connie has remained actively engaged with the broader arts community. She has long been a collector of artwork and has a deep appreciation for the work of other artists, including many of her artist friends. Her involvement with art therefore extends beyond creating her own work. Appreciating, collecting, preserving, and exchanging ideas are also important parts of her relationship with the arts community.

That broader engagement reinforces her belief in the importance of artistic dialogue. For Connie, being an artist is not solely about producing individual works but also about remaining connected to the larger world of creative practice. Her own work can be viewed through the Oehme Graphics website (oehmegraphics.com), where her catalogue of finished prints reflects her technical knowledge, experimentation, and personal visual language.

One of the principles that has guided Connie throughout her career is remarkably simple: Do what you love and are good at doing. The advice has served as a foundation for her professional path and creative practice, encouraging her to remain aligned with work that feels meaningful and fulfilling rather than pursuing something simply because it appears practical.

That philosophy has helped her approach projects and opportunities that resonate with her interests, values, and long-term goals. It has also encouraged her to work with genuine curiosity and commitment. Loving what she does has provided motivation through challenges and helped her continue growing, learning, and contributing in a way that feels authentic and purposeful.

Connie brings that same independent spirit to her advice for young women entering the art world. Drawing from her own graduate experience, she recognizes that formal education does not always provide as much structured direction as students may expect. Rather than seeing that lack of direction solely as a limitation, she believes it can become an opportunity to develop an individual voice.

She encourages emerging artists to remain committed to their vision, trust their instincts, and actively seek learning opportunities beyond the classroom. Building skills, connecting with other creatives, and exploring different techniques and perspectives can all play important roles in developing an artistic career. Most importantly, she believes young women should remain confident in their work and their point of view.

ForConnie, there is strength in learning to navigate an individual path. The willingness to explore, experiment, and allow individuality to shape an artistic practice can ultimately become one of an artist’s greatest assets.

The contemporary art world presents its own challenges. Among the most significant for Connie is the highly competitive nature of major exhibition opportunities, particularly in cities such as New York. While exhibitions in major art centers can offer significant visibility and prestige, gaining access to these spaces can be extremely difficult. Strong networks, representation, and sustained visibility can all influence an artist’s ability to enter these highly competitive environments.

At the same time, Connie sees opportunity within the changing landscape. Alternative platforms, regional exhibitions, and digital spaces have created additional ways for artists to share their work with audiences beyond traditional gallery systems. These avenues can provide opportunities for artists working independently or outside major metropolitan art centers to develop connections and reach people who may not otherwise encounter their work.

While traditional venues remain important, the expanding art ecosystem allows artists to explore new pathways for connection, exposure, and artistic growth. Connie’s own practice reflects that willingness to remain open to different forms of artistic engagement.

Alongside her professional and creative pursuits, family remains one of the most important values in Connie’s life. She and her husband have made intentional choices to remain closely connected to their son and his family, including establishing a second home in Maine so they could be near them.

The connection to Maine began when their son attended Bates College in Lewiston. In 2016, the couple purchased a condo in Portland and later moved to Brunswick, creating a stronger opportunity to remain present in their grandson’s life and to see him grow.

For Connie, that closeness is deeply meaningful. Spending time together, participating in family life, and watching her grandson develope have become important priorities that continue to guide her decisions. The experience also reflects the same sense of purpose that characterizes her artistic career: choosing what is meaningful, staying connected to what matters, and making space for the experiences that bring fulfillment.

Today, Connie Saddlemire continues to explore contemporary printmaking at the Oehme Graphics studio in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Through her distinctive combination of altered photography, photosensitive plate processing, and traditional printmaking, she continues to investigate the possibilities that emerge when technology, material, and artistic intuition intersect.

Her work is ultimately an expression of curiosity and discovery. From the industrial surfaces of corrugated Corten steel to the layered colors and textures of the final print, Connie transforms familiar materials through a process that is both technically considered and creatively open-ended. Her commitment to loving what she does remains at the heart of that journey, providing a guiding principle for an artistic practice defined by experimentation, individuality, and a continuing desire to see what the image can become.

Learn More about Connie Saddlemire:

Through her Influential Women profile, https://influentialwomen.com/connect/constance-saddlemire

Influential Women

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Written By: EIN Presswire