Interview: Veronica Corzo-Duchardt Melds Photography & Screenprinting To Create Expert Designs

Veronica Corzo-Duchardt does screenprinting that brings together various elements to create an aesthetic that absolutely nails it. By using photos directly in the screenprinting process, Veronica layers, designs, and uses negative space to come up with art prints that are composed and clean.

She lived in Chicago for 10 years, now resides in Philly, and seems to live an inherently creative life. She’s the Design Director at Bitch Media, and we found her work through our recent curatorial focus on women of color who work in, or are connected to Chicago.

We’re proud to have recently added all the prints Veronica has available to the IPMM Permanent Collection and will be mobilizing them for clients and partners in 2019 and beyond.

Ahead we get into Veronica’s ideal day, some process notes around how she makes her work, and a few artist recommendations.

Evan La Ruffa: Can you tell us about a formative creative moment that inspired you to venture into making your own art?

Veronica Corzo-Duchardt: I don’t have a single a-ha moment but grad school was a formative experience in my development as an artist. 

What artists are currently inspiring you?

Kameelah J Rasheed, Christine Sun Kim, Edra Soto, Tiffany Smith.

Please give our readers a glimpse into your process, from A to Z. How does a piece begin and how do you follow through to complete it? Both as far as how you set yourself up to make art and the various stages of screenprinting.

My pieces often begin with a photograph that is either taken by me or I have come across in my research. Sometimes I’m using the photo directly in the screen printing process by digitally separating layers of textures and forms I find interesting. Other times I’m printing out the photos I take and enlarging and manipulating them directly on a photocopier. I use the results to make films on transparencies and burn films for screenprinting.

If you could meet one person, alive or dead, who would it be and why?

That is way too large of a pool, so I’ll just stay that this is one of many people I’d love to meet Cuban Artist and printmaker Belkis Ayón. I’ve admired Belkis’s work from afar for years but I had the pleasure of seeing her work in person last year in Brooklyn and was completely awestruck by the depth and emotion behind her pieces. I’d love to sit down with her and talk about her process and experience.

Do you ever wonder what you’d be doing if you weren’t making art and screenprinting? What do you think you might be doing?

I do wonder that sometimes, I know that I would still be making art in some other way. But I think if I wasn’t a visual artist I would be a chef. I love cooking. It’s both another creative outlet for me and way to delight and care for people. 

How does your identity inform your work?

On a macro scale it affects how I see things and the stories I’m interested in drawing out. Both formally and conceptually my use of everyday materials, especially the use of coffee and sugar, speaks to both a personal and cultural relationship with my Cuban-American identity.

You’re also the Design Director for Bitch Media. Can you tell us about your role there & how that work differs from your artistic practice?

At Bitch Media create work for an incredible feminist community and work with some an incredibly dedicated and talented group of colleagues. I work on brand marketing and editorial Bitch. My own artwork or techniques often makes its way into projects that I do at Bitch. But one of my favorite parts of the job is finding other artists to create work for the magazine and other projects. I love that aspect of it.

You used to live in Chicago but are now in Philly, right?

Yes, I lived in Chicago for almost 10 years. I think it’s an incredible city with an amazing art community. I’ve been in the Philly area for almost 3 years now, I feel lucky to have landed in another great city for art. 

You speak about being fascinated by the history embedded in objects we use, and wanting to bring that up in your screenprinting process. I really like the sound of that… can you give us a few examples that are close to your heart/psyche?

There are many included in my project the Neche Collection which is based on objects that my grandfather kept throughout his life. I still have and his stapler that he used everyday on my desk. I also use that stapler regularly, I love that I get to have a connection to a person through a very mundane everyday object.

Your website is WinterBureau.com, where did that name come from and what does it mean to you? As an organization with a curious & fun name, we’re always interested in these conceptual underpinnings of one’s work.

The Winter part came from both my love of snow, which I associate with being enveloped in a quiet beauty. Bureau came from my love of office supplies and with my aesthetic inclinations which gravitate to old office forms. I also liked that bureau both speaks to a place where you work and a chest of drawers. Bringing those two things together made a lot of sense as a way to describe a place that would become a moniker for my creative practice. When combined, I thought of Winterbureau as this imagined place where I could hole up and make — surrounded with the things and people that influence me.  

What does your ideal day look like?

My ideal day would involve getting up early(ish) having some coffee and breakfast outside with dog while reading a book. Heading to the boxing gym, then to the screenprinting studio (after a long shower) getting in a few hours there. Making dinner, eating with my wife, followed by hanging out the couch for some serious dog cuddles and a good tv show or having a friend stop by to hang out. It’s pretty simple formula…time with my family and friends, art, boxing, food,  oh and sun, I need sunlight in my life. That’s my average day. Rinse and repeat.