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Etchings by Thomas J. Norulak

In Detritus, printmaker Thomas Norulak finds beauty in objects that have been altered over time by their interaction with the elements.

Subjects include rocks and debris along riverbanks and hiking trails, an uprooted tree trunk, an abandoned truck tire, machinery rusting in the woods, and a dead fish washed up on the shores of Lake Erie.

As nature has transformed these objects over time, Norulak’s studio process is also transformative. “I start by taking photographs of these phenomena, and use the following process to transform them into black and white etchings: Laser prints of the photographic imagery are transferred onto a zinc plate with a solvent, and then etched in nitric acid. Using traditional printmaking techniques such as aquatint, open bites, scraping and burnishing, the images acquire abstract or surreal qualities, bearing little resemblance to the original photographs.”


About Thomas J. Norulak

Born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, Thomas Norulak attended Carnegie Mellon University and received his BFA degree in 1971. After living in Philadelphia for five years, he returned to Pittsburgh in late1977 and has made Southwestern Pennsylvania his home ever since.

During the 1980’s, Norulak established a successful commercial screen printing business. He began his active career as an exhibiting artist printmaker during the early 1990’s. His work has been exhibited throughout the Pittsburgh area as well as in national shows, galleries, museums, universities and art centers. He has taught printmaking at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts for over 20 years. He has also taught at Seton Hill University, Carnegie Mellon University Pre-College program, Carnegie Museum of Art and has been a guest instructor and lecturer at other schools and local art groups.

Detritus - Tom Norulak solo at 709 Penn
by Susan Constanse on Digging Pitt, The Pittsburgh, Youngstown, Akron, Cleveland Arts and Livable City Blog