1994, Cabby, 9x12 inches, intaglio and aquatint, (State 2 artists proof) by Kenney Mencher
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This ships from Round Lake Beach, Illinois. A suburb outside of Chicago.
I use UPS and sometimes US Post.
This is Cabby, an intaglio and aquatint print I made back in 1994. It’s a 9x12 inch second state artist’s proof, pulled by hand in my studio. I'm including it now as part of my Fresh Finds project—where I’m digging into my archive to release early works that have rarely been seen outside my studio. These are the pieces that shaped my career, and I thought it would be meaningful to let collectors get their hands on a few of them.
The image shows a man leaning into a car window, talking to a driver. The scene is quiet but feels loaded with something—maybe tension, maybe just an exchange we’re not in on. I like that ambiguity. You could read it as cinematic, maybe even noir-influenced, which is something I was into at the time—photography, old films, and narrative stillness.
This print was made using intaglio and aquatint, techniques that involve etching a metal plate, then using acid to create areas of tone. It’s a labor-intensive process: I draw and scratch the image into the plate, then dip it in acid to bite the lines and textures. After inking and wiping the plate, I run it through a press with damp paper to transfer the image. Each one is hand-pulled, so no two are exactly alike.
The style blends realism with some stylization. The figures are anatomically believable but made up of simplified shapes—especially the cabby’s back and arm, which I blocked out using strong highlights and broad shadows. The car interior is also suggested more than fully drawn, which keeps the focus on the interaction. I abstracted some forms, like the hat and the folds in the shirt, to heighten the graphic quality of the light and movement.
The composition is asymmetrical but balanced. The driver is framed by the car window on the left, while the cabby’s body and bent arm pull your attention across the space. The window frame and car door give a strong horizontal structure, and I used angled light and shadow to give the whole piece a dynamic feel. It’s kind of like a still from a film—frozen mid-action.
I think this piece fits into my broader interest in everyday moments that hold a little mystery. It’s not grand or dramatic—it’s two people and a car—but that’s part of the appeal. There’s a timelessness to the interaction that connects with film, history, and the way I try to capture mood through body language and framing.
Details:
Title: Cabby (Second State Artist’s Proof)
Year: 1994
Medium: Intaglio and aquatint
Dimensions: 9 x 12 inches
Unframed
Signed and titled by hand
Original hand-pulled print from my personal archive
FREE SHIPPING Shipping takes 3-4 Weeks
This ships from Round Lake Beach, Illinois. A suburb outside of Chicago.
I use UPS and sometimes US Post.
This is Cabby, an intaglio and aquatint print I made back in 1994. It’s a 9x12 inch second state artist’s proof, pulled by hand in my studio. I'm including it now as part of my Fresh Finds project—where I’m digging into my archive to release early works that have rarely been seen outside my studio. These are the pieces that shaped my career, and I thought it would be meaningful to let collectors get their hands on a few of them.
The image shows a man leaning into a car window, talking to a driver. The scene is quiet but feels loaded with something—maybe tension, maybe just an exchange we’re not in on. I like that ambiguity. You could read it as cinematic, maybe even noir-influenced, which is something I was into at the time—photography, old films, and narrative stillness.
This print was made using intaglio and aquatint, techniques that involve etching a metal plate, then using acid to create areas of tone. It’s a labor-intensive process: I draw and scratch the image into the plate, then dip it in acid to bite the lines and textures. After inking and wiping the plate, I run it through a press with damp paper to transfer the image. Each one is hand-pulled, so no two are exactly alike.
The style blends realism with some stylization. The figures are anatomically believable but made up of simplified shapes—especially the cabby’s back and arm, which I blocked out using strong highlights and broad shadows. The car interior is also suggested more than fully drawn, which keeps the focus on the interaction. I abstracted some forms, like the hat and the folds in the shirt, to heighten the graphic quality of the light and movement.
The composition is asymmetrical but balanced. The driver is framed by the car window on the left, while the cabby’s body and bent arm pull your attention across the space. The window frame and car door give a strong horizontal structure, and I used angled light and shadow to give the whole piece a dynamic feel. It’s kind of like a still from a film—frozen mid-action.
I think this piece fits into my broader interest in everyday moments that hold a little mystery. It’s not grand or dramatic—it’s two people and a car—but that’s part of the appeal. There’s a timelessness to the interaction that connects with film, history, and the way I try to capture mood through body language and framing.
Details:
Title: Cabby (Second State Artist’s Proof)
Year: 1994
Medium: Intaglio and aquatint
Dimensions: 9 x 12 inches
Unframed
Signed and titled by hand
Original hand-pulled print from my personal archive
FREE SHIPPING Shipping takes 3-4 Weeks
This ships from Round Lake Beach, Illinois. A suburb outside of Chicago.
I use UPS and sometimes US Post.
This is Cabby, an intaglio and aquatint print I made back in 1994. It’s a 9x12 inch second state artist’s proof, pulled by hand in my studio. I'm including it now as part of my Fresh Finds project—where I’m digging into my archive to release early works that have rarely been seen outside my studio. These are the pieces that shaped my career, and I thought it would be meaningful to let collectors get their hands on a few of them.
The image shows a man leaning into a car window, talking to a driver. The scene is quiet but feels loaded with something—maybe tension, maybe just an exchange we’re not in on. I like that ambiguity. You could read it as cinematic, maybe even noir-influenced, which is something I was into at the time—photography, old films, and narrative stillness.
This print was made using intaglio and aquatint, techniques that involve etching a metal plate, then using acid to create areas of tone. It’s a labor-intensive process: I draw and scratch the image into the plate, then dip it in acid to bite the lines and textures. After inking and wiping the plate, I run it through a press with damp paper to transfer the image. Each one is hand-pulled, so no two are exactly alike.
The style blends realism with some stylization. The figures are anatomically believable but made up of simplified shapes—especially the cabby’s back and arm, which I blocked out using strong highlights and broad shadows. The car interior is also suggested more than fully drawn, which keeps the focus on the interaction. I abstracted some forms, like the hat and the folds in the shirt, to heighten the graphic quality of the light and movement.
The composition is asymmetrical but balanced. The driver is framed by the car window on the left, while the cabby’s body and bent arm pull your attention across the space. The window frame and car door give a strong horizontal structure, and I used angled light and shadow to give the whole piece a dynamic feel. It’s kind of like a still from a film—frozen mid-action.
I think this piece fits into my broader interest in everyday moments that hold a little mystery. It’s not grand or dramatic—it’s two people and a car—but that’s part of the appeal. There’s a timelessness to the interaction that connects with film, history, and the way I try to capture mood through body language and framing.
Details:
Title: Cabby (Second State Artist’s Proof)
Year: 1994
Medium: Intaglio and aquatint
Dimensions: 9 x 12 inches
Unframed
Signed and titled by hand
Original hand-pulled print from my personal archive
