Canadian printmaker, Terry Legault (b. 1956) completed her BA at the University of Guelph in 1978. Her practice is centred on the process of drypoint etching. Drypoint is an intaglio printmaking technique known for its rich, velvety lines. Unlike traditional etching, which uses acid to bite lines into a metal plate, drypoint relies on direct incision. The artist draws onto a copper or zinc plate using a sharp needle, scratching through the surface to create grooves. As the needle moves, it raises a fine ridge of displaced metal, called a burr, along the edges of the line. This burr gives drypoint its distinctive character. When ink is applied and the plate is wiped, pigment settles in the incised lines and also clings to the burr. During printing, dampened paper is pressed into the plate under high pressure, pulling ink from both the line and the burr. The result is a soft, slightly blurred line with a deep, tactile quality. Legault has long used drypoint to depict horses, whose movement and musculature benefit from the medium’s expressive line. The soft, slightly irregular marks created by the burr can suggest the sheen of a coat, the tension of muscles, and the motion of a mane or tail. Quick, gestural strokes capture energy and speed, while layered lines build form and weight, making drypoint especially suited to conveying both the power and grace of the horse. Legault is the public collections of the Art Gallery of Hamilton (Hamilton, ON); Nickle Arts Museum (Calgary, AB); and Canada Council Art Bank, among others.