On the Camino Francés in Castrojeriz, Spain, we met a gentleman offering small artistic items in exchange for donations to the House of Silence. When we asked if we could take his photo, he looked at us and simply asked, “Why?” Ann answered, “Because you look like a kind man.” And that was the beginning of a profound conversation on the fleeting nature of existence. This handmade etching is based on an acrylic painting inspired by that brief encounter — a moment of humor, generosity, and Camino-stranger intimacy. The man’s open hands, gentle expression, and slightly mischievous presence seem to hold the spirit of the trail itself: fleeting, human, and unforgettable. Later, in conversation, he gave us one of those perfectly Camino responses — “Well, we are all dead anyway” — a phrase somehow both blunt and strangely freeing. This is a handmade photogravure etching, not a photographic print. We press ink into fine art paper from a plate we create from the original image. Print is made with Gamblin Bone Black ink on Hahnemühle Copperplate paper. Prints are signed and numbered on the lower front. Image and paper sizes are approximate. Variations within the edition are possible and expected. Image 12 cm X 17.5 cm on 20 cm × 28 cm paper.
