Treaties and other documents seeking to end hostilities between rival cultures and nations have normally proceeded periods reflecting a stalemate in the conflict for land, people and possessions. Likewise this print seeks to show how the New Zealand “Treaty of Waitangi” has sought to quench the thirst of the Maori and English expansionists and bring the hope of unity and peace to the people of New Zealand. Printmaking Technique Photopolymer intaglio is a safer form of traditional intaglio known as etching. Artwork is firstly created onto a transparent sheet. The transparency is then overlaid on to the photopolymer plate and exposed to ultraviolet light. This can be done in the sun, or for greater control, by using a box emitting ultra violet light. On the plate surface is a polymer that is light sensitive and water-soluble. The area of polymer exposed to ultraviolet light hardens, whereas the polymer blocked by the artwork remains water-soluble. This area dissolves in water leaving the image from the transparency etched into the polymer. The etched area on the plate captures the ink and the image is printed using a printmaking press. One photopolymer plate has been used to produce this artwork. I paint directly onto the plate, printing layer by layer to build up rich colours. The final layer is printed using a technique called chin collé. This refers to the application of a second layer over the top of the original image. In this instance, Japanese rice paper is placed over the top of the original print and printed at the same time as application. © 2009 Susan Haywood Smith