Bea Nettles is an American photographer known for her narrative, often autobiographical approach. Her formal training, in painting and printmaking rather than photography, informs her unconventional, multimedia presentation techniques. In the late 1960s, while still a graduate student, Nettles began to imbue her work with elements associated with women’s work. Drawing from her Grandmother’s quilting techniques, she started to stitch directly onto her artworks. Such unconventional, innovative approaches, gained Nettles early recognition.  

One of the mediums Nettles explored early on and helped to popularize as a viable art medium is Kwik Print. Kwik print is a commercially available pre-mixed pigment similar to Gum Bichromate. It comes in a range of colors and can be applied to paper, fabric or to a vinyl base. Kwik prints are made by coating light sensitive color onto a base, contact printing large negatives and then washing away the unexposed color with water. The layer would then be sanded for effect before applying the next of many exposures.