HELP HELP HELP!

NEXT WEEK starting BRIGHT and early MONDAY morning, the next artist, Crystal Wagner, in the Wilson Gallery will start her site specific installation piece, Vestibule.

I am calling on anyone and everyone who would be interested in helping with a major installation to contact me (jeanette_tesmer@georgetowncollege.edu) ASAP. We need all hands on deck for this!

REASON WHY YOU SHOULD HELP:
meet the artist
have a great time
see what art on steriods is all about
dance
put assisting with a MAJOR installation on your resume
you love art
want to know how these things work
want to be one of the cool kids
_________________________ (come up with your own)

Whatever your reason this is going to be a crazy week of ART in the Wilson building. Even if you can't commit time stop by and check things out!

Artist Statement:
Vestibule is a conduit. A space somewhere between the plastic and artificial environment of our everyday experiences with man-made materials, consumerism, and technology and the exotic landscapes that occupy the surface of our earth. It explores ideas related to human beings and the increasingly severe divide between themselves and the natural world by growing, as if it were a life form, through the gallery. The exoticization of nature and all things, non-human, make forms that were once familiar, more foreign.  While this dissonance continues to escalate, making more and more of our natural world seem alien to us, there is a strange familiarity and attraction to the forms that people categorize as exotic and even in our attempt to keep the outside, out, plastic plants occupy small corners of peoples homes. I am interested in how these ideas relate to our everyday materials, the accessibility and excess in mass production, and how it affects peoples experience with the world that they live in.

Above are images from Crystal's installation Arboretum. You can see how detailed in intricate this massive structure is. For more images please check out her website.

Art news: Rembrandt print

Long considered a copy of a Rembrandt, this red ink portrait from the National Gallery of Scotland has been verified as a Rembrandt. Depicting Jan Cornelis Sylvius, a preacher from the artist's town of Amsterdam, the work is considered by the hand of Rembrandt because it was pulled from an etching plate that was created by the Old Master himself. Even though it was printed posthumously, the print is still considered a Rembrandt and, thus, holds particular merit in the printmaking world and in art history. It was likely inked in the 18th century, when red prints were all the rage. 

The following print, from the Art Institute of Chicago, is similar in character to the red one above. But, its granular differences, tonal distinction, and overall grainy appearance detract from the clarity and quality of the work. Thus, this apparent copy of the original 1633 plate, too, is classified as "a Rembrandt" even though it is derivative and, presumably, made after the original plate had been created. 

Finally, consider the print below, from the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Made in 1646, it borrows in subject and composition from the earlier two works above. The Cleveland piece is considered reproductive and illustrative, and yet, it, too, is a Rembrandt.  

Seeing is believing: it's a wonder that it took the National Gallery in Scotland so long to realize that their print was pulled from the very plate that Rembrandt had etched. We tend to think that works created by Old Masters have an aura. And, yet, clearly, we can't always see what we should really believe. 

Imprint knowledge part two Lithography

Lithography: 

Lithography has many processes within itself, paper plate lithography, stone lithography, plate litho, and polyester plate lithography, just to name a few. I thought I would run through a couple and review the structure that of all of them stand on.

All lithographic technology is based on the simple principle that oil and water do not mix.

Paper plate lithography (also know as xerox lithography, if you hear xerogrpahy they are trying to sound more than they are) is the easiest technical explanation of this premise.  

When put through a laser printer (a printer with toner rather than ink) the colored powdered plastic we call toner covers the paper in whatever image we choose. The plastic toner is melted onto the paper sealing one side of the paper in whatever your image choice is.

The paper is then wet with gum arabic and water. (Gum arabic and the paper are both hydrophilic (they love water)). 

The print inks used in this process are oil based. So with the paper soaking in some of the water and the toner repelling water due to it being plastic. The ink is rolled over the whole sheet of paper and will only stick to the toner.  In this way you can print up your paper plate in any color of your choice. (seen below is one in process)

The paper plate is then run through the press with dry or damp paper to come out with the print.

example of lithographic limestone

All lithographic processes are similar at base, some are done on stone, some on steel plates, they can be based in drawing or in photography.  It is one of the most challenging technical processes in printmaking but also one of the most rewarding.

Paper being pulled off stone after printing.

The following are examples of Stone Lithography from one of the masters Oldrich Kulhanek

 I got to see this in person as a student at The University of Florida and it was one of the reasons I pursued stone lithography as a focus for almost 5 years.   His work is also the first image you see in this post.

ImPrint exhibition opportunity

ImPrint: An exhibition opportunity for works that are under no specific theme but must use printmaking processes and elements of typography. Inkjet or digitally printed works will not be considered for review. Entries are not limited to flat work, but 3-D works and book forms can also be submitted. Processes may include, but are not limited to, letterpress, silkscreen, etching, engraving, or lithography. Please consider applying some of your works from ART 300: Printmaking, ART 370 Sketchbooks, ART 370 Book Arts. The entries will be submitted through a digital application available through the link below. Accepted works will be featured in a printed catalog and available for cash awards. Entries are due on Friday, September 10th. If you have any questions please follow the contact information on the online call.

ONLINE CALL

Handiedan

For the printmakers/photo/painters thought this was nice.
To see more of his work Click HERE

Tedious book animation

So if you ever think your work is tedious take a look at this. All hand cut by the New Zealand book company. No computer anything in this one.