[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking. Baren Digest Monday, 4 October 1999 Volume 09 : Number 729 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Philip Smith" Date: Sun, 3 Oct 1999 08:51:35 -0700 Subject: [none] Back under the house today to work on my old waterpipes,....but, I saw this on the internet today,..... "Art is the human activity, having for it's purpose, the transmission to others the highest and best feelings to which mankind has risen" Leo Tolstoy ....a nice thought for this Sunday!? Philip ------------------------------ From: "Jean Eger" Date: Mon, 4 Oct 1999 00:46:57 +0900 Subject: [Baren 6093] Hi Bea, That link has been dead since around 1996. Here's my regular web page: http://users.lanminds.com/~jeaneger Thanks for noticing it. I e-mailed them to correct it. I have to thank Graham for having the "Add Me" logo on his page. I used their web listing service and it quadrupled the traffic to my web site. It's at the bottom of my page. Jean Eger ------------------------------ From: James G Mundie Date: Sun, 3 Oct 1999 15:24:33 -0400 Subject: [Baren 6096] museum info Dave wrote: >I'll put this on my list for future consideration Jim; I can't start >changing my plans for this current trip at this point, but will >definitely think about it for later ... Dave, When I get to work on Monday I'll get all of the necessary contact info for you as it may come in handy at some future point. There are a whole lot of curators and curatorial assistants in the Prints and Drawing Department that could possibly assist you in your search. I have all of their telephone extensions, postal and e-mail addresses in a directory at Fleisher. I'll also get you the names of folks in Rights and Reproductions and some of the "higher ups" for good measure. Cheers, Jim ------------------------------ From: James G Mundie Date: Sun, 3 Oct 1999 15:15:36 -0400 Subject: [Baren 6097] early color printing I had said: >> ... the works of that fellow whose name escapes me at present but >>is widely credited with "inventing"color printing in Japan. and Graham's Dutch alter ego said: >Wklhen you recall the name, please let me know. to which Dave said: >I think it's probably Harunobu you mean ... The very man. My memory has been shot to hell lately. Too many pots on the boil at once, I suppose. The PMA mounted a large Harunobu exhibition in the 1970's and published a meaty catalog. The head curator at that time wrote quite a decent essay about Harunobu's work and his importance in the early stages of multiple color printing in Japan. I made a photocopy some time ago for my own edification. Many of the prints look a bit crude when compared to the best of the ukiyo-e work produced a few generations afterwards, but they are nonetheless nifty to see. Mise le meas, James Mundie ------------------------------ From: Maria Arango Date: Sun, 03 Oct 1999 16:08:14 -0700 Subject: [Baren 6098] artists New work can be seen in http://www.printmakingstudio.com by Baren members Daryl DePry, Colleen, and Gregg Carnes (not a member but a helluva nice guy). Coming up in a couple of days, Veronica Ceci, another member. The Invited Artist's Gallery is just about full! Enjoy their work. Maria ------------------------------ From: Julio.Rodriguez@walgreens.com Date: Sun, 3 Oct 1999 18:02:01 -0500 Subject: [Baren 6099] RE: MISC..... Welcome to Josephine and all the other new members....(I say this cause there are always a few new lurkers hanging around that have not made themselves kown...Jump In !) Thanks to all the replies regarding Ken Tyler. Yes I guess he's done very well for himself and has done a great deal to promote & advance printmaking in the last few decades. Particularly in the area of enlarging the acceptable size for prints....larger prints. I was interested in how we might view such body of work in comparison with the traditional division of labor in Japan's Ukiyo-e. Specifically Dave's point that one can not master all three areas (design, carving & printing) and thus best results are achieved when division of labor occurs and experts handle each piece. Mr. Tyler obviously qualifies under the rank of master printer as his colaborations with many "known" artists have resulted in a great volume of work. Although he's major work is not woodblock printmaking I am talking about the idea of an artist coming up with an idea and colaborating with a printer for the final outcome. Some of the complex techniques used by Tyler and others are beyond the scope of a small home-grown print studio......and of a "part-time" printer. So.... is the final print a "better" product because of the colaboration involved ? I think John or Philip asked how my presses are doing. I have started cleanup to get rid of surface grime and some rust on the smaller Vandercook. The larger Vandercook #2 is still in pieces and will remain like that for cleanup, it is just to heavy to clean & move around when assembled. Looking forward to doing some proofing tonight with the #01. I just missed getting my hands on a whole case of metal type the other day. The guy I bought the presses from did not know I was interested and gave it away to a lady from out-of-state. He is doing a big move this week ( a Washignton press ) and will keep an eye out for me for type both metal and the harder to get wooden type. As consolation he gave me a two large cans of black & red printers ink....Van-Sons made in Holland ???? Never worked with the stuff before........ Dave ......have you ever visited the Chicago Art Museum's japanese print collection ? Regarding the video idea....I was just thinking for a later pass-around video...not so much for the web-site.....somebody going to NY has to have a video camera right ????? Thanks....Julio ------------------------------ From: David Bull Date: Mon, 04 Oct 1999 09:26:49 +0900 Subject: [Baren 6100] Re: museums ... Julio wrote: > Dave ......have you ever visited the Chicago Art Museum's japanese print > collection ? May I quote from a letter I received from them? - --- Dear Mr. Bull, With reference to your letter of January 2nd we regret to advise that we will be unable to grant permission for the reproduction in question. Best wishes, Very truly yours, The Art Institute of Chicago - --- Point (1): The print in question was of course made more than two hundred years ago. What does 'copyright' mean in such a case? Point (2): What on earth are these museums _for_? I understand that they must 'protect' the works from degradation, and thus can't allow every T,D & H to muck about with them, but to lock them up _that_ tightly ...?? *** A couple of you mentioned the museum in Portland, OR. Our family is having a reunion next June over in Vancouver BC (my parents' 50th (incredible!) anniversary), so I'll be in that part of the world then. Maybe it would be a good chance for a (first) trip to the Portland area ... Dave ------------------------------ From: "Jean Eger" Date: Mon, 4 Oct 1999 10:03:17 +0900 Subject: [Baren 6101] Howard and I just came back from the San Francisco International Art Exposition. what a fabulous show! There were art galleries from all over the country and some from abroad. There were lots of prints and even a few woodcuts. I saw a beautiful woodcut by John Buck and one by a woman named Woodman, I forget her first name. It's on for one more day (Monday) at Fort Mason in San Francisco. I must-see if you are in this area. Jean Eger ------------------------------ From: Gary Luedtke Date: Sun, 3 Oct 1999 21:47:10 -0400 Subject: [Baren 6102] Re: museums ... Dave wrote, >Point (2): What on earth are these museums _for_? I understand that they must 'protect' the works from degradation, and thus can't allow every T,D & H to muck about with them, but to lock them up _that_ tightly ...?? The growing trend is for the _museums_ to reproduce their treasures and sell them as greeting cards, or calendars, or stationery, and they probably don't want you horning in on their business, Dave. The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston being a prime case. I have a catalog of their "gift" items, and it's extensive in the reproductions area. They are copying the artist's work that they own, which is past copyright age, and making the bucks off of them. The other point is quite a lot darker, and only speculative, but suggested by a true event. An east coast museum curator had a large collection of World War I relics in the museum which was under lock and key. It seems most museums have collections way beyond the capacity of their display area and so archive it in the basement or something. This guy took some of the relics and sold them thru an antiques dealer as having been his own, and of course kept the money. Since he was in charge of the collection and could deny admittance, no one knew what he was up to. Since they had never been displayed, no one knew they were even _in_ the museum's collection. It took an avid collector who had been on the trail of the particular piece, and had seen it before it was bought by the museum, to recognize it when it again appeared for sale presumably now by a private anonymous collector. So, who knows that those prints are even still _in_ their collections? I have tried to get into the print room of the Nelson Atkins Gallery of Art here in Kansas City with similar success, Dave. I have gotten into the print room of the Spencer Museum of Art in Lawrence, with a short advance notice however, and they had more than I had the time to look through. They kept bringing them until it was time to close. I have no idea of the total pieces in their Japanese print collection, but I saw some nice ones there. Stephen Addiss, whose done a book or two on Japanese Prints, was a Professor there, or perhaps still is, he was a scheduled lecturer there several years ago, but I haven't been back recently. I have a feeling that they would be much more receptive to a request such as yours than your typical big city museum. Well, along with all of the others who have so far offered their hospitality to you to come and visit their local museums, I'll extend an invitation to you as well. Perhaps next year you can schedule a cross country tour of museums, Philadelphia, Chicago, Kansas City, Portland? Surely you'll find more than enough to keep you busy. Gary (P.S. Surely some of Graham's early work ought to be out of the copyright zone and ripe for picking? :) ------------------------------ From: Barbara Mason Date: Sun, 03 Oct 1999 18:58:48 -0700 Subject: [Baren 6103] PDX Dave, Let me know exactly when you will be in Portland and I will set it up, I have been on the board of the print center at the Portland Art Museum for 7 years, so have a little pull. Think we can get you first class treatment, I will start asking as soon as my company from Minnesota leaves in a day or two. Who you know does seem to really help in something like this and the people in Portland are so nice, even without knowing someone. Having a long time to plan it will make it even easier, we can look at all the prints before you come over. I wonder how long it will take to look at them all? Which artists are you particularly interested in and I will start with them. Barbara ------------------------------ From: Barbara Mason Date: Sun, 03 Oct 1999 19:00:05 -0700 Subject: [Baren 6104] PDX 2 Dave, When I said we will look at them, I was assuming Wanda will help me, between the two of us we should be able to see quite a few of them. Barbara ------------------------------ From: David Bull Date: Mon, 04 Oct 1999 11:02:04 +0900 Subject: [Baren 6105] Re: museums ... Gary wrote: > print room of the Spencer Museum of Art in Lawrence, This one also, is on my 'list'. They have some very interesting stuff there. Steve Goddard, the Curator of Prints and Drawings at the university, was (until recently) on [Baren] and so knows what I'm up to. Should be accessible, I think ... *** > (P.S. Surely some of Graham's early work ought to be out of the copyright > zone and ripe for picking? :) No luck. Canada follows the 'Berne Convention' in copyright matters, not the US rules. Their copyrights don't expire until 50 years after the artist stops kicking ... Graham? Graham? Still breathing? Dave ------------------------------ From: John Ryrie Date: Mon, 04 Oct 1999 20:38:02 +1000 Subject: [Baren 6106] ink Julio Van-Sons is good ink it doesn't form a skin or get lumps like most inks. Hear is a sight for a local Melbourne printing suppler not unlike the place were you got your press although he cauls it a museum that is more what he hopes to make it he mainly sells presses. http://avoca.vicnet.net.au/~typo/welcome.htm Thanks for the address Philip & Josephine I didn't have ether of them. John Ryrie ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V9 #729 ***************************