Monday, December 22, 2008
HOLIDAY CARDS THROUGH THE YEARS 1995-2008
2008 ROBO-SNOWMAN
I started printing up my own Holiday cards in 1995, having been to design school but never taking a printmaking class I decided to teach myself how to print linocuts. I can't quite remember exactly what inspired me to work with linocuts other than the fact that I believed by using this medium I would be forced to work in a less detailed fashion than what I was used to doing with many other mediums including, graphite, pen and ink and acrylics. As you can see with time, I found a way to work around that perceived notion of a"less-detailed" medium.
Not knowing what the proper tools were in order to do an actual linocut, I bought a piece of wood-backed linoleum and when the time came to actually cut the image out, I grabbed what I was used to working with, an xacto-blade and got to work cutting out my first piece. That became the 2-color self-portrait holiday card I created while still living in Boston in 1995.
I continued to work like this until I moved to NYC the following year and just happened to meet Javier Cintron, a brilliant artist in his own right who at the time was working in the printmaking workshop of Bob Blackburn. Through Javier, I discovered that there were proper tools to cut linoleum with and places where they actually had printing presses to print editions out on. I'd sneak in when Javier was monitoring the shop and work on my own projects while observing the rest of the artists. Eventually when I became comfortable enough with the environment, I became a monitor and as part of the job, I was allowed to use the presses during my shifts.
As time passed, I was able to purchase my own medium-sized press and the rest is history. I'm pretty sure at this point I have a few hundred images printed up over the years.
The following prints represent the work I've created as Holiday cards as well as gift tags between 1995 and this week. I look back at the images and I'm amazed at just how personal and revealing they really are. Although the subject matter changes each year, they have all become self-portraits allowing a glimpse into my state of mind at the time of creation.
I hope you enjoy checking the images out and HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!!!
1995 - SELF PORTRAIT
1996
1997
1997 - GIFT TAGS
1998 - NEW YORK'S INFLUENCE (One Of My Favorites Too)
1998
1999 - (A BUSY PRINTMAKING YEAR)
1999 GIFT TAGS
2000
2001 ( A Very Sad Year Here In The City)
2002
2002 - GIFT TAGS
2003 - SANTA CLAWS
2004
2004 GIFT TAGS
2005 - BETHESDA FOUNTAIN / CENTRAL PARK (Image Part of "1-A-DAY" Series)
2006 - ROBOSANTA (Image Part Of "A FACE A DAY" Series)
2007 - HOLIDAY WHIRLING DERVISH
I started printing up my own Holiday cards in 1995, having been to design school but never taking a printmaking class I decided to teach myself how to print linocuts. I can't quite remember exactly what inspired me to work with linocuts other than the fact that I believed by using this medium I would be forced to work in a less detailed fashion than what I was used to doing with many other mediums including, graphite, pen and ink and acrylics. As you can see with time, I found a way to work around that perceived notion of a"less-detailed" medium.
Not knowing what the proper tools were in order to do an actual linocut, I bought a piece of wood-backed linoleum and when the time came to actually cut the image out, I grabbed what I was used to working with, an xacto-blade and got to work cutting out my first piece. That became the 2-color self-portrait holiday card I created while still living in Boston in 1995.
I continued to work like this until I moved to NYC the following year and just happened to meet Javier Cintron, a brilliant artist in his own right who at the time was working in the printmaking workshop of Bob Blackburn. Through Javier, I discovered that there were proper tools to cut linoleum with and places where they actually had printing presses to print editions out on. I'd sneak in when Javier was monitoring the shop and work on my own projects while observing the rest of the artists. Eventually when I became comfortable enough with the environment, I became a monitor and as part of the job, I was allowed to use the presses during my shifts.
As time passed, I was able to purchase my own medium-sized press and the rest is history. I'm pretty sure at this point I have a few hundred images printed up over the years.
The following prints represent the work I've created as Holiday cards as well as gift tags between 1995 and this week. I look back at the images and I'm amazed at just how personal and revealing they really are. Although the subject matter changes each year, they have all become self-portraits allowing a glimpse into my state of mind at the time of creation.
I hope you enjoy checking the images out and HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!!!
1995 - SELF PORTRAIT
1996
1997
1997 - GIFT TAGS
1998 - NEW YORK'S INFLUENCE (One Of My Favorites Too)
1998
1999 - (A BUSY PRINTMAKING YEAR)
1999 GIFT TAGS
2000
2001 ( A Very Sad Year Here In The City)
2002
2002 - GIFT TAGS
2003 - SANTA CLAWS
2004
2004 GIFT TAGS
2005 - BETHESDA FOUNTAIN / CENTRAL PARK (Image Part of "1-A-DAY" Series)
2006 - ROBOSANTA (Image Part Of "A FACE A DAY" Series)
2007 - HOLIDAY WHIRLING DERVISH
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
DECEMBER BUG GOING OUT MONDAY 12/15/08
I'l be heading to Baltimore Maryland for the week, leaving tomorrow in order to participate in the opening of the production of Alice in Wonderland that I have been creating work for since early spring. I will then be returning to NYC for a few days and promptly hopping on a jet and getting my butt to Ft. Lauderdale for a much needed rest. I'll be putting December Berube-Bug's in the mail for the following: Dale Roberts / Victoria B.C. Canada - Angela Behrendt / Hannover Germany - Tim Scannell / Port Angeles Washington - Lettres Et Images / Gradignan France - Fast Eyes / Fairfax Station Virginia - Jose Manuel Figueiredo / Sintra Portugal - Ryosuke Cohen / Osaka Japan - Michel Della Vedova / Limoges France - Laura pacter / Naples Florida.
Should i receive more mail while gone, I'll try to get return posts into the mail in the space between trips, if not, some folks will be receiving their December Berube-Bug in the beginning of January.
I hope everyone has a wonderful remainder to the rest of 2008 and I just wanted to say that it has been a great honor to receive so many incredibly creative submissions to my Berube-Bug mailart call. You have all made going to the mailbox a rewarding experience.
Peace and Joy to all my MailArt friends around the world.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
WENDY THORNLEY / Prospect CONNECTICUT U.S.A.
Alright, you caught me, not a single bug in this post. But... since this is a very special card that I recently received in the mail, I thought it deserved to be posted. Wendy Thornley, an acomplished artist in her own right, just so happens to be my high school art teacher and the reason why I continue to create artwork to this very day. We still exchange holiday cards every year, and every once in a while I pull out her phone number and give her a call. Despite our sporadic communications, she's the type of person I think about often with fondness and gratitude. Every child should be so lucky as to have a teacher like Ms. Thornley in their life.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
FINAL 2008 BERUBE-BUG
Hello, well it looks like 2008 is coming to a wrap and since the remaining 2 weeks of December will find me traveling to Baltimore for the production of Alice in Wonderland featuring my artwork as backdrops and props, then on to a much needed rest in Florida for Christmas, I'm trying to get the December bug in the mail as early as possible to those who have already sent in their submissions.
With the end of the year comes the last of the 2008 series Berube-Bugs. Fret not, I'll be continuing the project into the new year, with a fresh batch of creatures. As long as you send them in, I'll send them out. I want to thank all of you who have contributed to the project over the past 6 or so months, and especially those "regulars" who month after month show me just how brilliant your talent really is. I look forward to the new year and all the creatures it may bring.
With the end of the year comes the last of the 2008 series Berube-Bugs. Fret not, I'll be continuing the project into the new year, with a fresh batch of creatures. As long as you send them in, I'll send them out. I want to thank all of you who have contributed to the project over the past 6 or so months, and especially those "regulars" who month after month show me just how brilliant your talent really is. I look forward to the new year and all the creatures it may bring.
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