Print! : The Process of Lithographs

Art mediums take many forms and utilize many different techniques. One may choose to use several different mediums over the totality of any one artist’s work. Lithograph is a technique of printing utilized by artists that combine the tactile nature of drawing and painting and the ability to propagate their message. So how exactly does an artist take original drawings and paintings and create their vision in Lithograph? 

Lithography begins with the choice of ‘canvas’, for lithography is traditionally done with a block of limestone, called lithographic limestone, that is ground smooth. More modern renditions of the lithograph sometimes will use Zinc plates. These stones and plates have a penchant for absorbing oil based mediums, which is important for the lithograph. 

tools utilized in lithography prints

Oil-based tusche, grease pencils, and rubbing blocks full of oil medium, are some of the tools used by artists to create artwork on these lithographic stones. For some pieces, particularly pieces utilizing several colors, the artist will use several stones for each color of their print. Usually, the artist will work together with a printer to collaborate on aligning the image, choosing the best colors of ink, and working out the proofs. 

This Lithograph by Marc Chagall, would have utilized several different stones to achieve the vibrant colors we see here.

After proofs of the print are made, the artist will print several pieces of the work. After which, the stone is cleansed utilizing a laborious chemical process or ground down, so the limestone can be used once more. After the stone is cleansed, there is no way to recreate the work in the same process. 

An artist transfers an image to paper

The Twelve Tribes & Marc Chagall

Often heralded as the most prolific Jewish artist, in the 1960s Marc Chagall found himself standing in the center of a synagogue in Jerusalem, speaking to a crowd of around three-hundred individuals. Above him, shining with vibrant color, were twelve stained glass windows he designed. The twelve windows, meant to represent the twelve gates of heaven, were Chagall’s gift to all Semite people. It was representational of the belief that their prayers would be heard directly in the kingdom of heaven. The artist spoke on this gift, 

“This is my modest gift to the Jewish people who have always dreamt of biblical love, friendship, and peace among all peoples. This is my gift to the people who lived here thousands of years ago, among other Semitic people.”

Marc Chagall
Tribe of Naphtali
Color lithograph (after the gouache); final design for the "Jerusalem Windows" series for his famous stained-glass windows for the Synagogue at the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center in the Judaean Hills. The lithography was done under the direction of Marc Chagall and printed by Mourlot in 1962 and is unsigned as is appropriate for this edition.
11 5/8” x 8 ½”

Twelve is a number that is found countless times in the Torah, where Chagall drew his inspiration; Twelve gates of heaven, Twelve tribes of Israel, Twelve minor prophets, Twelve sons of Jacob, Twelve Springs of Water…

The number holds great significance and is rife with meaning. Specifically, Chagall utilized the twelve tribes of Israel for his representation, utilizing symbolism in the religious text to represent those tribes. 

The Completed Windows, in Jerusalem

His planning was meticulously thought out, and sketched in various forms. He worked with his printer to bring to life color versions of the windows through Lithography. These lithographs contain some of the most vibrant colors Chagall used during his decades-long career. Critics ascertain that these windows and the design of them, though completed later in his life, are reminiscent of his ‘golden years’ and flourish with the vigor the artist is known for. These lithographs were created by Charles Sorlier under the direction of Marc Chagall. 

Marc Chagall
Tribe of Dan
Color lithograph (after the gouache); final design for the "Jerusalem Windows" series for his famous stained-glass windows for the Synagogue at the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center in the Judaean Hills. The lithography was done under the direction of Marc Chagall and printed by Mourlot in 1962 and is unsigned as is appropriate for this edition.
11 5/8” x 8 ½”

Unshrouding Surrealism

In our gallery we seem to carry several works of surrealist art, most noteworthy is the work of Joan Miro, whom we’ve collected several lithograph works.  Surrealism still has a heavy hold on design, architecture, and influence of modern trends. But, without knowing the history, it may be difficult to track down exactly where this art movement came from.

Surrealism is one of the few artistic movements known to have a singular origin- which is the work of Andre Breton. Breton utilized Sigmund Freud’s “The Interpretation of Dreams” published in 1899 to cope with a world reeling from trauma in the aftermath of World War I. Influenced by this psychoanalysis, Breton and other Surrealist artists believed that the unconscious was the key to discovering deeper truths about the human condition. 

Out of the desire to tune into one’s unconscious, the practice of automatism was born. Automatism was utilized to allow the subconscious to direct movement or writing. Joan Miro was one avid proponent of Automatism, utilizing it to create his vivid Biomorphic organic forms for which he is known. 

Ellen Lanyon
Lilies
Color Lithograph, signed and numbered in pencil
Printer’s Proof #2
22¼" x 22"

The other side of this unconscious was accessing the ‘dream-state’ which artists like Salvador Dali utilized to create imagery beyond the rational and to propose deeper concepts about the perception of the reality we interact with. New Yorker Contributor, Ellen Lanyon, uses this form of surrealism in her work, creating vivid images subverting the expectations of the conscious mind. In her piece Lilies, Lanyon applies subtle surrealism to create a sense of comfort and one-ness with hands reaching together from a planter. 

Marc Chagall
L'Accordeoniste,Paris
From the Jacques Lassaigne book "Marc Chagall" with 15 unsigned lithographs.
Published in 1957 by Maeght, Paris. Printed by Mourlot Freres, Paris
Edition: 6000
Reference: Mourlot 204
9” x 15 ¼”

Although not technically a surrealist, Marc Chagall worked in radical points throughout his career exploring surrealism in his work. The influence of surrealism in Paris would have been difficult for the artist to avoid. By the end of his life, Chagall had carved out his own abstract of making art, taking pieces of the artistic periods to create his own genre-defying work.   His use of dream-like figures and dual imagery such as in David and Bathsheba or L'Accordeoniste, Paris, exemplify a pseudo-surrealism that Chagall utilized throughout his work. 

Marc Chagall
David and Bathsheba, 1956
Original color lithograph, ed. 6500 aside from the signed and numbered edition of 75.
Ref. Mourlot 132. From Illustrations for the Bible
Also illustrated in the catalogue for the 1973 Musee National Message Biblique Marc Chagall inauguration in Nice, France,
Image size: 14" x 10 1/2"

Surrealism continues to be a focal point in art as humans strive to access emotional and spiritual truths previously subdued by society. As mental health moves to the forefront of conversations about the human condition, surrealist work continues to be a touchstone to humankind’s quest to unravel ourselves.

Unique New York: The Captivating Lithographs of New Yorker Artists

Recently uploaded to the gallery website are stunning limited edition prints by contributing artists of the New Yorker magazine. These limited prints are all signed on thick, luxurious watermarked paper. William Steig, Ellen Lanyon, and George Booth make waves with their high-color prints uploaded to the Gallery for the first time. 

Steig, Lanyon, and Booth, all with several New Yorker covers under their belt fail to disappoint with their stunning use of color and form to captivate their audience. 

William Steig
Red Ball
Color Lithograph, signed and numbered in pencil
Edition 18/80
30" x 22½"

William Steig, (1907-2003) contributing two pieces to the Gallery has worked with the New Yorker since 1932 and until his death in 2003. He produced over 100 New Yorker covers.  His artwork is considered a hallmark of New Yorker work, and his is widely considered a defining contributor to the publication. In his work ‘Population Study’ and “Red Ball’ we can admire his raw sense of form and function. 

Another defining contributor is George Booth, who amassed several era-defining cartoons to the publication. He is well known for his comic work depicting older individuals in hilarious situations. Here in his work, ‘Antiques’, we see that witty sense of humor at play. 

Ellen Lanyon
Lilies
Color Lithograph, signed and numbered in pencil
Printer’s Proof #2
22¼" x 22"

Ellen Lanyon (1926-2013) is known for her organic forms mixed with surrealist visuals. In her lithograph piece, Lilies, it is no different. Her work had been independently exhibited over seventy-five times during her lifetime.

Joan Miro & The Surrealist Lense

Recently uploaded to the gallery is some of the work of Joan Miro (1893-1983) , known for his vivid biomorphic imagery and contributions to the surrealist movement. 

Miro, drawn to the Paris art scene as a young man, began his artistic journey as a child, with an early interest in the organic world around him. Even as a child, the Spanish artist’s works were abstractions meant to bridge the gap between reality and the abstract. Later in life he would utilize a concept called automatism, in which the artist allows their subconscious to dictate the visual forms in their work. 

Joan Miro
Miro Graveur II
Original color woodcut, 1979
12 ½” x 9 ¾”
Published for the Jacques Dupin catalogue raisonne "Miro Graveur II" in 1984
Unsigned

A pioneer of twentieth-century art, he identified strongly with the surrealist movement, and collaborated with surrealist poets, lending a creative hand in illustration for artist books. This desire for collaboration perhaps lent itself to his later movement away from painting, and into printmaking. Miro became prolific in lithographs, etchings, and aquatints in the 1950s and 1960s. 

Joan Miro
Miro Lithographs II
Original color lithograph, 1975
12 ½” x 19 ½”
Reference: Moulot 1039
Miro Lithographs II, 1975
Unsigned

He felt that printmaking could further his work to reach more people.  The artist himself recognized the advantage of printmaking, stating:

“A painting is a unique example for a single collector. But if I pull seventy-five examples, I increase by seventy-five times the number of people who can own a work of mine. I increase the reach of my message seventy-five times.” 

Joan Miro
Les Essences De La Terra
Original color lithograph, 1977
15 ⅞” x 19 ¾”
Reference: Mourlot 572
Miro Lithographs III, 1977 ed.1109
Unsigned

Tom Tartaglino

Tom Tartaglino has been showing in our gallery for a number of years and we love getting new work to show our clients.  He is a plein air artist, he paints on the spot, as you can see in the above image.  What he sees is what he paints.  He is passionate about his work and he will go at great lengths to arrive at a location that pleases him and allows for the creative expression that satisfies his passion.  The artist states about painting: 

Oil painting is an experience like no other.  As I layout my canvas, my hand encounters a smooth and sensual feeling as paint glides across the surface.  Oil paint has a fragrance that is almost sweet and enriches the experience.  Reading the subject requires me to calculate spatial relationships, color and brightness.  Intuition guides my eye and hand in determining what choices to react to.  Fixing on the subject, the decisions in paint become automatic.  My pace quickens and my hands are moving faster now addressing areas around the canvas that need attention.  It takes shape.  Standing back, I can see where improvements can be made and I begin corrections.  Details catch my eye and key places are sharpened…Painting is not unlike an orchestral piece, where the instruments are color, brushes, mediums, sensitivity to the surface and the mental focus of putting it all together for a good performance.

Tom Tartaglino
The Messenger
Oil on Canvas
20’’ x 68’’

Tom Tartaglino
Flash Mud
Oil on Canvas
12’’ x 26’’

Tom Tartaglino
Up Steger Creek
Oil on Linen
15’’ x 15’’

New Artwork in the Gallery

Just in and on the walls are paintings by Giselle Gautreau, an artist we have carried for several years.  
 
Giselle creates contemporary landscape paintings in oil and encaustic.  She received her MFA in Painting from Virginia Commonwealth University and has a BFA in Painting from Maine College of Art.  

Giselle has received numerous awards for her work, including a Professional Artist Fellowship from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and exhibited her work for 20+ years and has had multiple solo shows. Her work is in public, private and corporate collections in Canada, the United States, Europe and Japan. 

The artist states: In my work I explore my ideas of memory of place, the landscape and ecology. Endlessly influenced by nature, my paintings explore the intersection of color and atmosphere along with the impact of what nature inspires. 

I paint with numerous layers of oil or encaustic paints, using both opaque and translucent layers to achieve a sense of depth, atmosphere and luminosity.  The landscape for me is both visual inspiration and sometimes a metaphor for loss, change, resiliency and adaptation. For me, painting the landscape is a reminder of our connections to it. 

A Colorful Shade of Chagall

Swiss publisher Teriade commissioned Marc Chagall to do a set of lithographs on Biblical themes for a special number of the deluxe art review Verve. The result was some of the most intense color lithographs that Chagall ever made. These lithographs (12 of which have an additional black-and-white lithograph printed on the reverse) show Chagall revelling in color but always sensitive to the themes of the stories he picks to illustrate.

This image, David and Bathsheba, is one of these lithographs.  Illustrated in the catalogue for the 1973 Musee National Message Biblique Marc Chagall inauguration. This is a very rare lithograph and one of Chagall's most important prints, it tends to get full page illustrations in books that present most of Chagall's works. It is reproduced in color on the rear cover of Charles Sorlier, Chagall: Le Livre des livres / Illustrated Books. It is also reproduced full-size in color as the frontispiece of the book and again full-size and in color on page 207 to illustrate the 1956 Issue of Verve devoted to The Bible. 

Meg Walsh and the Florida Coast

Meg Walsh has been painting the coast of Florida for some time using her plein air technique which she has developed over the last 13 years to perfection.  The American Scholar just published an article about her and her Florida connection. 

Bronzed Lines III A Commission

Bronzed Lines III Installation

Early in 2016 visitors to our gallery discovered and fell in love with the work of AnaMarie Parades when they viewed a sculpture on display.  The work is entitled “Bronzed Lines II” which is illustrated here.

 They said they were very interested in the work but wanted something larger for a wall they had in their home.  As the discussions with the client and the artist became more specific it became clear that the complexity of the work would be considerable.  As it turned out the wall contained a door to a half bath that they still wanted to have available.  This was proposed to AnaMarie who went right to work designing a sculpture that not only fit on the wall but also opened in the central panel as part of a door.

In order to accomplish this complex project AnaMarie made many visits to the client’s home measuring and discussing the design.  It was final decided to create a sculpture, similar to the one they originally viewed in our gallery, but divided into three parts, the central unit acting as a door to the half bath.  To accomplish this AnaMarie built a wall in her studio which included a door using the exact measurements of the clients wall and went to work creating the sculpture.  During this process she made many visits to the clients home, and at one point brought the semi-finished work and attached it to the wall and then made minimal adjustments so the door wood open without the work having the appearance of this secret function.  She then took it back to her studio to finish the bronze finishing of the piece.   Below is a video of the work in progress.

Here is the finished product with the door open followed by an image of the door closed.

Vantage Point: Three Person Exhibition

"Vantage Point:  Plein Air Paintings by Gray Dodson, Lynn Mehta, Meg Walsh "

 R.H. Ballard Gallery presents “Vantage Point”, new paintings by three regional Plein Air artists Gray Dodson, Lynn Mehta, and Meg Walsh which opens ­October 22nd and runs through November 16th, 2016.  

An Opening Reception with the Artists takes place Saturday, October 22nd from 4:00 – 7:00 pm.  The public is invited, Gadino Cellars wine will be poured and light fare provided.

This show is part of “An Evening of Art in Little Washington,” which also includes the Opening Reception of the Gay Street Gallery’s exhibit of Kevin Adams, Robert Bouquet and Paul X. Rutz, from 4-7pm, which runs Oct. 22 – Jan 2.

In the Ballard’s three person show, artists Dodson, Mehta and Walsh have exhibited widely and all get their inspiration from being in the landscape and painting directly from it. The following artist’s statements give us an interesting insight into their process and vision.­

Meg Walsh states: “Though I am a representational painter, I am more concerned with creating a strong composition than accurately depicting a scene. I try to translate the landscape, emphasizing what interests me most about a specific place at a moment in time, whether it be a dramatic shadow pattern, the blazing heat of a summer day, or the rolling sky of a passing storm. My paintings have a strong abstract element, and I often limit my values and simplify shapes to make a more forceful statement.”

Lynn Mehta has this to say about her work and process: “When I paint I connect with changing light, the color of the landscape, and movement. I feel the most free when I paint outdoors, whether I paint deserts, cities, mountains, farms, docks, rivers, or beaches. I focus on abstract shapes and forms that create a whole, seeking inspiration that makes a universal connection.”

Gray Dodson has these observations: “My work is about place and mood.  Color and light are extremely important.  I adjust them as they relate to each other and the entire composition, often emphasizing the contrasts of lights and darks while relying on my emotional response to the landscape.  I hold a deep reverence for nature and strive to connect with its spiritual aspect.”

Click here to see a preview of the exhibition.

New Sculpture in Town

The iron works at Artifacts-on-Main

View fullsize

JOANIE BALLARD

Sculptures by (from front to back) Jonathan Bowling, Hans Gerhard and Nol Putnam are among the new works sprouting in the yard at Artifacts-on-Main.

Artifacts-on-Main is now displaying outdoor steel and iron sculpture by local artists Hans Gerhard and Nol Putnam as well as an artist new to the area, Jonathan Bowling.

Like Gerhard, the North Carolina-based Bowling uses found objects and scrap metal to create durable art — the former creating expressions of single or multiple figures, as well as abstract works using mostly farm scrap metal, the latter using every type of scrap one can think of to create depictions of animals, from horses and goats to pigs and deer.

Bowling’s work arrived at the outdoor space last week and the artist himself hoisted it into place. Bowling says he has “been working on a series of steel horses, which focus on interior and negative space as much as on contours and surface. Each ‘horse’ is a series of abstract sculptures which are combined to form the armature for the whole. These pieces are made with the intention of staying outdoors in a public area without the need for extensive maintenance. The materials I use are often from the turn of the last century, which I feel is appropriate for depicting an animal so intertwined with our agrarian past. Repurposed steel provides a sound structure which allows me to work on a scale that lends itself to public spaces.”

Hans Gerhard work has been a staple of the local arts scene for decades, and has found a home at Robert and Joanie Ballard’s Artifacts-on-Main. Both a painter and sculptor, Gerhard says of the latter: “I had to deal with a lot of broken machinery and scrap metal on the dilapidated Rappahannock County farm I had bought 30 years ago. The cleanup took years, and it turned into a new passion to make something amusing and even beautiful out of the crude material.”

Article from The Rappahannock News

A Weekend With...DeLoss... 05/31/2016

Huffington Post Arts and Culture

A review of one of our favorite artists, DeLoss McGraw, at the exhibition of his new work "As With A Picture, So With a Poem" at a well known Los Angeles gallery just appeared in the Huffington Post by Edward Goldman, art critic.  He writes:

"...A new exhibition at Couturier Gallery of works by painter, poet, and illustrator, DeLoss McGraw, evokes the memory of his award winning illustrations for Alice in Wonderland. In this exhibition of works on paper, DeLoss quotes from his poems and journals, with references to his childhood, his relationship with his mother, and the influence of music in his life and work.

View fullsize

The palette in this new body of works —with DeLoss’ trademark silhouettes of children and animals —is more restricted than usual, but somehow the overall effect is even more dramatic. It’s always a mystery for me how this artist is able to combine in one work both a sense of innocence and sophistication..."

View fullsize

We have a number of works in this series by the artist in our gallery, click here to see them.

To give a little background of how we happen to be carrying DeLoss McGraw's work, the following might be of interest:  In the mid 80's, when I directed a gallery in San Francisco, an artist came in the door, unannounced, with a portfolio of gouache paintings on paper.  He said that he was represented by another gallery but that they had only placed them in a bin, and that he had sold nothing.  Mentioning that he had recently quite his teaching job at the University of San Diego to paint full time he wondered if I would be interested.  I said "let's take a look."  So we spread them out on the floor to see what he was doing.  It was a jaw dropping moment when I saw all these wonderful pieces and I offered him a show on the spot, a show that sold out later that year.  After that show and another I took his work to the Basel Art Fair in Switzerland and got him shows in London, Munich and Barcelona.  His career has continued with shows in major galleries in New York, Los Angeles and across the country, and has been collected by important collections like The Metropolitan Museum, Harvard University, and the Bodleian Collection of Oxford University in England among many others. 

Congressional Art Competition

For the past several years, Robert H. Ballard has been asked to judge Virginia's 5th District’s school arts contest called the Congressional Art Competition, sponsored by the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. This competition was started to recognize and encourage the artistic talent of young people across the nation and in each Congressional District. Since the competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated. Winners are recognized both in their district and at an annual awards ceremony in Washington, DC. The winning works are displayed for one year at the U.S. Capitol.  The theme for U.S. Rep. Robert Hurt’s 5th District’s contest is Virginia’s Farm Life, and Robert H. Ballard judged the works on Tuesday, April 26th. The winners will be announced very soon.

Ballard has judged over 40 competitive exhibitions throughout his career in California, New Zealand, Washington, DC, Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia

Here is a link to more information about the competition:

http://www.house.gov/content/educate/art_competition/

The Creative Process, by Paul Erlenborn

Two new works from Paul Erlenborn were delivered to the shop and gallery this week. A trompe l'oeil painting, and a one-of-a-kind re-purposed table created with found vintage materials from many sources.  The artist describes his inventive, creative process here, along with his inspirations.

Paul Erlenborn, "Man The Machine", acrylic on panel, 32" x 24"

"The concept for "Man the Machine" had been in mind for over a year and was the second in a series using similar subject matter, that being an antique elevator governor device along with a wooden artist model mannequin. The idea came out of sheer play as my studio is often filled with objects that inspire me. Both this painting as well as the first that was named "The Governed"  came from my love of mechanical devices, antiquities,  as well as weathered surfaces. The way that light plays off of all of these is of particular importance to me.  I've always felt that man's creations become more beautiful through the processes that nature puts them through; oxidation, rust, weathered paint etc.

My years of faux finishing came into play when it came to rendering the wood grain and the distressed qualities of both the wood and the machine.Both brushes and trowels were employed in the creation of this work. I very consciously aimed at the play of warm colors against cool to create an illusion of depth. I felt that the mannequin added a sense of life to what might otherwise be lifeless and still and at the same time be more in context to the mechanistic feel of the painting rather than having a warm blooded person "operating" the machine.

I have framed this painting in my signature style frame, that of copper pipe as no other frame seems to connect to the industrial feel of the imagery as well. But for the first time a painted finish on the copper seemed to be in order and here was the opportunity to connect even further through the use of color as well as distress and the look of oxidation.

I should also mention that the elevator governor is in my possession (the blue green one in the painting) and that it came out of a fabric mill in West Warwick Rhode Island. Not sure the age on this one but the mill was established in the nineteenth Century. I feel this governor, that was the braking mechanism for the freight elevator, might have been made in the 1940's. That mill was later turned into condos and that is when this device was pulled from the building."

Paul Erlenborn, "Industrial Kitchen Island/Bar", found objects, 50"L x 31"W x adjustable height

"This kitchen work table is a great example of re-purposing of bits and pieces of antiquity. Much of the base of this piece, including the turn wheels and gearing mechanism, as well as the casters were once an early 20th C. doctors office table. However, both the work surface as well as the under shelf were cut from a 20 ft work table from a bakery in Warrenton. The function of the turn wheels has been adapted so that one can raise and lower the work surface to fit one's individual preferences of height. The tubular steel parts of the table top have been newly made to fit the base but also to be of convenient size to fit many different kitchen spaces. The small lock knob wheels were once part of a refrigeration system in an apple packing facility in Sperryville and now serve to lock the table at the desired height.  

Once the entire piece had been constructed, I painted all of the steel parts in a faux peeling and "rusty" finish. The wooden surfaces have been treated with a food safe butcher block conditioner made by Howard products, (available at Home Depot), that contains mineral oil, carnauba wax, as well as beeswax."

Gallery Artist Nol Putnam's New Book

Nol Putnam has just come out with a new book "Beauty in the Shadows" about the history and beauty of the gates and iron work at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC.  The sculptor was a major force in the production of iron gates and decorative elements that were created for the cathedral.  He and other artists forged massive decorative work which make the Cathedral a true showplace of the arts.  Nol has worked on this book for more than a decade and it finally has come to fruition.

View fullsize

R. H. Ballard Gallery is proud to hold a signing of this newly released book on December 7th from 2 - 5 pm in Washington, VA on the day of that towns annual "Christmas in Little Washington" following the parade.  The gallery represents Nol Putnam's sculpture in their Gallery and their Artifacts-on-Main space.

10TH ANNUAL ARTISTS OF RAPPAHANNOCK TOUR

The Tenth Annual Studio & Gallery Tour

The Rappahannock Association for the Arts and the Community

Invites you to tour the Galleries and Studios and of Rappahannock County

Saturday and Sunday, November 1st & 2nd, 10 AM to 5 PM

Rappahannock County, home to Virginia's finest artists, lies in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. You are invited to view the works of over 50 artists at 20 studios and 7 galleries.

Programs are at the Tour Headquarters Gallery at the Fire Hall in Washington, Virginia. Admission is $10 per person. View selected works of the artists at the fire hall and then continue the tour at the studios and galleries located throughout the county.

Directions: From I-495 VA take I-66 west to route 17 South to Warrenton. In Warrenton turn right on Business 29 and then right on route 211 West. Go 22 miles and turn right on Warren Avenue, Business 211, the first entrance into Washington, Virginia. Turn right on Firehouse Lane to the tour headquarters at the Washington Fire Hall, 10 Firehouse Lane, Washington, VA 22747.

  For more information go to:

Facebook

The Website

Viviane de Kosinsky, "View with a Room"

A stunning show of the intricate and detailed images of Viviane de Kosinsky opened recently at r. h. ballard gallery on Main Street in Washington, Virginia.  The show runs through October 12th.

View fullsize

View of installation in the gallery

The artist uses the time honored technique of line etching, which uses a copper plate with the image being "scratched" through a coating or resin.  Once the image is complete the plate is dipped into an acid solution which "eats" the metal to the desired depth, before it is stopped with another solution.  The resin is then removed and the ink is applied, wiping off the excess and leaving it in the etched lines.  The plate is then put through a press and the image is transferred to the paper.

Viviane does an edition of each plate from 35 to 100, hand coloring, in most cases, one area in red as below:

View fullsize

"Downton Abbey", etching, ed. 50, 5' x 4'

She then prints additional images which she hand colors with watercolor as below:

View fullsize

"Downton Abbey", Hand colored etching, 5" x 4"

These images do not hvae editions since each is a unique hand colored work.

View fullsize

Installation view of black and white images.

View fullsize

Installation view of hand colored images.

The showing includes over 40 works, a large portion can be seen here.