annshafer.com
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Consulting
  • The Curator's Choice Podcast
  • The Curator's Choice Episodes
  • Platemark Podcast
  • Platemark Episodes
  • HoP episode transcripts
  • News
  • Projects
  • CV
  • About

Musings on Art, Mostly Printmaking

Curator's Choice: West Coast Print Fair 5/5

2/11/2021

0 Comments

 

Ann Shafer

This post wraps up my picks from the West Coast Print Fair, a new virtual fair that, during the pandemic, compensated for the cancellation of a group of fairs that normally take place in January and February along the West Coast. When I first posted selections from this fair, I promised to articulate what makes a great print. Of course, what makes a great print is in the eye of the beholder. Please know these are my subjective opinions.

The best way I can describe what makes a print great (or a work of art in any media) is to take you inside my mind. Yesterday I laid out the two big concepts: visual impact and emotional impact. There’s a lot contained in both categories. This list of questions helps me think through and assess any work of art.

It’s important to note, however, that a great print does not need to address each and every one of these questions. In fact, I don’t know that such a print exists (I’ll think on that). Here goes.

EMOTIONAL IMPACT:
· Does it elicit any feelings (good or bad)?
· Is it thoughtful? Does it ask more questions than it answers?
· Is it overwrought? Is there unnecessary stuff in it? Could it be said with less?
· Does it have a tight conceptual circle—does the idea translate into a work that expresses the idea clearly and well?
· Does the choice of technique(s) add to its meaning?
· Does it nod to art history in a smart way without being derivative?
· Does it nod to meta? Does it understand itself?
· Does the work take an idea and transform it into a conversation starter?
· Is it by someone other than a white, cis-gender male?

VISUAL IMPACT:
· Does it have visual impact? This does not mean large and colorful and is a truly subjective gut reaction.
· Does it express a great design sensibility?
· Does it have a range of lights and darks, wonderful transparencies, interesting patterns?
· Does it capture atmosphere, reflections, ephemeral things?
· Does it embrace its own delicacy or roughness?
· Is it readable/legible/comprehensible, or utter nonsense?
· Is it more than merely decorative?
· Is it indexical? Is the image of its own making?
· Does it cross disciplines in an interesting/meaningful way?
· Does it tell a great story?
· If I were presenting it to a accessions committee, how much is there to say? Thirty seconds worth or thirty minutes worth?

In a weird turnabout, the emotional aspects are quantifiable--identifying whether the technique adds to the meaning is pretty straight forward. But the visual elements are highly subjective--visual impact is totally in the eye of the beholder. Curious. There is so much more, but I think this is a pretty good start.

I never wanted to do anything else besides create ways to tell interesting stories through great art. I love works that sit at the intersection of new and old, of abstract representation and representational abstraction, of beauty and toughness, of stark crispness, and pure emotion. Have I set too high a bar? Maybe. And this doesn't address my feeling that a work that is appropriate for an institutional collection is not necessarily one I could live with, and vice versa. There is a place for the decorative, after all.

Please enjoy this final group from the westcoastprintfair.com. Remember the randomness derives from the list running alphabetically by dealer. Today we start with Sh (Keith Sheridan) and wrap up with V (The Verne Collection).

Here is #WestCoastPrintFair Curator's Choice, 5/5.

#prints #printmaking #printfair #curatorschoice #contemporaryprintmaking #contemporaryart #woodcut #relief #colorprints #printing #womenartists #collectart #artcollector #supportlivingartists #loveart #masterprinter #art #saga #societyofamericangraphicartists #nonobjectiveart #abstractart #londonoriginalprintfair #royalacademy #ifpda
picture of trees by a lake
picture of older woman
picture of an abstract composition
picture of bodies hanging in a tree
picture of of a coat of arms with rooster
picture of family in living room
picture of two structures near lake
picture of a rooster
picture of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
picture of bicycles and umbrellas
picture of three men working a forge
picture of an abstract composition
picture of person walking in Central Park
picture of a library in disaray
picture of a sail boat
picture of Japanese lanterns
0 Comments

Curator's Choice: West Coast Print Fair 4/5

2/10/2021

0 Comments

 

Ann Shafer

When I first shared these curator's choice posts on Facebook, I got a comment from a friend asking me to  report on what makes a print great. I had yet to formulate a full answer, so I started with this. For me, it comes down to two things: visual impact and emotional impact. Does the work have visual power? Are its formal qualities like composition, execution, technique, top notch? Does the work have emotional power? Does it elicit a feeling, tell a powerful story, make us laugh? Does it have heart—does it reveal something about its maker? Does the formal reflect the emotional and vice versa?

It’s not a science; often it’s a gut feeling. I wrote about it more thoroughly in the fifth of five posts, which you can find on this blog too.

Remember the randomness derives from the list running alphabetically by dealer. Today we start with M (Manneken Press) and go through Sc (Scriptum Inc.).

Here is #WestCoastPrintFair Curator's Choice, 4/5.

#prints #printmaking #printfair #curatorschoice #drawingstoo

picture of a crane on a log
picture of an abstract composition
picture of the rest on the flight into Egypt
picture of the invention of the compass
picture of a skull
picture of a field and brook
picture of two women fishing
picture of woman with afro lit from behind
picture of five plane propellors
picture of an abstract composition
picture of train yard at Weehauken
picture of subway commuters
picture of men building skyscraper
picture of two people shoveling snow from garage roof
picture of self portrait of Mauricio Lasansky
picture of ship at drydock
picture of an imaginary prison
picture of Mary and three shepherds
picture of Japanese village in snow
picture of an abstract composition
0 Comments

Curator's Choice: West Coast Print Fair 3/5

2/9/2021

0 Comments

 

Ann Shafer

Still pondering how to identify what makes a great print (for me, anyway), so stay tuned for that missive.

When I initially posted these selections on Facebook, I got a disgruntled comment about the presence of drawings among my selections. Hence my reminder about finding them among the group.


Regarding these West Coast Print Fair posts, please know that selections are made from what the dealers are offering. Drawings are on the table, as are paintings. Feel free to visit the fair’s web site: westcoastprintfair.com.

And please remember the randomness comes from my ordering the selections alphabetically by dealer. Today we’re starting with G (Roger Genser) and going through L (Josef Lebovic).

Here is #WestCoastPrintFair Curator's Choice, 3/5.

#prints #printmaking #printfair #curatorschoice #drawingstoo

picture of a spiral staircase
picture of post war chaos
picture of two trees
picture of horse drawn taxis in paris
picture of Brooklyn skyline
picture of steel mill train
picture of two Chinese performers
picture of pitchers on table top
picture of a man peeing outdoors
picture of dragon devouring Cadmus
picture of an abstract composition
picture of group of people in tree
picture of kunstkammer behind curtain
picture of shoes on floor
picture of commuters waiting for subway
picture of man landing in parachute
picture of rodeo riders on goats
picture of nuclear war horse
picture of construction of french villa
picture of artist Man Ray
0 Comments

Curator's Choice: West Coast Print Fair  2/5

2/8/2021

0 Comments

 

Ann Shafer

After yesterday’s post, my friend and colleague Laura Albans challenged me to articulate what I look for in a great print. I’ve said it in drips and drabs throughout these Quarantine posts, but I will attempt to gather my thoughts in one place and post them later this week.

I’ve always had a problem remembering that not everyone thinks like I do, and it’s gotten me in trouble more than a few times. My belief in and passion about great printmaking seems so clear and obvious to me as to hardly need explanation. But, prints are tough for the layperson; the many barriers to entry mean one must really want in. I have described myself as a print evangelist numerous times: if I could get a person’s attention long enough to show prints and talk about them I could bring folks into the fold. (Good lord, “I’ll get you, my pretty” just rolled through my head!) I consider this week’s print-fair posts an amuse bouche: something to whet the appetite.

While I attempt to articulate more clearly why I love prints and what makes one great, please enjoy day two of my picks from the West Coast Print Fair. (And yes, there are drawings mixed in!)

Here is #WestCoastPrintFair Curator's Choice, 2/5.

#prints #printmaking #printfair #curatorschoice #contemporaryprintmaking #contemporaryart #woodcut #relief #colorprints #printing #womenartists #collectart #artcollector #supportlivingartists #loveart #masterprinter #art #saga #societyofamericangraphicartists #nonobjectiveart #abstractart #londonoriginalprintfair #royalacademy #ifpda #etching #engraving #monotype #screenprint #lithograph #printevangelist #baltimorecontemporaryprintfair

picture of a blacksmith
picture of a Charleston flowerseller
picture of the Virgin and Child
picture of ladies playing cards by candlelight
picture of barrister getting his wig powdered
picture of an abstract composition
picture of man and crow
picture of a warthog
picture of a man's head
picture of a boat in front of a house
picture of a shepherd
picture of a bouquet of flowers
picture of the biblical Deluge
picture of a crane
picture of an abstract composition
picture of man behind bar
picture of statue of liberty
picture of pregnant woman hanging by her feet
picture of a sea battle
picture of world war ii chaos
picture of an abstract composition
0 Comments

Curator's Choice: West Coast Print Fair 1/5

2/6/2021

0 Comments

 

Ann Shafer

If you’ve been following along, you know that nothing makes me happier than going to print fairs. Obviously the global pandemic has limited all sorts of things, including a spate of fairs that occur at this time of year from Portland down to San Diego. Instead, a new online fair has been born, which went live last Friday and which will be up until February 8. If you’ve gone to the site, you’ll know it’s a cornucopia of wonderful offerings. Thanks to everyone who pulled it together—no small feat—and a special shout out to my friend and colleague #MaryWeaverChapin, curator at the #PortlandArtMuseum. Nicely done, Mary.

As I did with New York Print Week last fall, this week I’ll post some “Curator’s Choice” goodies. I tried to limit myself to two objects per dealer and ended up with one hundred prints, drawings, and a painting. For sanity’s sake, I’ll post them in groups this week, say twenty per day. Please know they are organized alphabetically by dealer, which makes for a super random order.

Today’s selections are from galleries starting with the letter A. Know that one portfolio, #PercySmith’s six etchings of World War I imagery, stunned me and I’ve included all six prints.
For ease, I've also included the prices, some of which may surprise you. See if anything piques your interest, then reach out to the dealer and make a deal.

And now, presenting #WestCoastPrintFair Curator's Choice, 1/5.

#prints #printmaking #printfair
Picture of a boat on shore
picture of boat building
picture of canon firing
picture of dance of death
picture of dance of death
picture of dance of death
picture of dance of death
picture of dance of death
picture of dance of death
picture of Grand Canal, Venice
picture of various jail cells
picture of figure in water
picture of woman crying on couch
picture of French menu
picture of Japanese sea battle
picture of the Grand Canyon
picture of couple in kitchen with chicken
picture of colorful caricature
picture of snowy asian garden in Portland
picture of two kimonos hanging
0 Comments

    Ann's art blog

    A small corner of the interwebs to share thoughts on objects I acquired for the Baltimore Museum of Art's collection, research I've done on Stanley William Hayter and Atelier 17,  experiments in intaglio printmaking, and the Baltimore Contemporary Print Fair.

    Archives

    May 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    August 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020

    Categories

    All
    Albrecht Durer
    Alison Saar
    Alternate Realities
    American Modernism
    Amy Cutler
    Amze Emmons
    Andrew Raftery
    An-My Le
    Annalise Gratovich
    Ann Hamilton
    Ann Shafer
    Antoine Masson
    Ants
    Aquatint
    Art
    Art History
    Artist's Books
    Asa Cheffetz
    Astrid Bowlby
    Atelier 17
    Atelier Contrepoint
    Baltimore Museum Of Art
    Baptiste Debombourg
    Bill Thompson
    B.J.O. Nordfeldt
    Carolina Nitsch
    Carrie Mae Weems
    Caspar David Friedrich
    Cassandre
    Catalyst Contemporary
    Charles Demuth
    Charles Gaines
    Charles White
    Chitra Ganesh
    Claude Flight
    Claude Mellan
    Claude Monet
    Clinton Blair King
    Crown Point Press
    CRW Nevinson
    Curator
    Curator's Choice
    Cyril Power
    Damon Arhos
    Damon Davis
    Dario Robleto
    David Avery
    Deb Sokolow
    Denise Tassin
    Derrick Adams
    Desiree Hayter
    Diana Scultori
    Diane Victor
    Diego Velasquez
    Drawing
    Drypoint
    Durer
    Earthworms
    Edgar Allen Poe
    Edouard Manet
    Edward Hopper
    Elisabetta Sirani
    Ellen MacNary
    Engraving
    Enrique Chagoya
    Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
    Etc
    Etching
    Etching Revival
    Evan Lindquist
    Excudit
    Félix Bracquemond
    Felix-Hilaire Buhot
    Fiona Banner
    Force: Upsetting Rape Culture
    Fred Becker
    Full Circle
    Gabor Peterdi
    Gallery Neptune & Brown
    Geertruydt Roghman
    Grosvenor School
    Harry Belafonte
    Hector Saunier
    Hendrick Goltzius
    Horst Janssen
    Intaglio
    Iona Rozeal Brown
    Jacob Hashimoto
    James Barry
    James Siena
    James Stroud
    James Tissot
    Japonisme
    Jed Smalley
    Jim Dine
    John Alexander
    John Baldessari
    John Taylor Arms
    John White Abbott
    Jonathan Novack
    Joscelyn Gardner
    Joseph Hirsch
    Kathe Kollwitz
    Landscape
    Las Meninas
    Leo Katz
    Letterio Calapai
    Lill Tschudi
    Linoleum Cut
    Lithograph
    London
    London Original Print Fair
    Louis Auguste Lepere
    Lovis Corinth
    Ludovic Lepic
    Marchel Duchamp
    Marion MacPhee
    Mark Thomas Gibson
    Martin Lewis
    Martin Mazorra
    Martin Wilner
    Mary Cassatt
    Maurice Sanchez
    Max Beckman
    Max Klinger
    Michael Waugh
    Mixografia
    Monoprint
    Multiples
    Nicola Lopez
    Nicolas Mignard
    Oil
    Oil Painting
    Pace Prints
    Painting
    Parastou Forouhar
    Paul Fusco
    Paulson Fontaine Press
    Peter Blum
    Peter Milton
    Photograph
    Photogravure
    Picturesque
    Piet Mondrian
    Poster
    Press
    Print
    Printmaking
    Rachel Perry
    Raphaelle Peale
    Rashaad Newsome
    Raven Chacon
    Raymond Pettibon
    Reginald Marsh
    Rembrandt
    Richard Diebenkorn
    Richard Long
    Robert Hills
    Roderick Mead
    Romanticism
    Sascha Braunig
    Sculpsit
    Sculpture
    Sebastian Black
    Shahzia Sikander
    Sherrie Levine
    Shu-lin Chen
    Simultaneous Color Printing
    Slavery
    Stanley William Hayter
    Stan Shellabarger
    Steve DiBenedetto
    Sue Fuller
    Susan Harbage Page
    Susan Sheehan Gallery
    Tamarind Institute
    Tandem Press
    Tauba Auerbach
    Terron Sorrells
    The Multiple Store
    The Old Print Shop
    Thomas Thistlewood
    Toshio Sasaki
    Transferware
    Trenton Doyle Hancock
    Trisha Brown
    Tru Ludwig
    Turner
    Ursula Fookes
    Victoria & Albert
    Victoria Burge
    Viscosity
    Vladimir Cybil Charlier
    Walton Ford
    Wangechi Mutu
    Watercolor
    Watercolour
    Werner Drewes
    West Coast Print Fair
    Western Exhibitions
    Whitfield Lovell
    Wildwood Press
    William Kentridge
    William Villalongo
    Wingate Studio
    Woodblock Print
    Woodcut
    Wood Engraving
    Works On Paper
    Yinka Shonibare MBE
    Yukinori Yanagi
    Zilda

    RSS Feed

    GO TO TOP OF PAGE

      Sign up here for alerts.

    Subscribe to Newsletter

What our Platemark listeners are saying

Way up there in the podcast Top Ten, IMHO.  A great series and engaging leaders.
----- M.A.D.

Contact Us

    Subscribe Today!

Submit
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Consulting
  • The Curator's Choice Podcast
  • The Curator's Choice Episodes
  • Platemark Podcast
  • Platemark Episodes
  • HoP episode transcripts
  • News
  • Projects
  • CV
  • About