Blog Archives

Jun 29 2019

Gardenia Riot

29/06/2019 | Comments: 0 | Posted by: JT | In: Art, drawing, Inspiration, Pattern, Photography, Printmaking

Gardenias are incredibly beautiful, delicate and fragrant flowers. We have three large plants in separate pots on our patio. They flowered beyond our wildest dreams this year–we were completely overwhelmed with white blossoms and their heady perfume. Of course, I’ve been photographing them a lot–but this spring I was so taken with them that I simply had to use them as subject matter for some drawings and prints.

This one was simply perfect!
Wishing you could smell the amazing fragrance!

Most people know I can’t do things halfway (yes–I am just a little obsessive)–and right now I’ve got 5 new print editions based on my gardenia photos and drawings. There will be a few more print editions and maybe even a painting or two. Here is a look at a small portion of the work I’ve been making. There are dozens more computer-generated ideas, color studies and patterns.

Gardenia
Gardenia; ink on paper; 2019
Gardenia Stripe; Ink on paper; 2019.
Gardenia Stripe Mirrored; ink on paper; 2019. This drawing will soon find it’s way onto the press as a photopolymer print with a split fountain color background.

And now for the prints…they are based on the first simple line drawing of the gardenia above. Future prints will be based on the second drawing with the two different stripe widths. The 5 editions (below) were all printed by Brent Bond of Santo Press this past month. Brent selected the colors for Gardenia Riot Pulse and all I can say is WOW!

Gardenia Riot Lace; 2019; photopolymer relief; image size 12 x 9.5 inches on paper 16.5 x 13.5 inches; edition of 10; printed by Santo Press; $150.00.
Gardenia Riot Pulse; 2019; photopolymer relief with split fountain; image size 12 x 9.5 inches on paper 16.5 x 13.5 inches; edition of 10; printed by Santo Press; $150.00.
Hot Gardenia Riot; 2019; photopolymer relief with split-fountain ground; image size 12 x 9.5 inches on paper 16.5 x 13.5 inches; edition of 10; printed by Santo Press, $200.00.
Gardenia Riot Blue; 2019; photopolymer relief with flat background bleed print; image size 12 x 19.5 inches; edition of 50; printed by Santo Press. A.P.s available for $100.00
Gardenia; 2019; laser-cut linoleum block with photopolymer relief; image size 9 x 9 inches on paper 13.5 x 13 inches; edition of 10; printed by Santo Press; $150.00.
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Apr 18 2018

The Suite Sixties: Side by Side

18/04/2018 | Comments: 0 | Posted by: JT | In: Art, painting, Pattern

I wanted to post these paintings in a horizontal banner to show how they relate to one another–how the designs are related and yet completely different. The Suite Sixties–side by side.

1965, 1966, 1967; acrylic gouache on paper; image size 32 x 32 inches.

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Jun 08 2017

Back to the Sixties

08/06/2017 | Comments: 1 | Posted by: JT | In: Art, painting, Pattern, Printmaking

It’s been an extremely busy couple of weeks for me. I’ve a new series of works in the “pipeline” inspired by designs and colors found in psychedelic art from the sixties (and seventies). I’ve always loved the swirling lines, trippy designs with day-glo dazzling, vibrating colors that make your eyes go wonky.

The images I am working upon came from one small drawing that I’ve manipulated ad nauseum like I always manage to do. I have decided upon a total of three patterns (1966, 1967 and 1968) that will comprise a suite of large paintings. A variety of other designs will be used for assorted drawings and prints.

I began this series with a 2-color laser-cut relief print (1966) to see if I liked the concept well enough to go for it. Turns out, I liked it just fine. 1966 will also be done in a variety of relief print iterations. One I am excited about is a tie-dye version.  It’s on the schedule for next week at Santo Press and I can’t wait to see the edition. We’ve only done a couple of proofs and are still tweaking it, but it will look very much as the image below shows.

The first in the series of what I hope will be 3 large paintings, 1967 provided me a very steep learning curve and a good reminder of the wisdom behind the saying use it or loose it. Quite frankly, I haven’t painted in a very long time–and it took me a while to get my painting hand back in shape. After spending over 40 hours painting, I think I’m just about back to my desired skill level.

The next problem I had to sort out was which painting medium to use. I wanted to get the flat, matte paint surface of gouache (I love gouache), but didn’t want to deal with the various problems associated with using that medium on a large scale painting. After a bit of research I discovered a product made by Turner (a Japanese company) called Acryl Gouache. It is a water soluble, acrylic-based paint that handles like gouache and looks exactly like gouache when dry, but allows you to overpaint areas without disturbing the bottom layer of paint–which is a huge benefit over gouache. Plus, once it dries it is impervious to water–yet another benefit. It took me a few trial runs, but I got the hang of it and think it has given me exactly the look and finish I wanted.

Here are a few images of the newest work in my studio.

Travel back to the sixties with me!

1966, 2-color multi-block laser-cut relief print, edition of 50, 8″ x 7″ on paper 11″ x 9.5″, 2017

1967, acrylic gouache on paper, 32″ x 32″, 2017

1967 (detail), acrylic gouache on paper, 32″ x 32″, 2017

1966, archival digital print with laser-cut linoleum block, edition of 10, 8″ x 7″ on paper 13″ x 11″ 2017

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Circle Swirls: Drawing and Linocut

27/08/2016 | Comments: 0 | Posted by: JT | In: Art, drawing, Pattern, Printmaking

My newest relief print is based on the drawing “Circle Swirl” from my Patterns of Obsession series. Printed in an edition of 10 by Brent Bond at Santo Press, it is another laser-cut linocut. It amazes me how precisely the laser-cut can be on the linoleum’s surface. I am pretty thrilled with how it turned out. Soon I will be adding a digital color layer to the print making it into something else entirely. Can’t wait to get that started! It’s going to be so much fun to see how it evolves with color.

First, the drawing:

Circle SwirlCircle Swirl; 2016; graphite on Stonehenge paper; 16″ x 16″ image size; 22″ x 22″ paper size. POR

And the print:

Circle Swirl by Janet Towbin Circle Swirl; 2016; Laser-cut linocut; edition of 10; 16″ x 16″ image size; 23″ x 22″ paper size. $400.00

And here is a little teaser for you…my computer rendering (it’s a work in progress–the specific colors may change) of how I intend to add color to the print. Keeping my fingers crossed it will compare to what I can do in Photoshop.

 

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