Umetaro Azechi, Figure in Front of Moon
Recommended by Paige (Collections Manager):
"Umetaro Azechi was a wonderful Japanese artist whose experience as a mountain climber inspired his works about the people and places he visited. He often described himself as an "untrained artist" but considered it an asset to his artwork that allowed him to be uninhibited and not tied down by tradition or perfection. His woodblocks are so identifiable and unique – full of rich color, simple shapes, humor and narrative. There are so many strange and lovely aspects to enjoy about this piece including the figure's red lips, spread fingers, hooded snowsuit, and foliage in the background. It shows a joy for the snow and simplicity. I aspire to embrace imperfection as Umetaro Azechi did."
Herbert Gordon Warlow, Notre Dame De Rouen
Recommended by Sam (Owner & Director):
"Warlow was a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects and an Associate of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers. The artist, like others of his generation trained in architecture, made time to visit many of the major structures on the continent as well as in his own country. The meticulous detail of his etchings and drypoints captures the minute architecture details much like works of the American etcher John Taylor Arms. The implied spaces lend a convincing, airless context for the scene, including the attending figures, all fully and beautifully rendered.
Later in 2022 we will be featuring the work of Warlow, Arms, Chamberlain, and many other artists who also traveled to record the famous buildings and scenes in Europe."
Jenny Schmid, The Wise Virgin
Recommended by Nikki (Fine Print Photographer & Content Publisher):
"The Wise Virgin by Jenny Schmid references the parable Jesus told about five foolish virgins and five wise virgins meeting their bridegroom for the first time without warning in the Christian bible. The parable is meant as a metaphor for being ready for death at all times. Once this story came out of the mouths of men at the pulpit, it was twisted to be a warning about women who are unchaste. In this lithograph, the central character is a girl who is afraid - hunched over and ducking away from the devil and his poisonous alcohol. She’s also clutching her bibles as she avoids the temptation of the man at her heel, not looking out for the female creature she steps on, unknowingly. This piece is different from Schmid’s other works she made around this time with alternate worlds where girls are adventurers who break from society’s prescribed roles for them. Instead, she’s using her expert lithographic skills to illustrate the harsh dichotomy girls have pushed on them - be a good girl or be a bad girl."
Gordon Mortensen, Winter Sumac
Recommended by Emma (Marketing & Communications Manager):
"Gordon Mortensen is known for his use of vibrant color palettes and his richly detailed reduction woodcut landscapes. In Winter Sumac, the palette is just ever so slightly 'muted' in comparison - if you consider gorgeous lilac and fuschia tones muted. This scene, like all of his landscapes, makes me want to go outside and appreciate the beauty of nature during this cold winter season."
Keisuke Yamamoto, Light Time Silence M - E
Recommended by Rebecca (Gallery Manager):
"Although now a favorite artist of mine, I originally found Keisuke Yamamoto's lithographs to be a bit austere. It wasn't until I took the time to continue looking that my experience of the scene transformed. Now I feel welcomed into the moment. I long to sit in the chair, to feel the breeze enter the room through the window, and to be warmed by the light. The artist has impeccable technique from the drawing stage to the printing of the lithograph. To watch him sharpen a litho pencil is to understand his precision. Through exquisite rendering, Yamamoto brings to life a place and a moment that I long to experience."
