KOUKI TSURITANI, She Has Gone
Recommended by Paige (Collections Manager / Marketing Coordinator):
This piece expresses how I often feel when I am out of place in a new place. Traveling far from home or starting over somewhere new can be a surreal experience; sometimes you pause and wonder, how did I get here? Or why am I here? Leaving can feel like stepping off a cliff into the unknown, represented here by total black. But she hasn't fallen, she might even be floating, elevating to something greater: ascending.
CAROL SUMMERS, Vecinos Lejos (Far away Neighbors)
Recommended by Rebecca (Gallery Associate):
This sublime example shows Carol's inventive woodblock printing technique that achieved a wonderful watercolor effect. To ensure that there were no hard edges, he loosely carved out shapes and used a rasp (file) to soften any sharp lines. He would then lay Japanese paper on the blocks and roll on the color following the relief area on the block. In conventional printing, the artist reverses the image on the blocks so that the resulting image is facing the correct direction. By using his special technique, Carol printed the blocks directly and did not have to reverse the image, so it was clear to him how the end product would look. After rolling on the inks, Carol blew solvent over the paper to further soften the edges and encourage the ink to stain or dye the paper. Sometimes he would print on the back of the paper first to lessen the absorbency of the paper and to give the solid color fields more variation. This is illustrated in the comet and the waterfalls in the hills.Davidson Galleries has been showing Carol’s work since the early eighties. We miss him.
ARTEMIO RODRIGUEZ, La Luna (The Moon)
Recommended by Catherine (Collections Specialist / Gallery Associate):
With mid-September's Harvest Moon and partial lunar eclipse, I've been thinking about the moon a lot lately. This linocut by Artemio Rodriguez simply and beautifully captures the whimsical serenity of admiring the moon in the deep night sky. The crescent's lovely face makes her feel like a dear friend, enjoying a quiet rest above Earth's rocky terrain.
ABIGAIL RORER, Toni Morrison
Recommended by Nikki (Art Photographer / Marketing and Exhibitions Specialist):
Rorer gave extra care and attention to this portrait of Toni Morrison - highlighting this literary giantess’s importance. Toni Morrison’s words carried great weight and power. This small relief engraving of her face immortalizes a heavy reminder that resistance to what is unjust in our history and our present is the most sincere form of love and hope.