Sketch

New Sketch for a new print I'm working on. I'm going to post each step of the process from sketch to finished 10 color print.

Crusader

Scratchboard drawing for a new print. Gonna change that flag a bit, though

Sketch

Linocut/Screenprints in Progress

I counted today- I have 6 prints in various stages at the moment. 2 of them are going to be mixed media prints. Specifically, I'm trying a combination of relief and screenprinting. It's exciting to be doing linocuts after a long time away from it- but its taking me a little bit of getting used to it. I've gotten so used to the fine detail I can have with using scratchboard that I get a bit impatient and frustrated with the relief medium- which leads me to believe my next relief prints are going to be slightly larger in scale.
The plan with these "trial" prints is to run 2-3 colors of screenprinted layers, then 1-2 relief passes, with perhaps a follow up with one more screenprinted layer. I'll be printing the blocks on my Poco Proof Press, which I inherited last year through the good graces of my friend and impresario, John Corbett (of Corbett Vs. Dempsey Gallery). The registration doesn't have to be perfect, which should help the process. I know that last sentence will make some readers laugh, as my prints have a lot of built in registration insanity to begin with, but I honestly do plan it that way. Really!
The block and print sizes on these are approximately 12 x 19 inches. Here's a few photos of a sketch and 2 blocks in progress. I'll post follow up photos over the next few days.

The Conversation

"The Conversation" 7 color screenprint, edition of 75, 19 x25 inches. Purchase it here.

Under Construction Print

A little while ago I was asked to contribute a self-portrait screenprint for a show at Cyto gallery in Chicago. Scott O'Brien , the director, was interested in having artists who make a lot of posters give a stab at self-portraiture in the medium. The show opens on Friday and includes work from : Sasha Barr, Casey Burns, Mat Daly, Dan Grzeca, Matt Hart, Kathleen Judge, Gina Kelly, Ron Liberti, Dan MacAdam, Michael Nielson, Simona Prives, Lil Tuffy .

The title of my print is "Under Construction", it is 19 x 25 , edition of 95, 5 colors. I'm really happy with the way this turned out- there are some really nice subtleties in the metallic split fountain layer that make the image really pop nicely in person. Unfortunately my work doesn't photograph that well, so its best to come out and see it in person! The opening is this Friday, from 5-10 pm. Click on the gallery link for more info.

Some sketchbook pages

Arrival

Here's a new print for 2007: "Arrival" 8 color screenprint, 19 x 25 inches. The background is a split fountain of a sort of tangerine color fading into silver fading into blue. You can buy it here.

Low at the Old Town School

Tomorrow the excellent band Low plays a show at the Old Town School of Folk Music, which is located near our house in the old Hild branch of the Chicago Public Library. The performance theater, built in the old reading room is really intimate and a great location to see music in a personal setting.

I made a poster for the show, which is a companion to this poster I made earlier in the year. The inspiration was the lyrics on the last record , The Great Destroyer.

The Astronomer opens the show at 8 pm.

Black Keys at the Vic Theatre

Saw the Black Keys last night in Chicago at the Vic Theatre. One of my favorite rock bands right now- still stripped down, dynamic and huge in sound. Pat Carney just beats the shit out of the drums. Heard a funny segment on them on NPR friday Morning - great story about Jon Spencer smashing a tape of demos that a young Pat tried to give him upfront at a gig. Glad that didn't discourage him!
I met Pat briefly over the summer at Pitchfork during Flatstock- He was into the poster I made for thier show at Metro last December. Thanks to him for OK'ing this poster for the gigs last night and Friday. This poster is 19 x 25 inches, and is a 5 color screenprint with two metallic inks used. This was printed at my shop, Ground-Up.

Peter Brötzmann Poster

Saw the amazing reedist Peter Brötzmann with the amazing writer/poet Tom Raworth at Elastic a few weeks ago as part of the ESS Inner Ear festival. Didn't know what to expect as I was not familiar with Tom Raworth's work. He's an amazing poet, and live he brings it as good as anyone can present high energy creativity. Funny, bristling, caustic, brilliant, and understated. (I'm generally NOT a fan of the spoken word/poetry movement as a lot of it is overhyped and underwhelming) He and Peter would trade pieces : music/words/music/words , as the set went on the energy between the two of them was electric. An amazing night to see two great artists. They have a show of visual art up for the next few weeks at ESS's gallery Audible.

I made a poster for another gig Peter did while in town for the fest: A sextet organized with the superfantastic trombonist Jeb Bishop. Here's the poster for that show. The first print made at my work-in-progress print shop, Ground-up.

Another birthday, another poster.

Turned 38 today. Going to have a very nice meal with my family and then go do something I don't do much of anymore....See a rock show! Specifically the Melvins. I'm excited as the band now features two drummers after thier merger/acquistion of the Seattle Band Big Business. More Drums= more rock.

I was commissioned by the band to make a poster for the show, it is for sale here.

A New Horse for the White House

Last year, my friend Ken Vandermark asked artist Richard Hull and myself to collaborate on a large painting backdrop for a performance at the Chicago Cultural Center featuring Ken, vocal artist/writer Jaap Blonk, and performance artist Lotta Melin. The project was based on the work of Sam Beckett- although the artists, all well versed in improvisation, created an organic work of complexity that slyly referred to Beckett in subtle ways. I was really happy to collaborate with Richard, an artist I greatly respect, to create the painting for the performance. We decided to limit the palette to 2 colors, and to use an "Exquisite Corpse" motif to make the compostion. The subject: The Trojan Horse. It turned out quite nice and is huge in scale ( 10 ft by 14 ft)
The painting is included in segments and in whole in the design of the new record by the Territory Band, a project of Ken's involving Chicago and Scandinavian musicians, titled "A new Horse for the White House" . It's put out by okkadisk records. It is , of course, challenging and amazing. Buy it now!

monoprints

When you screenprint, it's handy to have a lot of paper , esp old messed up prints laying around. You use it to run tests of screens, and also to have some fun.

My friends Jay Ryan and Mat Daly inspired me with thier monoprints to play around with this. Here are a few monoprints for your viewing pleasure.

New M Ward Poster

M. Ward is a really great musician. His new record "Post-War" is excellent, with a full band backing him up on the tracks. I made a poster for his Chicago show recently, the imagery is inspired by the song "Poison Cup"

The poster is available for purchase Here.

It's been a while since I posted...Need to buy a new digital camera this week so I can get caught up on showing new work. Going through the studio downstairs to ready it for screenprinting, and it is a heck of a lot of work. It's amazing how much stuff you can accumulate...serves me right for not having to move the last 10 years.
Very excited about doing some relief printing on my Poco Proof Press...I'll post pics and a much longer update later this week after our anniversary (10 years!) and the Renegade Craft Fair this weekend in Wicker Park. It should be a lot of fun and very busy as the weather forecast is 80 degree temps Sat. and Sun. Over 150 artists and crafters will be there, so if you are in Chicago, check it out.

Meanwhile, here is a preview of an image being used in a new art print which will be published this week.

Preview of next print...

This is the film for the keyline on my next print "Consumption Bird"

It'll be 3/4 color print on 22 x 30 stonehenge

No Blind Spots

New Art Print available here:

Happy Birthday Stanley Kubrick

Listening to Strauss' Waltz of the Blue Danube and thinking of this dead crazy genius. Did you ever see the archives he kept for each movie he worked on? Exhaustive.

Diana Sudyka new Website

Our friend Diana Sudyka is an amazingly talented artist. Her new site has just been launched ...and it is beautiful. I love this new poster she made for a recent Seu Jorge show in Chicago...