The Print Perspective

Hello troops,

For the impatient, the prospectus for the Santa Cruz Art League’s juried show can be found here, but I’ve still got something else on my mind right now: morel mushrooms.

As some of you may know it is morel mushroom season, and for those that don’t already know, it is a glorious time of year.  For a few short weeks at the beginning of spring morel mushrooms bloom in wooded areas near lakes and rivers, and pretty much the only chance you’ll ever have at eating one is to know someone who goes and picks them or find them yourself.  And even if you don’t find any, you still get a good walk in the woods out of the deal.  It’s a no risk situation!

Needless to say, I’ve been running off into the trees every chance I get for the last week or so, but I took a break from mushroom hunting today and instead hunted the Internet for printmaking shows, and I think I found a decent one.

Printmakers should have an edge in the juried competition “Mix it up! Mixed Media” at the Santa Cruz Art League because print processes lend themselves to mixed media so well.  Combine some litho and relief – BOOM!  Mixed media.  Draw back into a screen print – BOOM!  Mixed media.  It’s easy.  And while many artists working in mixed media tend to embrace the messy aesthetic, printmakers are generally better at producing a cleaner graphic image using multiple media.  And judging from the juror Tobin Keller’s personal work, something that has some tighter rendering will probably fare well. 

The entry fee looks a little expensive, $40 plus it mentions something about a $20 handling fee per box, but it’s a show in California which could be a great opportunity to be seen by some for real art buyers.  Plus there is the opportunity to earn a share of the $1000 of prize money.  Entries are due May 20, and keep in mind that the show will be judged from digital images, so make sure that your work translates well into a small jpeg on a computer screen.

Take a look at Keller’s work below and also on his website.  And if you’re interested in entering, find the prospectus and entry form here.

Photo images on glass panels by Tobin Keller.

"Richard" by Tobin Keller. Keller's work often focuses on revealing people's hidden personality characteristics

"Robert" by Tobin Keller