This is an eight-color, limited edition, hand-printed silkscreen. Screen printing is derived from the stencil method of painting. A fine, open-weave mesh is stretched on a frame. A stencil is applied to the mesh and printing ink is scraped through it to produce an image. This print required eight stencils (or screens) to accommodate the different colors. The lightest color is printed first on each sheet of the edition. When dry, a second color (next lightest) is printed on top of each impression of the first, and so on until a completed image and edition is made. Slight differences in registration (alignment of colors) can be expected when printing many colors in a large hand-pulled edition. This is an inherent characteristic of the screen printing medium and lends to the print's authenticity. Each print is numbered and signed by the artist to ensure authenticity.
There is a minimal 1/2 inch margin around the sides and top of this image. This is intentional. My preference is to make it possible to frame the print without a mat. Of course, the print could be matted as well. There is also a natural deckle, or ragged, edge along the left side of the paper. This was formed when the paper was made and is a hallmark of a quality rag printing paper.
I have taken every measure to ensure that this is a well-crafted, original piece of art.
It has become a common practice to intentionally limit the size of an edition in order to enhance the value of the prints - a practice I find ludicrous. The logic is that fewer prints will be more precious and therefore more desirable to collectors. If the aim of the artist is to increase the value of the work by making it rare then they should probably be engaged in creating one-of-kind artworks such as paintings or drawings. The printing process was developed to make multiple copies of a singular image in order that it could be accessible to many. Necessarily, some printing processes limit the size of the edition because of how the plates wear or how involved the process may be. Consequently, the method, the materials, the skill of the artist, and even the qualities of the image dictate how large the edition will be.
In my case, all these conditions permitted me to produce a larger edition, which was a primary consideration when creating this image. My impetus was based upon the original goals of the Arts & Crafts movement. The founders of the movement intended to promote the aesthetic by making affordable, hand-crafted - and well-crafted - items available to the average person. This, of course, meant that they hoped to produce these items in large quantities to accommodate their market. Unfortunately, as their course unfolded, they found that "affordable" and "hand-crafted" did not necessarily go hand-in-hand, and so quantities were limited by who could afford their wares. Today those wares are antiques which demand high prices, but craftspeople continue to create contemporary works in the style. In some cases, such as furniture production, it is still rather expensive to produce hand-crafted pieces. On the other hand, printmaking has afforded me the opportunity to realize these original ideals. I am able to produce affordable, hand-crafted, original works and make them available to all those who value the Arts & Crafts aesthetic and desire to live among artistic productions.
This is an ample edition comprised of 2000 prints, which may not appeal to those of a "collector" mindset, but it should appeal to all who embrace and apply the Arts & Crafts goals in their purest form. A footnote to those who believe only the rarest artworks are worth possessing: the current world population is 6 billion people and in 20 years it is expected to double - in that context, 2000 becomes a very small number. William Morris never advocated acquiring objects for their rarity, but he did encourage his followers to surround themselves with beauty. In his words, "you will want pictures or engravings, such as you can afford, only not stopgaps, but real works of art . . . this is not a luxury, if it is done for beauty's sake, and not for show . . . Have nothing in your homes which you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful." It's his golden rule to make "home" and "living" an extraordinary experience.
what inspired the print
large image and ordering information
