Bill Ritchie Artworks in Washington State
 
in the

Charles "Buzz" Pearson Collection

About Buzz Pearson: I met Buzz in 2003 when I was part of a community arts and crafts mall experiment. He walked in the Seattle Artist Mall and said, "Where have you been?" He meant, where had I been hiding? Instantly he liked my work and bought a collection for his home. I lost contact with him, but tracked him down on the Internet 15 years later, living on Camano Island, artfully crafting terrariums, table-top gardens, stone and driftwood wall art. His website is www.cp-creations.com


Example of Buzz' work from his home page.


 

"Locus and the Sea Squares"

Provenance: 1982. Intaglio and relief, black, gray, purple, rose, and red-orange on 21 1/2 X 15 in. papers, 29 X 20 1/2 in. Japanese and Dutch Van Gelder Zonen buff. No. 105, variable edition 141. Signed lrt. Premiered Stone Press Gallery, Seattle.

Artist's Statement: "This print is from a series of 141 trial proofs and artist's proofs in "cycles" of approximately 15 each, of different color series. They are proofs which I made in the processes of cyanotype, woodcut, and intaglio techniques. The result is a series of monotypes. The images derive from three sources: The map is based on the Colorado River, a place known as the Crossing of the Fathers; the leaf shape I call locus--the path of a moving point (drawn to establish data in a computer program). The Great Wave was drawn from the famous print by Hokusai."

Similar impressions in collections of Karl Beckley, Presha Sparling and Keith Beckley, David Bethlahmey, Tom Blue, Mark Bouffiou, Marnie Briggs, Billie and Eric Bryan, Fran Calhoun, Carl T. Chew, King County Northwest Artists Collection, Gilkey Collection, Lynda Ritchie, Rockford College, Microsoft Corporation, Sean Elwood, Laurie and John Fairman, Darcie and John Furlan, Banci Giacomo, S. Maria Guaita Estate, Karen Guzak, Laura Jackson, Davis, Wright and Jones, Inc., William Kelly, Dennis and Dick Kerr, Laurie and Michi Kosuage, Dan Lipkie, David Lotz, Kent Lovelace Estate, Wayne Ludvigsen, Jeffrey Martin, Emeline Mathews Estate, Paul Matsumura, Dennis Evans and Nancy Mee, Portland Art Museum, Camilla Nowinski, Tommer Peterson, Deborah Poletti, David Prentice, Casey and Douglas Rosenberg, Ken Ross, Robert Sarkis, D. G. Smith, Nellie and Michael Sunderland, George and Kim Suyama, David and Sandra Taylor.

Comment: This print is from a series of 141 trial proofs and artist's proofs in "cycles" of approximately 15 each, of different color series. They are proofs which I made in the processes of cyanotype, woodcut, and intaglio techniques. The result is a series of monotypes. The images derive from three sources: The map is based on the Colorado River, a vicinity known once as the Crossing of the Fathers; the leaf-like shape I call locus--the path of a moving point (I drew these to help establish data for use in a computer program). The Great Wave was drawn to resemble the famous print by Hokusai. Besides the pleasure of meeting people who want to take this print into their personal collections, I have shown the print numerous times and it has given me many rewards, nationally & regionally. Of special interest in Mr. Pearson's collection is that he purchased two plates that were key in making this print - shown later in this page.

Click here to see the process of Bill printing this print
and the printed transcript by selecting: Transcript


 

 

"Cyanotype Poster - 1981 - Bozeman"

Provenance:1981. Six-color offset lithograph. Tones of blue, overprinted with transparent gloss yellow process PMS inks on white Warren Patina pH Neutral paper. 40 X 24 3/4 in.

Comment: "Though this poster was printed by offset litho, the plates were made from hand drawn masters. To create the blended colors the artist worked with the platemaker and printer plus he mixed the inks. Three sources make the image: A map of the Colorado River, a leaf-like diagram the artist uses for computer animation and the famous woodblock print by Hokusai titled "The Great Wave . . ." I was influenced by cartography, computer technology and Japanese culture and also names of my family and studio mates."

"Locus and Sea Squares with Tree"

Provenance: Cyanotype & woodblock print. Blue, black. Image 21 1/2 X 15 in on 22 3/4 X 16 1/4 on Japanese paper. No 54 in the 154-impression series. Signed "Bozeman" and artists signature on lower right.

Comment: "I recalled the trees that got me started on my pathway (my locus) in the 'sixties' when I created this print. It was almost by chance that the running fluid of the cyanotype solution (and my rocking motion) yielded a tree image. Also, there are trees like this around Bozeman, Montana, where I made it during a teaching/working visit I was making."



"Kite Study I"

Provenance: 2003. Painting, sumi and black marker. Black, gray. Image 19 in. X 13 1/2 in. on 24 X 18 in. collaged Thailand mulberry paper on canvas. Stamped with the artist's seal and signed in pencil, lower right. Digital print on verso.

Comment: "After I had drawn and printed the kite designs I wanted to begin practice painting in a loosely brushed manner with black sumi ink. I layered several Asian papers and marked out the six symbols for my kite in marker, and then followed over with a brush loaded with sumi ink. The symbols are mountains, lake, wind, clouds, a flower and the "spiral of time" from my Y2K journal sketchbook."

"Line Block: C-Squares off the Coast of Washington"

Provenance: 1980. Woodblock, hand-carved. Approximately 11 X 17 in. One of seven blocks used to print the lower section of the print, "Locus and the Sea Squares." This is the key block (line block) printed in black. The design is based on the Hokusai print popularly known as The Great Wave. In his haste to start, the artist used maple stock from the his lithograph press scraper bars.

Comment: "I was so eager to start cutting the line block after I'd redesigned Hokusai's print to fit my locale and my C-square images, I decided to use maple wood stock I had on hand. I laminated the pieces together and joined them on the ends to reduce warping. I took me about 50 hours to carve. I love woodcarving, and the wood grain. I even carved decorative features in between the lines, though they do not print so they're invisible."

"Etched Plate: Locus and Sea Squares"

Provenance: 1980. 16 gauge copper, etched and then painted with red and black lacquer. 21 1/2 in X 15 in. This is the only metal printing plate used in producing "Locus and the Sea Squares."

Comment: "The plate for Locus and the Sea Squares took two years to make, counting from the first cyanotypes I made to settle on the composition, then the creation of the photo positives for the numbers and letters and finally to the laborious etching. I added the image of the woodblock part in the bottom as an afterthought, even though it would not appear in the print. Also, I painted the plate with red and black lacquer, knowing it would rub away with constant printing and make a beautiful surface just for me to enjoy while printing."


See the Patron's List for more peoples' collections - click here

Email: ritchie@seanet.com