Bill Ritchie Artworks in Washington State
in the
Carvel and Sarah Sue Zwingle Collection
Monotype. 1984. "Two Dog Samurai Coat". Cyanotype assemblage.
Blue, black, brown and brass colored grommets on white Rives BFK 100% rag paper.
Approximately 55 in. high X 36 in wide.
Artist's comment: For several summers in '80s I loved to work with cyanotype, a mid-19th Century photography process (eclipsed by silver-based photo chemistry). For an artist this process has many benefits--it takes a long time to expose and develops in running water. It's almost non-toxic. On a bright, June day I spread my paper out on a deck and lay down on it, arms askew, in a "warrior" pose. That's my face, profiled, in the top. I was doing my handmade dog series at that time, too, in other art mediums. That is, you hold your hand just so to make the "shadow" dogs. also I was thinking about Japanese theater and costumes, the the samurai philosopher Musash, author of "The book of five rings".
Image of a print similar to that of the Zingle's print
Monotype. "Ritchie Williams/Johnson Gallery Poster". Screen
monotype. Red, yellow, brown, black screen printing ink (silkscreen or
serigraph process) and dry media on approximately 9 in X 48 inch white Arches
Cover, 100% rag paper.
Artist's statement: Though it was the first printmaking process I learned in college, screen printing had not been my favorite print making technique because it required repetitive motion throughout the printing of the edition. How boring! Then I found out about using pencil, pastels and other "dry" media in such a way that I could draw between printing each color, and this gave me a serial way of working, some of the image (such as the hearts in this print) remaining the same, while other parts changed from one print to the next. I made the collection of posters from which this print came for a solo show at the Williams/Johnson Gallery in Seattle.
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