Art Show – Paul Breuer
Printmaking caught my attention in grad school as it explored the variety of mark making opportunities. However, because of its’ toxic processes I gave it up for many years until I browsed a web site promoting nontoxic processes. I have since adopted many of these processes in my studio practice. Quilt making and printmaking seemed to be a natural blend of process and presentation. Many conservative quilts use patterns, what better way to create pattern than with an image and a printing press. I’m still exploring the merging of these two artistic practices, quilt making and printmaking, and enjoying the challenges and opportunities it presents.
The works you see here are a result of my efforts to merge printing and quilting processes. The quilt is composed of photopolymer gravure prints, or solar plate prints, which are a nontoxic printing process. I’ve been working in nontoxic processes for 10 years. The quilt is created using 8 x 10 inch solar plates. I may use 2-3 different plates and pull nearly 100 prints to create the final image on the quilt. The prints are cut to fit a geometric pattern I compose in the quilt. The pieces are taped together on the back side and quilted to the other layers of the quilt. The patterns have always been symbolic of the patterns we create in our habits, lifestyles and thinking. They exist in nature as well as in our activities of daily routines. Using the venue of the quilt as a stage for the patterns may elicit feelings of comfort for the viewer despite the chaos some of the patterns portray.
This show will run from 29 December through 25 February. His reception is Sunday, 7 January at 12:30.