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On this page:
Editor's Note
President's letter
Taking Prints to Prague
Awards Dinner
Members' ActivitiesA
In Memoriam, Elizabeth Delson
SAGA Main page
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- Editor’s Note
Fellow SAGA Members...
It’s the end of October! and the time of year to plant peonies, iris; and publish the fall issue of the ‘zine. It’s been an exciting year for SAGA. We’ve elected a new president, Linda Adato. Welcome Madam President! Organized by Marvin Bolotsky and Richard Sloat, there was a New York – Prague Exhibition at the Hollar Society Gallery, Prague, Czech Republic. There is a short piece about the trip by Linda Adato, and photos of the event.
Florence Putterman coordinated the 73rd National SAGA Membership Exhibition held in the Selby Gallery at the Ringling School of Art and Design, Sarasota, Florida. At the opening, Shelley Thorstensen presented her paper With a Capital P. Shelley asserts the power of the artists’ mark from handprints at Lascaux, to contemporary digital imagery – you can read Shelley’s paper in Point of View. The award winners of that show are featured in this issue. The cover image titled Light Petals III, a lithograph by Rica Bando, is the Irwin Rosenhouse Award winner.
Past President Bill Behnken, interviewed for this past summer’s issue of American Artist magazine, submitted images and a paragraph about the article. In Resources, Tenjin Ikeda shares technique and personal experience in his account of Reduction Printmaking. The Featured Artist of this issue is Hartwell Yeargans -- an important part of the American and European art scenes as well as the civil rights movement in the United States.
He became a SAGA member in 2005, and passed away later that year. Marion Lerner-Levine and Gerald Marcus had the opportunity to meet and speak with Mrs. Yeargans. She was kind enough to share stories and images with them.
Joe Essig’s etching, A Stone’s Throw, is a new collector’s print this year; there’s a brief article about Joe and his work. Barbara Minton has written an article about painter and printmaker Daniel Serra-Badue; an award in his honor has been given by Robert Kipniss for several years. And Richard Sloat shares his version of the SAGA awards dinner. As in every issue, Marion Lerner-Levine provides a full complement of Members Activities – Congratulations on your exhibitions and awards! If you want to access the SAGA web site, simply “Google” Society of American Graphic Artists, and follow the link. Evan Lindquist keeps it current, and stocked full of information for SAGA members.
I hope you enjoy this 5th issue of SAGAzine. Thank You! to all who submitted articles -- this little ‘zine is totally dependent upon your help and contributions! Once again, Barbara Minton, I couldn’t have done it without you. You’re a great copy editor! As for me, I’ve moved back home to Virginia, and love it! I mention that because this issue is being sent via CD to NY to be printed. It’s a first – SAGA is moving into the computer age...
I wish you all the best,
Sandra Terry
We Try... Productions
President’s Letter
I would like to thank Sandra Terry and Barbara Minton for their hard work in producing this SAGAzine, and Marion Lerner-Levine for coordinating members news and activities. And thanks to all members who submitted articles.
As the new president of SAGA I am grateful for the advice and help of former presidents Richard Sloat and Bill Behnken.
It was a pleasure to see the high quality of work at the Members Show at The Old Print Shop this summer. The hand-drawn and hand-pulled image is alive and well, with an abundance of ideas and fine technique. Robert Newman, who graciously posted the show on The Old Print Shop website, brought to my attention that many prints were sent to the gallery with incomplete documentation. As printmakers it is important that we send our work with the edition size (unless a unique print), signed, titled, and dated. It is a courtesy to the gallery.
As this goes to press, the council is pleased to honor at our annual benefit dinner, the painter, printmaker, and SAGA member Robert Kipniss and the art dealer, print collector, and publisher Marvin Bolotsky, who is a member of our advisory board. The event was held on Friday, October 26th, at the National Arts Club, New York City.
Our plans for 2008 include a show in late fall, at the Ormond Memorial Art Museum, Ormond Beach, FL. A thank you to Florence Putterman for securing this show. Details will follow at a later date.
We look forward to a successful year, and welcome news of your activities and suggestions for future show venues.
With kind regards,
Linda Adato
President
New York-Prague Exhibition at the Hollar Society Gallery, Prague, Czech Republic
Taking the Prints to Prague
Linda Adato
Michael Arike and I began by gathering the juried prints sent by SAGA members and taking them to Robert Newman, of The Old Print Shop, who expertly packed them in a convenient package that could be carried on board an airline. Prepared with a manifest and a letter from the Hollar Gallery about the show, we needlessly worried whether the airline would allow us to board with the package; it turned out that we were not even questioned on the contents.
As we settled into our seats in the first row of economy class, I noticed some space behind the last row of business class before the dividing curtains were closed. I asked the flight attendant if the package could be stowed there. No problem and the prints were on their way first class, nonstop to Prague.
Marvin Bolotsky of Four Winds Fine Art who had arranged the show and Vladimir Suchaneck, president of the Hollar Society, met us at the airport. (Incidentally, the Hollar Gallery is named after Wenscelaus Hollar, a Czech printmaker, who was born in Prague 1607 and died in London 1677; the majority of his work is in the British Museum). We were taken directly to the gallery across from the River Vltava and near the historic Charles Bridge. Warmly welcomed by the gallery staff, we delivered the prints.
The next day, somewhat jetlagged, we were able to find our own way to the gallery from our pension walking the wonderful cobbled streets of the Old Town. We delivered our package of prints in perfect condition. As the package was opened and each print revealed, the gallery personnel gravitated to the more innovative and experimental works, but also marveled at the technical skills displayed in others. Perhaps they were expecting more Jackson
Pollock and less Vermeer-like images. As to installation of the exhibition, we mostly deferred to Mr. Suchaneck in the placement of each print while offering polite suggestions. The large prints were hung behind large sheets of glass and the smaller ones placed in glass covered boxes. Each print had its own space and the show looked elegant. Look at the photos to get a sense of the exhibit.
The reception on the following day started promptly, but we made the mistake of arriving late. The proceedings were already under way, and we missed the speeches by former SAGA president Richard Sloat and American embassy representative Michael Feldman. Despite our faux pas, Michael and I received flowers and were acknowledged for bringing the prints to Prague.
[NOTE: Download the exhibition brochure in PDF format.]
SAGA awards dinner
Richard Sloat
The Society of American Graphic Artists held it’s annual Awards Dinner on November 17, 2006, at the elegant National Arts Club in Gramercy Park, NewYork City. Honored was the artist, national academician, and former SAGA President, Gerson Leiber. He attended with his wife, designer Judith Leiber. Also honored were the print collectors and philanthropists Reba and Dave Williams who could not attend as they were on an extended trip around the world.
As in past years, the evening began with an open wine and champaign bar along with hors d’oeuvres. SAGA Council member Tomomi Ono displayed the SAGA’s collector prints she had matted. These were very well received and a good number were sold. Also available were a limited number of brochures from our wonderful Prague show at the Hollar Society Gallery in the Czech Republic.
After mixing for the first part we all sat down to dinner. By popular demand the awards ceremony was moved from before to after the dinner. With good food and good talk we arrived at the dessert when the ceremonies began. President Richard Sloat informed the group how Reba and Dave Williams has amassed one of premier collections of American Prints in private hands. Their collection has been generously shared with us all at museums and other public spaces in over a hundred shows, including not only major American museums, but also in museums throughout the world. The Print Research Foundation, in Stamford, Connecticut, was recently set up by Reba and Dave Williams to exhibit the collection and to promote education and scholarship of American printmaking. Through the Print Quarterly, the Williams also give a prize for outstanding contributions to American print scholarship.
Former SAGA president Stanley Kaplan introduced us to Gerson Leiber, our SAGA president for many years who had the difficult task of moving the office to its present location. Gerson Leiber has had a long and distinguished career: 300 group shows, 20 solo shows, work in 60 museums which include almost every major American museum. He and his wife have generously given the Judith Leiber Purchase Award at quite a number of SAGA shows. The artist presented a lively, enjoyable slide show of his work. We were most happy to present Gerson Leiber with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The SAGA Council members were honored for all their diligent good work by a round of applause. We especially thanked Gerald Marcus for his editing the 90th anniversary catalog, Marvin Bolotsky for his work on the Prague Show, and Florence Putterman for her work on the Ringling Show. Our newly elected president, Linda Adato, was introduced. She surprised outgoing president Richard Sloat by presenting him with a gift from the SAGA Council: a Barnes and Noble gift certificate. Well fed and well talked out we adjourned for the evening.
The 2007 Society of American Graphic Artists awards dinner, honoring Robert Kipniss and Marvin Bolotsky was very well attended. We will have a report in a future publication.
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Members' Activities
- Marion Lerner-Levine and Gerald Marcus, Editors.
Saga members Linda Adato, Ann Chernow, Joseph Ramos, Martha Hayden, and Evan Summers were among those included in “The Art of Persuasion,” sponsored by The New York Society of Etchers and Maxwell Fine Arts Gallery at Paramount Center for the Arts, Peekskill, NY, April 21 to June 30, 2007.
Sigmund Abeles showed work from 1951 to 2007 in “From Whence I’ve Come,” a solo exhibition at the Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin museum in Myrtle Beach, FL, May 3 to September 2, 2007.
Linda Adato was included in the 6th Biennial International Miniature Print Exhibition 2007, Center for Contemporary Printmaking, Norwalk, CT, and in the 6th British International Miniature Print Exhibition touring throughout the UK from 2006 to 2008.
“The Allegory of Myth and the Modern Mess” was the title of the Donald Axelroad solo exhibition of prints and paintings at the New Haven Free Public Library Gallery, New Haven, CT, from April 21 to May 26, 2007.
Harvey Breverman’s work was part of the 6th British International Print Exhibition, Gracefield Art Centre, Dumfries, Scotland, during May and June, 2006. He also showed at the 5th International Graphic Triennial-Bitola, Macedonia, from September 15 to November 15, 2006, and at the V International Small Engraving Exhibition, “L’Arte e il Torchio,” Civic Museum, Cremona, Italy, from January 15 to March 15, 2007.
Ann Chernow exhibited in “States of Connecticut” at the Westport Arts Center, Westport, CT, during March and April of 2007. She also showd in “Featured” at Dorothy Rogers Fine Arts, Santa Fe, NM, during January and February, 2007. Her work appeared in the March 2007 O’ Magazine and in “Translations,” the Blue Sky Preportfolio, Lafayette, CA. published in February, 2007.
Harriet Febland exhibited her work in several group shows in 2007: “National Drawing 2007” at the College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ, from January17 to February 14; “Drawings” at the Belskie Museum of Art & Science, Closter, NJ; and “Monotypes” during Women’s History Month at the National Association of Women Artists, from March 4th to the 25th.
Cecily Barth Firestein had a solo exhibition at the Mona Lisa Gallery in Maplewood, NJ, from May 23 to June 23, 2007.
Aline Feldman exhibited her work in “Imprint: 10 Contemporary Printmakers” at the Howard County Center for the
Arts, Ellicott City, MD, from January 12 to February 23, 2007.
Carol Strause FitzSimonds had a solo exhibit of prints and artist books, “Growing Things,” at the Newport Art Museum, Newport, RI, from March 30 to June 17, 2007.
Eric Goldberg has participated in many exhibitions over the past year, among them SAGA’s 2006 exhibition at the Hollar Gallery in Prague, Czech Republic; the International Print Biennale, Guanlan, China; the International Print Exhibition, Tokyo; the International Miniature Print Exhibition, Center for Contemporary Printmaking, Norwalk, CT; the 12th International Biennial Print and Drawing Exhibition, National Museum of Taiwan; the Pacific States Biennial National Print Exhibition, University of Hawaii at Hilo; and the 4th Annual International Miniature Print Exhibition, Vancouver, Canada. He received awards in SAGA’s 74t Show, NYC, and first prize in the 25th National Print Exhibition, Silvermine Guild, New Canaan, CT. His work will be represented at the Society of American Graphic Artists 74th members Show, The Old Print Shop, NYC.
Su-Li Hung’s woodcut “Lovers in the City” is in the Boston Printmaker’s “North American Print Biennial 2007, from February 2 to March 3, 2007. The show was juried by Judith Hecker, assistant curator at MOMA. Su-Li’s woodcut, “Peace” was exhibited at the 6th Biennial International Minature Print Exhibition at the Center for Contemporary Printmaking, Norwalk, CT, from March 18 to April 19, 2007. The juror was David Kiehl curator of prints at the Whitney Museum. Su-Li Hung had a solo exhibition, “Meet Me at the River,” at June Kelly Gallery, New York, NY, June 28 through August 3, 2007.
Penny Kronengold’s solo show “Museum Translations: New Paintings and Drawings,” at First Street Gallery in Chelsea, New York City, March 27 through April 21, 2007, was inspired by the image of the horse, (as seen in The Hindu Gate, an exhibition of 17th and 19th century Indian sculptures at the Museum of Natural History).
Marion Lerner-Levine showed watercolors and watercolor-enhanced color etchings, in a show of five artists at the Washington Depot Gallery, in Washington Depot, CT. April 28-May, 30, 2007. She also showed two small-scale prints in “Di.Min.U.Tive” at the Medialia Gallery, in New York, NY, from May 5 to June 2, 2007.
Works by Fred Mershimer and Richard Sloat were among those selected by James Siena for “New Prints/Spring, 2007” at the International Print Center, New York, NY, from March 9 to April 21, 2007.
Wayne Miyamoto showed prints and works on paper in a solo show at the University of Houston, Houston, TX, from April 10 to July 1, 2007.
Masaaki Noda showed “Apollo’s Mirror,” a stainless steel sculpture, in a solo exhibition at the European Culture Center in Delphi, Greece, where it has been permanently installed. ( see the work at www.apollosmirror.com.) From January to March 2006, Masaaki had a 35-year retrospective “Message from New York” at the Fukuyama Museum of Art, Hiroshima, Japan. He also showed at the Athens and Shanghai Art Fairs, and at the International Print Fair at the Armory in New York City. In August 2007, he had in a two-person exhibition at the Sani Resort, Greece.
Takayo Noda exhibited collage works from her children’s book illustrations in a solo show at the Interchurch Center, Riverside Drive, in New York City, during April and May, 2007.
The Oswego Civic Arts Center honored George O’Connell, artist and master printmaker at Grey Heron Press, Oswego, NY, with a retrospective exhibition of more than fifty years of his work from May 18 to June 17, 2007.
DeAnn L. Prosia has her work in the Altstadt Galerie Lehnert in Mainz, Germany. Her etching “Paris Cafe” was added to the New York Public Library Print Collection, New York, NY. In 2006, her work was included in the following shows: the 25th National Print Exhibition at the Silvermine Guild Galleries in New Canaan, CT; Will’s Creek Survey Exhibition in Cumberland, MD, (where she was awarded the Turnbill, Hoover & Kahl purchase award); “Every Picture Tells a Story” Art Exhibit in Northbrook, IL; The Foundry Art Centre’s “Dirty Fingernails Say A Lot: A Celebration of Pure Printmaking” show in St. Charles, MO, and at Art Kudos, International On-Line Juried Art Competition & Exhibition (www.artkudos.com). DeAnn also had a one-person show at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington, CT, last spring.
Florence Putterman exhibited at the Walter Wickiser Gallery,
Chelsea, New York, during March/ and April 2007; she also showed at the Barnstone Gallery, Phoenixville, PA, from April through June and at the Pfenninger Gallery, Lancaster, PA, in June & July, 2007.
Richard Sloat’s print, “War Messenger” was in the Boston Printmakers “North American print biennial 2007,” from February 18 to March 3, 2007. The same print was exhibited at the International Print Center New York: “New Prints/Spring 2007” from March 9th to the 21st.
Caroline Thorington exhibited in “Imprint; 10 Contemporary Printmakers” at Howard County Center for the Arts, Ellicott City, MD, January 12 to February 23, 2007.
A One Artist Exhibition, ”The Woodblock Prints of Idaherma Williams,” was on view, June 4 to July 13, 2007, at Erdman Art Gallery at Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton NJ. Idaherma also won the printmaking prize for “The Art of the Flower” at The Philadelphia Sketch Club, Philadelphia, PA, 2007.
During April this year, the Las Cruces Museum of Art showed “Against the Grain: Woodcuts by Tony Lazorko.” Tony also showed in “Hand-Pulled Prints International, XII” in San Antonio, TX, and in the 19th National Exhibition at the Riverside Art Museum, Riverside, CA.
Awards have been announced for the SAGA 74th Members
Exhibition at The Old Print Shop, 150 Lexington Avenue, New York City, 10016, July 9 – August 17, 2007. The winning prints illustrated in the exhibition catalogue are as follows: The Irwin Rosenhouse Memorial Award, Konstantin Chmutin; The Karl Schrag Memorial Award, Michael Arike. The K. Caraccio Intaglio Purchase Award, Eric Goldberg; The Graphic Chemical and Ink Purchase Award, Ron Fundingsland; The C.G. Metals Purchase Award, Adrienne Cullom; The Judith and Gerson Leiber Purchase Award for Quality, Babette Katz; The Ernest Patrikis Award in Memory of Robert Conover, Merle Perlmutter; The Four Winds Fine Art Purchase Award, Steven Walker; The Robert Kipniss Award in Memory of Daniel Serra-Badue, Clare Romano; The SAGA Award in Honor of Reba and Dave Williams, Diane Castonguay Rosati; The SAGA Award in Honor of Krishna Reddy, Takayo Noda; The SAGA Award in Honor of Susan Teller, Sergio Gonzalez-Tornero; The New York Central Supply Materials Award, Leonard Leibowitz; The A.I. Friedman Materials Award, Sidney Hurwitz; The E.C. Lyons Materials Award, Lisa Dinhofer..
In Memoriam
SAGA has lost dedicated and supportive members. We are grateful for their devotion and commitment which
inspired respect in so many of us.
- ELIZABETH DELSON, PAINTER/PRINTMAKER
1932-2005
Long-time SAGA member Elizabeth Delson, who exhibited her work in at least 17 of SAGA’s National Print Exhibitions from 1962 to 2004, died at her home in East Hampton, Long Island, on October 3, 2005. Liz was born on August 15, 1932, and grew up in North Plainfield, New Jersey. Her third-grade teacher recognized her talent and encouraged her.
She graduated from Smith College in 1954 and continued her studies with painters Philip Guston and Richard Lindner at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. She worked towards a masters degree in art history at Hunter College and studied printmaking with Gabor Peterdi. For her Smith College reunion yearbook, Liz wrote:
“An Exhibition of Rembrandt’s graphics at the Morgan Library captivated me completely and I began to learn etching. I had the good fortune of studying with three marvelous mentors: Letterio Calapai, Gabor Peterdi, and Krishna Reddy.” In 1972, Liz completed her masters studies at Hunter College. For her thesis she created a portfolio of color etchings, “The Twelve Tribes of Israel.” A second portfolio suite, “Metamorphosis,” was acquired by the New York Public Library print collection. In all, institutional collections during the 1970s and 80’s acquired nineteen of her works. Other portfolios included “Signs of the Zodiac,” “Mythology,” and various suites on natural history and botanical themes. She also produced commissioned editions of her etchings for Associated American Artists, the Calvin Collection, and others. Her interest in classical literature and in mythology is evident in the content and titles of her work. With the exception of some very large commissioned editions, Liz printed all of her editions herself. In 1961, she was awarded the Audubon Artists gold medal for graphics for her relief etching “Marine Forms” and in 1996, a second gold medal for her color viscosity etching, “Drift.” The Smith College Museum of Art recently acquired two color viscosity etchings: “Blue Lagoon” and “Lagoon II” for their permanent collection.
Liz maintained a print studio in Park Slope, Brooklyn, from 1963 to 1999, where she was active as a co-founder of the Park Slope Artists Annual Open Studio Art Exhibitions, member of the board of directors of the Brooklyn Museum Community Gallery, and a charter member of the Contemporary Artist Guild. From 1962 through 1966, she was an instructor in printmaking at Pratt Institute. In 1999, she moved with her family (husband, architect, Sidney Delson and three children) and her specially commissioned Charles Brand etching press to East Hampton, Long Island. Mindful of the environment, she did not bring her acid and etching chemicals to the fragile ecosystem of Long Island, instead, turned more of her attention to painting. She continued her arts-community activism, becoming a founding member of the Crazy Monkey Gallery and a board member of the Artists Alliance of East Hampton.
Liz’s extensive exhibition history includes solo shows at the Crazy Monkey Gallery, Amagansett, NY; the Clayton & Libertore Gallery, Bridgehampton, NY; the Brownstone Gallery, Brooklyn, NY; the Park Gallery, Brooklyn, NY; the Hicks Street Gallery, Brooklyn, NY; Paedergat Library, Brooklyn, NY; the Hartridge School, Plainfield, NJ, and Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY.
For over 47 years, Elizabeth also exhibited and received awards in almost every major juried and invitational print exhibition, including SAGA; Audubon Artists; the National Academy of Design; the Philadelphia Print Club; Associated American Artists Gallery; American Color Print Society; Montclair Art Museum; Silvermine Guild; New School for Social Research; Pietrantonio Galleries, New York, NY; Ohio University, “Ultimate Concerns”; Hudson Guild print exhibitions; and the Contemporary Artists Guild annual exhibitions.
Liz Delson’s work is in many major collections, including the National Museum of American Art, Brooklyn Museum, Boston Public Library, New York Public Library print collection, the Free Library of Philadelphia, Federico Castellon Memorial Collection at Columbia University, the Hunter College Archives, the Brooklyn campus of Long Island University, Smith College Museum of Art, and numerous other public and private collections.
In describing her own work for her last exhibition, held at the Crazy Monkey Gallery, Liz, said, “Based on nature, particularly the beaches, I look behind the actual appearance to crystallize a moment or a mood, to share its vitality and meaning with others.” Elsewhere she wrote: “Through painting and graphics I explore images to uncover the dynamic forces behind their appearance: emergence, growth, decay, metamorphosis.”
For a deeper appreciation of the work and life of this remarkable woman, please see her brilliantly designed and thoroughly researched website: http://www.atelierliz.com.
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