Mona K. Gill

Mona K. Frill ?

=
Mona K. Gill 

(1908-1945)

Canadian painter and printmaker 

The picture that was here before was removed, demanded by
 Blogger after the owner complained about 

"theft" and violation of his rights.
I regret this, the removal, 
very much. To see the 
picture please 
visit Ebay 
here* 
or    
just Google: Mona K Gill
and see the woodblock print that
  besides the remarkable asking price mentioned 
in the comments, now has a correct makers name. Corrections were 
made by the, displeased by our friendly help, discussion and comments, seller. 
I will be on the look out for another copy of this print to show up in the Internet, which is just a matter of time. 

I stumbled over this very charming 1936 woodblock print in an American internet salesroom and because it is so very charming and I questioned the name the seller reads I'll share it today with you. Faithfull reader Archimandrill again, within 24 hours, helped identifying the unknown printmaker. Also I couldn't help remembering Charles last years posting in Modern Printmakers on Thomas Austen Brown (1857-1924) and this equally charming print by his wife Elisabeth Christie:

These two paintings of Texas cowboys signed and dated 1936 showing without a doubt the same signature as in the woodblock print. Both paintings were send to an exhibition in 1936 in Boston USA according to the labels.

I found one Mona K. Gill, born 28 oct. 1908, married 1933/37 Wilfred Westington, living in Orillia, Ontario, Canada and died (a mother) 7 april 1945. She was the fourth generation descending from immigrants Richard Gill and Ann Brook(e) who married 1825 in Yorkshire and left the Dales for Canada.It was stated she was a "J.A. Ayers in 1933 in Orillia" but I haven't a clue what that means. 

Information added 24 & 27 september in the comments by reader Archimandrill:
Mona K. Gill from Marblehead who married in the same year as the exhibition Mr. Edward S. Underwood mentioned as the sender on the labels of the painting is a probably the likely candidate. Cousin to the above Mona maybe ?

And further he found this painting, signed and dated Mona Underwood, 1945. 

In the Miami News from 2 april 1947: "Mona Underwood portrait painter of Boston and her mother Mrs. John Gill are welcomed as new residents at a welcoming tea party at 3610 Palmetto Ave. in Coconut Grove, Miami (a real nice area close to Key Biscane) by Mrs. Louise Batchelder. Mrs Underwood planning an exhibition next year".
Thank you again Archimandrill.

All pictures borrowed freely from the www. for friendly, educational, intellectual  non commercial use

Around Antwerpen School of Printmaking (IX)

Emile Verpilleux (V)

In the beginning there was:

Emile Antoine Verpilleux & Hubert Valentine Fanshaw.

Had I known this print, “the Tower”, published in “the Studio” 1910, I would have begun my Antwerp and Verpilleux  postings with it. But I didn't. We can safely assume it is his first. Probably he had just returned to London after his educational years in Antwerp. It is Antwerp’s St. Jacobs tower and for that reason I repeat here some already shown contemporary woodblocks.

L: A.v.d.J             R: Jean Claessens (1978-1963)

The mysterious artist mentioned in the 1913 article in "the Studio", "who knew the ropes" and succeeded in persuading young Verpilleux to change from painting into taking courses in printmaking with Eduard Pellens was most certainly Hubert Valentine Fanshaw (1878-1940). Fanshaw studied in the Sheffield Technical School, the Royal College of Art in London and in the Academie Royale des Beaux Arts in Antwerp. He immigrated to Canada in 1912 just before the second article on Verpilleux beginning of 1913 in the “the Studio” illustrated with two color prints by Verpilleux. Honouring Fanshaw for his foresight I show a selection of, his typical Canadian, prints here. And if I said they were by Walter J. Phillips you would believe me too. 

Two other artists followed Fanshaw to Canada a year later, in 1913: Walter Joseph Phillips (1884-1963) and the etcher Cyril Barraud (1877-1940) Also, in 1913,  Dresden trained German printmaker Henri Eric Bergman (1893-1958) immigrated to Canada and these 4 men were to become the founding fathers of the Society of Canadian Painter-Etchers/Engravers. As a watercolor painter Phillips took up etching only after 1914 (taught by Barraud who left for the War) and his block printmaking career started even later. These prints by Fanshaw showing how these men influenced each other creatively. Phillips has more then enough entries in the www. Bergman's and Barrauds work I shall discuss and show later. 


Another souvenir de Belge is Verpilleux' print "Malines" showing the majestic tower of St. Rombouts Cathedral in Malines (Mechelen). It should have been almost twice as high but the imbalance between ambition and reality left it an impressive 96 meters still. As we know today this medieaval financial crisis surely wasn't the first nor to be the last. 

A century after Verpilleux sat there nothing much has changed in mediaeval Mechelen. But I am quite sure Verpilleux is trying to tell us more then just showing a nice view. A procession seems to be going on and there's statue clearly visible. The statue (removed and replaced in 2006) is of Margareth of Austria Savoy (1480-1530) 

She choose Mechelen her residence ruling over the Lower Countries. In the end of her life processions were held to her health. She suffered and died of a bone marrow infection after a fall from her horse and after a not very happy life. But she was well loved by her subjects. Also since 1273 the famous Hanswijk procession devoted to Maria is held here every sunday before Ascension (end of april, beginning of may) for over 800 years. Followed by a horse drawn parade with historical themes and relics of St. Rombout. Although very small the horses and horsemen are clearly visible. Well well, Emile Verpilleux the teacher, hidden history lessons from a woodblock print. 


PS: thanks to Charles (see comments) here is Emil Orlik's (1860-1911) view on Mechelen (Malines) and St. Rombouts. He visited Belgium and the Netherlands in 1898.

David Rabinowitch

David Rabinowitch

(1943)

Canadian painter, sculptor and printmaker.

I've not been very much into abstract art. But when I recently saw these monotype (just one made: 1/1) woodblock prints I was very amazed and fascinated. Suddenly the memory of basic childhood joy and wonder of printing forms and Xmas cards from potatoes came back to me. There is some explaining text in the book I just received,  commentary by one Kenneth Barker about the asymetry and balance and more expert stuff about the artist and the perspective and relations to his (later) work.

That's all very well and informative but to me the most important are the odd 60 (!) wonderful and high quality printed examples of these 1962 prints that were "only recently rediscovered" (in 2003) by the artist himself. An exclusive and collectors book, bound and printed on 170 gr. Velva paper in Germany in an edition of 1500.  

These monotypes, according to the list of illustrations in the back of the book, today are all in the possession of private collectors and museums all over the world, including the MOMA.  

This luxury book, I discovered, is currently offered in the "ramsh" department (in the Netherlands) for an incredible € 9,95 only ($12,50) 

I thought there might be readers who would like to know.  Here's the ISBN: 3-933807-90-5. Hurry !

When West meets East

Margaret Rankin
(1956- )

Canadian linocut printer.

When I stumbled over this picture (left) of a print showing "just" a nice pot I immediately was taken in by the great eastern atmosphere. Maybe also because of the red cartouche or printers seal. I know these pots. They are German clayware of the late 1960’s and 70’s. They were manufactured in West Germany. And very of the period. Everybody had them, we had them, we still have them.

I think they are so good I decided showing you all 8 vase prints I found. With Margarets permission.

There is a strong revival going on and these thickly glazed vases, nicknamed Fat Lava, are highly collectible and fashionable once again. Mass produced but handglazed. See for example:
http://www.retrotogo.com/2006/10/fat_lava_german.html. Or just Google Fat Lava pictures.

They have much in common with the centuries old design and mass produced storage (ginger) jars and Chinese and Japanese household ceramics.

I know of only one printer who took ceramics as a characteristic subject of his work. Japanese Haku Maki (1924-2000). His pots and tea ceremony cups printed in a mixed technique using cement/concrete blocks and woodblocks are without equivalent in the print making world.

Maki was one of the 10 chosen artists for James Michener's 1968 book: the Modern Japanese Print. He even had the courage to print "just a rock". And if you don’t know, at first glance you’ld swear it was a photograph. How much more Zen can you get. He made many more prints of fruits and japanese caracters etc.. but they fall outside the purpose of this posting.

I found only one other woodblock relief print of a solitary pot, this lovely little but great Ex-Libris by Tasaburo Takahashi (b.1904 - ) as simple and delicate as the pot itself. There is more proof telling Margaret knew of vases and ceramics Haku Maki.

Above Haku Maki, below Margaret Rankin

Haku Maku can not longer set himself doing a Germany made Fat Lava vase, but what if Margaret decided to do a classic Chinese or Japanese pot or gingerjar ?

She did after all do this great Becky Brown, 1951 pot . My favorite. Or is it the bleu one ?. Or the Polka Dotts ? I think I love them all !

Smaller pictures are mouse-clickable.

Visit Margaret at:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/49727105/original-block-print-floor-vase-with
http://www.etsy.com/listing/590574/original-block-print-becky-brown-vase

There is even one or two (the last ones of the very small editions) for sale.