Zavi Lerman

 

Zavi Lerman, “Growing Gardens”. Drypoint Etching, Chine Colle Collage, 24 x 18 inches, 2013

 Zavi Lerman is an artist and teacher living in Toronto. She is currently a Master’s student at Columbia University where she is studying Art and Art Education. After completing her BFA at York University in 2005 she began printing at Open Studio. The artist wishes to thank Open Studio for providing a facility that makes the fun and wonder of printmaking accessible to many.

In her art and teaching practice Zavi is interested in the artistic development and creative process of both artists and non-artists. Cycles, patterns, evidence of growth or change, and play with mark making are topics she explores in her artwork.

Artist and educator Arthur Wesley Dow’s book from 1899, Composition, challenges the artist to think of art as putting together “lines, masses, and colours to make harmonies.” For Dow, art is made up of line, notan (a Japanese word for light-dark), and colour.

Zavi embraces Dow’s challenge by marking the metal surface in intaglio, through various acid resists, photo-etching, fine drawing, banging, sanding, or drilling. She then plays with the repetition and arrangement of the images printed on assorted Japanese papers. No two prints are the same. They are all variations from a starting point that come together in different ways to be enjoyed and considered by the viewer.

Pomegranate and Garden Series

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Pomegranates are beautiful fruits enjoyed during the Jewish New Year to represent a fresh start, and that one should be fruitful. For me, pomegranates represent the way many experience art making and the creative process.  They are seasonal, can be hard to open and they can make a mess! Art, like pomegranates provides us with many seeds or ideas to plant, and both are nourishing.

Cloud Series

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Our plans and moods can be influenced by the weather. We can protect ourselves from the weather but we cannot control it. For these prints I worked the copper plate with different resists and acid concentrations to create lots of texture.

Ephemera Series

This series is based on found manufactured plastic packages that accumulate. There are multiples of them. I like to find out how these packages will print. What will they look like? What patterns emerge when they are repeated? How are they transformed?

-“Rectangles”, drypoint, collograph, chine colle, 12” x 18”

-“Circles”, drypoint, collograph, chine colle, 12” x 18”

Tree Series

Each person has his tree. Mine is dreamlike, changing, swirling and growing.

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Kurt Pammer

Kurt Pammer, “Have Bungee Will Travel ”  etching with drypoint – 11″ x 15″ – 2013

Boundless and Borderless.

Hit the road. A motorcycle; a tankful of gasoline; a tent, tarp and bungee cords are all I need to become boundless and borderless.

Arrival. Leathers and boots – off!! Cracking that awaiting tinnie whilst sitting down in my folding chair. A camping moment that can be just ever so perfect. Rest. Camp set-up fun; the real boundless and borderless.

Kurt Pammer, “Windows Immaculata” silkscreen – 39″ x 15” – 2009.

Windows Immaculata
A most favourite stained glass window that I pass en route to the grocery store.
Print purchased by BMO – 2011. Short-listed for consideration for the 2013 Open Studio National Printmaking Awards – 100 Prints.

Kurt Pammer, “Missing Sin In Paradise” silkscreen with lithography – 32″ x 13″ – 2009.

Missing Sin In Paradise
Legend has it, that in the 1980’s, the Paradise Movie Theatre in Toronto and its seedy basement was renowned for youth sneaking about and “fooling around”.
During the Friday Late Night Movies, the theatre would empty during intermissions and the lineups for the washrooms became a part of the night’s entertainment. It was said that Fire and Emergency were dispatched to the theatre on a regular basis. Also, as there was an elevation in body heat, the sprinkler system would be frequently triggered. The owner eventually had enough and the theatre was closed in 2006.
All good things come to an end and we are still Missing Sin in Paradise.

Kurt Pammer, “Lakeshore Supreme”   silkscreen – 30″ x 42″ – 2012.

Kurt Pammer, “Humber Skate”   silkscreen – 30″ x 42″ – 2012.

Kurt Pammer, “Lakeland Joy”   silkscreen – 17″ x 12″ – 2012 .

Kurt Pammer, “High Park Stroll”   silkscreen – 30″ x 22″ – 2011.

Kurt Pammer started at Open Studio back in the late 90’s.  His first attempts at printmaking were in taking Lithography classes. Later, in Litho, being mentored by Shawn Reynar.  A broken stone using the Griffin Press had him signing up for a silkscreen class.  Taking to screen, he was mentored by Linda Blix.  In 2012 he did a little mentoring of his own.  He then ventured over to intaglio where he was mentored by Pawel Zablocki. Thank you to Open Studio and to my colleagues for sharing in the enjoyment of printmaking.

Liz Menard

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Etchings, drypoints, aquatint and mixed media pieces.

Liz Menard is influenced by a profound love and respect for nature and the environment. She is interested in wilderness, rural and urban landscapes and the native species and invasive species that inhabit these environments. She has noticed that our attempts to manage the environment can result in unintended consequences.  Sustaining environmental biodiversity is important to Liz and a recurring theme in her work. Menard remains optimistic that if we continue to work together to care for, protect and nurture our environment we may be able to sustain environmental biodiversity.

Liz Menard. Handmade Maple, Oak, Ash and Birch leaves. Etching on Gampi, Kozo and Gozan, handcolouring and handshaping, 2011

In her practice, Menard uses traditional printmaking techniques such as etching, aquatint, drypoint, collograph, chine colle and hand colouring.  She prints her images on traditional Western paper, handmade Japanese paper and textiles. Japanese paper and textiles may appear delicate and fragile; however, they are strong and resilient – similar to the qualities that she admires in her subjects.

Liz Menard was honoured when named Open Studio’s Nick Novak Fellow for 2011 – 2012.  As part of her fellowship, she is creating a body of work exploring Toronto’s Don River.

To find out more about Liz Menard and her work please visit her web site.