Newsletter: October 2006
Welcome to the first edition of Impressions, a newsletter to keep you up to date on what is happening at Underground Impressions Souterraines (UIS) and with Raymond Sander-Regier. (Future copies of Impressions will contain more French content)
Introduction:
My name is Raymond Sander-Regier, and I am the founder, manager and owner of Underground Impressions Souterraines (UIS). I am a professional artist who has practiced various forms of printmaking ever since finishing my fine arts studies at university. For some time now I have wanted to make it possible for others to share in my passion.
Rembrandt, Durer, Blake, Whistler, Renoir, Picasso, Gauguin, all produced works in various print media. Printmaking studios were available for the use of all these artists. The tradition of artist’s printmaking studios, as such, has a long and honoured history. These studios provided the space in which artists, with the help of a resident printmaker, could interpret their work in print. There are still many fine studios of this sort in existence today.
This tradition is at the heart of what I want for UIS. Someday it may happen. For the here and now, less lofty goals might be:
1) establishing a bilingual fine arts print studio in the Pontiac
2) to provide the opportunity for Pontiac artists to use the print medium as an expression of their own work
3) to offer a space in the Pontiac where printmaking techniques can be learned and practiced
4) to provide a space in the Pontiac to expose residents and visitors to fine arts prints, its tradition, technique and contemporary expression
5) to offer exhibition space for fine arts works in print executed in the UIS studio.
History:
From 1989 to 2004 I worked mostly out of my personal studio on an old farm in the northern end of the Municipality of Bristol, Québec. This changed when UIS first opened its doors the summer of 2004 with the installation at 317 Main St., Shawville, Québec, with the installation of the intaglio portion of my personal studio. With an encouraging season, visitors and fellow artists UIS reopened for the summer of 2005 in the same location. When a room next to the studio came up for rent a lease was signed for a full 12 months and UIS as a year-round endeavor was begun.
UIS, working with local cultural groups to broaden the understanding of art, and more specifically real prints and printmaking, has already become a place for people to come in to talk about art, meet other artists and use as a meeting place for various arts planning committees.
I would like to say thanks for all the encouragement I have received from family, friends and colleagues, and give a special thanks to Peter and Debbie Smith for pointing the way.
What’s on for the rest of 2006?
With the busier seasons of spring, summer and early fall behind us and most of our summer residents gone, things can tend to slow down moving into late fall and winter. Here at UIS this will be true to some extent, but only in the sense that there are less people around.
- October 1st UIS loses the gallery space to Heritage College for the fall/winter school season (PLEASE NOTE: the studio space will still remain open to the public).
- October 7th & 8th Raymond is participating in the first Campbell’s Bay Festival of the Arts
- October 14th & 15th Renate Sander-Regier and Raymond offer a version of their E3 course Expressing Your Environment as part of the new Pontiac School of the Arts (PSOTA) Fall Programme
- After Thanksgiving UIS winter hours come into effect
- Workshops in Dry-point, Collograph and other printmaking media continue
- The installation of a lithographic studio this fall will make it possible to offer lithographic workshops in 2007
- Our involvement in the Pontiac Artist’s Association (PAA) continues
- Raymond’s participation in the planning of the 2007 season for PSOTA continues
- From November 6th to December 4th Raymond will be exhibiting work in the smaller section of Café 349. Huguette Poulin, a photographer, will be exhibiting in the larger space
- December 4th to January 1st Raymond will participate in a PAA group show at Café 349
From the Printroom – Technical Notes for the Uninitiated
Original or Reproduction?
What is an original fine art print?
-An original fine art print involves the artist directly at all stages of production.
-The intent of the artist was to make a print.
-Usually (though not always) a specified number of prints are made from the printing surface. This is then destroyed or defaced.
What is a reproduction?
-A reproduction is a copy or representation of something which was conceived of and exists in another form, such as a painting.
-The reproduction is often made by photomechanical or digital means.
-The artist has little or nothing to do with the making of the reproduction.
-Reproductions are usually made in large numbers. They may be signed and numbered as are original fine arts prints.
-The printing and paper may be of very high quality.
Qu’est-ce que c’est une estampe originale?
-L’artiste est impliqué dans chaque étape de production d’une estampe originale.
-L’intention de l’artiste était de créer une estampe.
-Normalement (mais pas toujours) un nombre spécifique d’estampes est créé à partir de la plaque ou la pierre. Après le tirage elle est détruite ou effacée.
Qu’est-ce qu’une reproduction?
-Une reproduction est une copie ou une représentation de quelque chose qui existe dans une autre forme, comme, par exemple, une peinture.
-Souvent la reproduction est produite par des méthodes photo-mécaniques ou digitales.
-L’artiste à peu ou rien à faire avec la production d’une reproduction.
-Souvent les reproductions sont très nombreuses. Ils peuvent être signées et numerotées comme des véritables estampes.
-Souvent le papier et l’impression sont d’une très haute qualité.
For more on this topic see:
“The Fine Print” by Melanie Scott, in Saturday Night magazine, December 1996, pp. 31-38
“Reproduction Prints: Revelations from an Insider” by Dennis Kalichuk, Sight Sound magazine, January/February 1991
Code d’éthique de l’estampe original, Conseil Québécois de l’estampe, 1987
New Work On View at UIS
(The following list is a selection of work completed so far in 2006 by Raymond Sander-Regier)
Title Medium Type Size
Night Storm Dry-point/3 colour Editioned 10/10 8” x 6.5”
Moccasin Flower II Colour Mezzotint Editioned 9/9 7” x 11”
March Moon Dry-point/3 colour Editioned 10/10 5” x 5”
Piscatorial Dreams, Var I Relief Monoprint 7.5” x 11”
Little Pine Dry-Point Editioned 7/7 4” x 6”
Windblown Dry-Point Editioned 8/8 4” x 6”
Simplicity Dry-Point Editioned 8/8 4” x 6”
Mossy Snag Dry-Point Editioned 7/7 4” x 6”
Old Spruce Dry-Point Editioned 8/8 4” x 6”
Darkening Sky Dry-Point Editioned 8/8 4” x 6”
Creek Side Dry-Point Editioned 8/8 4” x 6”
Leaning Snag Dry-Point Editioned 8/8 4” x 6”
At Point Dry-Point Editioned 8/8 4” x 6”
Summer Storm Collagraph, Dry-point Editioned 4/4 5.5” x 8”
Sunlit Point Collagraph/2 colour Editioned 3/3 11” x 15”
A Recap of June 2004 to September 2006 at UIS:
2004 (June – September):
- UIS is up and running offering workshops, work in progress and work on display
- UIS ran workshops in dry-point for children and adults
- UIS received coverage in the West Quebec Post, the Journal and the Equity
- Good response from visitors and other artists
2005 (February, June – September, December):
- UIS & Raymond did an exhibition at Café 349 in February that included student work
- Elke Bzdurreck kindly put her intaglio press on loan to UIS
- UIS opens for another summer session
- UIS & Raymond took part in the 2005 Pontiac Artist’s Studio Tour
- Renate Sander-Regier, UIS & Raymond ran a workshop programme, E3 (Experience, Environment, Express) for the International School for Earth Studies, with an exhibition of completed work on the final day.
- Raymond taught an introductory relief printing course at PSOTA
- UIS & Raymond participated in the Shawville Pioneer Days
- Raymond participated in an exhibition celebrating 150 years for Bristol Municipality
- UIS ran workshops in dry-point and relief
-UIS & Raymond run an exhibition monochromatic work entitled: Black Impressions Noire
- UIS ran an exhibition of student work from 2004, 2006
- December UIS moves into a space on a 12 month lease
2006 (January – September)
- UIS opens year round
- UIS becomes the place for meetings of the board members for the PAA
- UIS becomes a meeting place of the local fly-fishing club
- Raymond participated as an instructor for the Young Artists Workshops Series (YAWS) run by PSOTA
- UIS & Raymond run an exhibition entitled: Creek Walking – A Flyfisher’s Discoveries / Sortie Ruiseau – Découvertes pêche à la mouche
- UIS receives good coverage from the Equity
- In collaboration with Café 349 and The Shawville Village, Raymond and UIS inaugurate the Shawville Arts Ramble (Enjoy art and local cuisine)
- UIS runs workshops in dry-point
- Raymond participated in a PAA group show at Café 349
- Raymond participated in an exhibit of PSOTA instructors at the Art Portage arts festival
- Raymond participated in Dam Art, a PAA group exhibit