Local Art Seen: Printmakers Cooper and Rauschenfels Show Their Stuff

Tom Rauschenfels shares a favorite print by Kathy Kolwitz.

It was five years ago when I discovered the breadth of the printmaking scene here in the Northland. Through a show at the North Shore Bank of Commerce I met Cecelia Lieder and learned about the Northern Printmakers Alliance. In our interview Ms. Lieder shared how printmaking evolved from a craft to a fine art form during the 20th century.

On Thursday evening the Magnolia Salon in Carlton hosted a presentation by Tom Rauschenfels, who taught art for 35 years at Hermantown High School and continues to make art and teach since retiring ten years ago. His easygoing temperament and outgoing personality must have made him an enjoyable teacher, for he certainly had a lot of enthusiasm while sharing at the Oldenburg House.

Our lakes are a source of inspiration for both artists.

His talk began with a slideshow in which he showed examples of the various kinds of printmaking through history. Intaglio, which means etching, is a method of metal engraving which is no longer in widespread use because of the chemicals involved. Relief printing can be executed with a variety of different materials and includes woodcut, linocut, Chine-collé and wood engraving. Lithography is another kind of printmaking in which artisans create an image on a polished stone, zinc plate or polyester plate that is then transferred to the paper.  Screen printing is most familiar to us as most of us have worn screen printed T-shirts.

After telling us about the terms and tools, he talked about the advantages and disadvantages of various woods and surfaces. "Pine is wonderful to carve, but it loses its edge as you apply force (when printing). Linoleum, on the other hand, carves easy and keeps its edge."

Tools of the trade.

He showed examples of work by Kathy Kolwitz, who was banned by the Nazis, Emil Nolde, and others including the remarkable wood engravings of M.C. Escher who worked in maple. Mr. Rauschenfels then showed some of his own impressive work.

Using his examples from his own work he presented an in-depth how to clinic of sorts, showing the decisions he made along the way when making six-color images, how he gets the registration correct, how he produces depth and some of the wonderful papers he selects.

ON FRIDAY the Red Mug Coffeehouse in Superior hosted an opening reception for screen printer Joel Cooper whose work is now on display there. Cooper, whose wife Deb Cooper is a former Duluth Poet Laureate, has been a fine arts printer for nearly 30 years. What follows here are photos of Cooper's limited edition serigraphs. A link to Joel and Deb Cooper's website can be found at the end of this blog post.

Related Links
http://thomasrauschenfels.com/
http://cooperartpoetry.com/
About the Magnolia Salon

Meantime, art goes on all around you. Engage it.

Local Art Seen: Rauschenfels' "His & Hers" in the Zeitgeist Atrium

"Anchored Dinghies" -- Tom Rauschenfels

"Spruce Swamp Sunset" -- Sue Rauschenfels

"Fall In Love" -- SR

The full title of the show is "His and Hers -- New Year, Old and New Work." You will want to be sure to check it out sometime in January. Tom and Sue Rauschenfels have put something together that is worth your while. An even better suggestion would be to make the Gary Oldman film Darkest Hour your destination at the Zinema, and be sure to linger in the Atrium for a spell before our after the show.

It's worth noting that Tom and Sue are not husband and wife. Sue is married to Tom's brother, so we have a pair of in-law artists here, Tom a printmaker -- linocut and woodcut reliefs -- and Sue a maker of images in various media. Both reflect the Northland in much of their work, featuring birch trees, walleye, fishing boats, biking by the lake, and the like. The work is intricate and elegant, straightforward and skilled.

You can read their artist statements and bios here.

"Intimate Kiss" -- TR

"Pearl" -- SR

"Walleye" -- TR

"Poppies" -- SR

"Poppies" (detail) -- SR

"Boat Basin" TR

"Moon Struck" -- SR

"Hulls on Calm Seas" -- TR

 This show will be on display through January 31.

Meantime, art goes on all around you. Engage it.

Rauschenfels Opening @ Zeitgeist and a Call for Potters Reminder

I first saw Tom Rauschenfels' intricate prints as part of a larger event of Northern Printmakers. Sue Rauschenfels, Tom's sister-in-law via his younger brother Mark. This month they will be sharing the same stage, or rather, sharing in a joiint exhibition of their work at the Zeitgeist, the opening slated for 5-7 p.m. Monday, January 8.  The two artists had been discussing the joint show for some time, and finally decided to put it on the calendar.

"Our art styles are a study in contrasts," says Tom. "My pieces are mostly the result of sketches that have been turned into relief printmaking, either woodcut, linocut, or the combination of the two. Relief printmaking, due to the nature of the process, is somewhat meticulous, labor intensive, and has a relatively high reliance on blocks of color to help with dimension. My style is to cut separate blocks for each color, which utilizes color relationship to help with the elements that make art a visual exercise. The images are always hand printed on traditional printmaking papers with oil-based inks, for long-term lightfast permanency."

Sue works in a variety of mediums, including watercolor, and sometimes collage and mixed media technique, in the truest extension of the medium: loose, quick and vibrant, to give her images a very spontaneous and fresh look. "While we both use lots of everyday ideas and subjects interplay to convert our ultimate message," Tom adds, "the viewer will have no doubt as to who the artist was for each piece, regardless of looking at the identification and media tag.

Tom Rauschenfels Bio:

Being involved in and around a water environment has been an important part of my life since I was a young boy growing up on Park Point. Now as a retired public school art teacher working in printmaking, drawing, painting, and ceramics, I continue to be influenced by the Great Lake and the area I love. I utilize nature, the human figure, and the exploration of different art styles in my creative endeavors. My artwork can be seen at Lizzards, Northern Printmakers Gallery, and numerous private collections here and abroad. Website for viewing prints can be found at thomasrauschenfels.com . While the website features mostly prints, additional drawings, paintings, and ceramics can be seen by contacting the artist at art@thomasrauschenfels.com.

Learn more about Tom Rauschenfels here at his website.

Sue Rauschenfels Bio:

I’ve admired watercolor and all free flowing visual art mediums for many years particularly work capturing the beauty of nature. I enjoy telling a story when I paint-- and drawn to figurative and whimsical styles. Incorporating mixed media with watercolor adds texture and interest plus allows me the freedom to play. I am fortunate to study with and continue to be inspired by so many creative artists and mentors. As a retiree of UMD Continuing Education, I’m a perfect example of lifelong learning and am very grateful to be able to live the dream. I’m currently a member of Lake Superior Watercolor Society, Artists of MN and Arrowhead Artists. My work can be seen at 47 Degrees Gallery in Knife River, Lakeside Gallery in Duluth and by private appointment in my home/studio. 218-391-4385 or email srauschenfels@live.com

You can become still better acquainted with Sue via this interview we did in 2014.

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CALLING ALL POTTERS

It's that time of year again when artists and amateurs alike come together to make bowls for the annual Empty Bowl Fund Raiser. Every Tuesday through April the DAI studio on Michigan Street (across from the library) will be open for bowl-makers. Come for an hour or the day.

Also, a larger Throw-A-Thon will be held Saturday January 20, from 10 a.m. till 5 p.m. Full details here on Facebook as well as opportunities for lessons in bowl-making.

AND FINALLY...
Lakeside Gallery will feature work by Rosemary Guttormsson through the month of January, with an opening reception slated for Saturday, January 6 from 1 to 3 p.m.

Meantime, art goes on all around you. Roll up your sleeves and get into it.