Skip to main content

Wendy Thon - Narrative Artist

Wendy Thon explores the gradations of sepia brown, moving from almost black to white.  It is the power of shadows and light that makes this print come alive.  In the print below; "Afternoon Shadows," her technical skills and artistic instinct makes up a story for us.  If I could show you a close up detail you could see through the fine lace glass curtains in the far side of the room.  What you would see is the neighbor's house.  The glass curtains lets the light shine in creating shadows that extenuate the rocking chair's spindles.  The late afternoon sun creates elongated shadows on the wooden plank floor. 

 The interior spaces are filled with wooden trim work that outlines the doors, a case opening, and mop boards.  In the distance we see containers that sit on top of the window frame, and in the forefront we see an antique cabinet and a marionette with a broom stick.

"Afternoon Shadows"
Artist Proof
Signed Lower Right:  Wendy Thon, 1988 (in pencil)

Thon works in several different types of media, however she is well known for her prints.  "Afternoon Shadows" is an intaglio impression made from a metal plate engraved by hand.  The paper receives ink from the crevices of the plate, and the printing is begun by working ink into the heated plate.  After heating, she wipes the surface clean, leaving all the crevices filled with pigment.  Next she uses dampens paper that is laid on the inked plate, then - for resilience - several layers of woolen felt are used to create a whole sandwich which is passed between the rollers of the press.  The pressure is such that, and the dampness of the paper so calculated, that the ink is transferred from the plate's indentations to the paper that yields the print, the sunken plate-mark and raised quality of the lines creates the intaglio print.

Thon has the education and accolades to claim her place in the art world.  Her BFA is from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.  She studied abroad at Saint Lucas Art Academy in Ghent (Belgium) and at the Banff School of Fine Art (Canada).  She also studied printmaking at the Ruth Leaf Workshop in New York from 1975-79.  She is frequently sought after to lead art workshops around the world.     

Her works are included in the University of Washington Medical Center, Queensborough College of New York, Pacific University of Oregon, Portland Museum of Art, Museum of Art (Missoula, MT), and the Library of Congress.  Her work has been included in numerous invitational and survey exhibitions.  Ms. Thon was raised in Kalispell, Montana.    


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MARCEL (Marcella Anderson) Torpedo Factory Artist

Marcella Anderson and/or Marcy Anderson (1946 - 2015) was better known as "MARCEL", a popular serigraph/silkscreen artist, at the Torpedo Factory Art Center in historic Old Town Alexandria, VA. She maintained a gallery and work space at the Torpedo Factory from 1976 to 2015. At the top of the stairs on the 3rd floor was this large light filled studio with a charming blonde woman surrounded by her silkscreens. In the early 80s, her work consisted mostly of water reptiles, fish, birds and environmental scenes. She kept with nature themes during most of her time at the studio. Her obituary stated: "Marcel was known for her bold, yet sensitive, use of color and design. Her images in all media reflected her love of nature. Her glowing color, both intense and delicate, was achieved through the use of transparent layers of color." Marcel was born and raised in Seattle, Washington and studied at the Cornish School of Allied Arts. Before arriving in the DC area, she had
11 comments
Read more

Japanese Wooden Dolls: Kokeshi-Ningyo "こけし－人形"

This article is dedicated to my Japanese (nihongo) Sensei, Atsuko Kuwana, who helped me learn to speak Japanese. Collectors come in all varieties, some plan their collections, others start by chance.  I saw my first kokeshi（こけし） wooden doll in 2005 while participating in a grassroutes exchange program between the U.S. and Japan.  I was staying with a family near Nagoya and the couple’s young daughter had one.  Years later when I was named a Mike Mansfield Fellow from the U.S. government to the Japanese government, and was living in Japan, I would see them frequently at flea markets and souvenir shops next to the natural hot spring resorts in the area known as Tohoku.  Before leaving for Japan, I studied all things Japanese at the George Shultz Foreign Service Institute (FSI), including a professor that covered domestic and family life and some short statements on kokeshi.  After arriving in Japan, the National Personnel Authority ( jinjiin ) was responsible for my continued studies, b
Post a Comment
Read more

Leonard Thorpe, Modern British Artist

Thorpe, a totally modern artist, used London and the bucolic country side as his muse.  Clearly the London cityscape was his inspiration.  He painted all the city sights:  St. Paul's Cathedral, the Parliament, the Palace of Westminster, the Beefeaters at the Palace, the Victorian Memorial, Big Ben, the Monument and of course Trafalgar Square.  These London landmarks are painted with affirming gestures in moody blues and graphic grays.  His palette knife application technique, along with his brush work was applied in a quick layer over the oil underpainting.  There is an appearance of buildup-so caked on, that the results look molten.  This methodology created textured impressions right on the canvas.  He combined architectural details with spontaneous happenings.    His color palette frequently includes red double-decker buses, Beefeater guards or flags that add balance to his moody paintings.  In " St. Paul's Cathedral " below, Thorpe presents a rainy evening with
Post a Comment
Read more