Comments for Watermark Press http://watermarkprs.com/blog Martha Jeffrey Galuszka, Printmaker Wed, 17 Nov 2010 17:19:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Comment on Are you curious? by Martha Jeffrey Galuszka http://watermarkprs.com/blog/?p=35#comment-33 Martha Jeffrey Galuszka Wed, 17 Nov 2010 17:19:30 +0000 http://watermarkprs.com/blog/?p=35#comment-33 Thanks for writing, Jennifer. I'm familiar with Maxfield Parrish, and can understand why you would like your picture. He was a prolific illustrator and there are many reproductions of his colorful works, but I don't know if they were all done from paintings or if he was also known to have made original prints. Besides going to Google, where I found a lot of information on "Arizona" and many other Parrish pictures, you could contact the New Britain Museum of American Art, in New Britain, CT. They specialize in American art and have some of his original paintings. I would imagine that first you need to take it out of the frame and look for physical marks that indicate how it was printed or any writing that gives you a clue. My instinct is that you have a commercial reproduction, and it might be a very good quality one, but there are so many links to art sellers for that image that the odds are that it is not an original print. Of course, it could be from the time that the picture was first reproduced, which might make it really old. I appreciate that you are trying to learn about the differences in prints, editions, copies and reproductions. The more you know the more informed you will be if you decide to buy more art. Whatever you do, the first thing is to like the picture, don't buy just because somebody is famous or you think it might be worth a lot someday. Buy something that you like looking at everyday, like "Arizona". If the backing and frame are not in the best of condition I would suggest you get it rematted and reframed soon. I've recently, unfortunately, seen some "real" prints that have deteriorated badly because there's acidic cheap cardboard backings and mats that are not archival. Such poor treatment of the art has permanently damaged and reduced the value significantly. Take care of yours and enjoy it for many more years, regardless of its origin. Regards, Martha Thanks for writing, Jennifer. I’m familiar with Maxfield Parrish, and can understand why you would like your picture. He was a prolific illustrator and there are many reproductions of his colorful works, but I don’t know if they were all done from paintings or if he was also known to have made original prints. Besides going to Google, where I found a lot of information on “Arizona” and many other Parrish pictures, you could contact the New Britain Museum of American Art, in New Britain, CT. They specialize in American art and have some of his original paintings.

I would imagine that first you need to take it out of the frame and look for physical marks that indicate how it was printed or any writing that gives you a clue. My instinct is that you have a commercial reproduction, and it might be a very good quality one, but there are so many links to art sellers for that image that the odds are that it is not an original print. Of course, it could be from the time that the picture was first reproduced, which might make it really old.

I appreciate that you are trying to learn about the differences in prints, editions, copies and reproductions. The more you know the more informed you will be if you decide to buy more art. Whatever you do, the first thing is to like the picture, don’t buy just because somebody is famous or you think it might be worth a lot someday. Buy something that you like looking at everyday, like “Arizona”.

If the backing and frame are not in the best of condition I would suggest you get it rematted and reframed soon. I’ve recently, unfortunately, seen some “real” prints that have deteriorated badly because there’s acidic cheap cardboard backings and mats that are not archival. Such poor treatment of the art has permanently damaged and reduced the value significantly. Take care of yours and enjoy it for many more years, regardless of its origin.

Regards,
Martha

]]> Comment on Are you curious? by Jennifer http://watermarkprs.com/blog/?p=35#comment-32 Jennifer Wed, 17 Nov 2010 07:13:44 +0000 http://watermarkprs.com/blog/?p=35#comment-32 Hi, Thanks for your info on prints vs copies vs reproductions. I have "Arizona" by Max Parrish. How do I tell if it is a original reproduction etc? I find it interesting because it has "By Max Parrish" on the back of the frame. And the back is paper and is "cracking" around the frame. Could it be an "original"? I have always loved this Print? Original? Thanks Jennifer Hi,

Thanks for your info on prints vs copies vs reproductions. I have “Arizona” by Max Parrish. How do I tell if it is a original reproduction etc? I find it interesting because it has “By Max Parrish” on the back of the frame. And the back is paper and is “cracking” around the frame. Could it be an “original”? I have always loved this Print? Original? Thanks Jennifer

]]> Comment on Welcome to Watermark Press! by John Harris http://watermarkprs.com/blog/?p=23#comment-31 John Harris Mon, 15 Nov 2010 23:47:57 +0000 http://watermarkprs.com/blog/?p=23#comment-31 Hi everyone (on the blog). Just wanted to say that I stopped in at Watermark Press to visit Martha a few weeks ago and had a very engaging time. We talked about artwork, printmaking, and a whole lot of interesting topics. Martha is a very accomplished artist and she has set up a really great studio on Arbor Street as well. Those of you who are “printmaking-a-holics” would probably be interested in seeing her Vandercook press – quite a piece of machinery. (She has a more conventional Sturgis etching press as well) It seems to me that Martha has a good idea of “what’s happening” in the greater Hartford art scene and I highly recommend that you pay a visit of you’re interested in that. I think you’ll find making her acquaintance time and effort well spent. I am making progress on some new prints myself -not ready to show yet, but I am getting there. I’m also getting some drawing done lately as well on a few representative themes. Some of them may find their way into woodcuts – others perhaps into other kinds of work. John Harris West Hartford CT Hi everyone (on the blog). Just wanted to say that I stopped in at Watermark Press to visit Martha a few weeks ago and had a very engaging time. We talked about artwork, printmaking, and a whole lot of interesting topics. Martha is a very accomplished artist and she has set up a really great studio on Arbor Street as well. Those of you who are “printmaking-a-holics” would probably be interested in seeing her Vandercook press – quite a piece of machinery. (She has a more conventional Sturgis etching press as well)

It seems to me that Martha has a good idea of “what’s happening” in the greater Hartford art scene and I highly recommend that you pay a visit of you’re interested in that. I think you’ll find making her acquaintance time and effort well spent.

I am making progress on some new prints myself -not ready to show yet, but I am getting there. I’m also getting some drawing done lately as well on a few representative themes. Some of them may find their way into woodcuts – others perhaps into other kinds of work.

John Harris
West Hartford CT

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