Evolution: Five Decades of Printmaking by David Driskell
by Adrienne Childs
Published by Pomegranate Communications 2007
Pages 127 Price $30

“Pure art always comes from within and is a surging element of our common humanity,” said David C. Driskell, famous African American artist, author, and educator at the University of Southern Maine on Aug. 22 at a function that was sponsored by the Portland Museum of Art in support of acquiring one of his works,“Ghetto Wall II,” for its collection.

Driskell, a well known artist, educator, and author on Black culture, was born in Eatonton, Georgia in 1931. On scholarships, he graduated from Howard University in 1955  and Catholic University with a Master of Fine Arts degree in 1962.

He came to Maine in 1953 to attend the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture and loved Maine so much that he later bought a home in Falmouth in 1961 where he and his family have lived for 58 summers. During winters Driskell taught at various institutions teaching art at the University of Maryland at College Park for 22 years. In fact when he retired the University  of Maryland named a building and educational institute after him which is called “The David C. Driskell Center for the Study of the Visual Arts and Culture of African Americans and the African American Diaspora.”

Driskell has said,”When I come to Maine time stops. Maine has a way of captivating you.” He built his own studio in Falmouth, and thinks of Maine as a retreat to regain creative energy. His home is surrounded by cathedral pines and one can see orange day lilies and Black- Eyed Susans sprouting up around his vegetable garden.

In the book, “Evolution: Five Decades of Printmaking”, Driskell explains the process of printmaking through interviews with major scholars and writers who contribute articles on his art in each chapter exploring different aspects of printmaking with Driskell. Authors who write about Driskell include Robert E. Steele, Deborah Willis, Ruth Fine, Adrienne Childs, and Julie McGee.

Robert E. Steel, PH.D has been the executive director of the Driskell Center. Deborah Willis, PH.D is from the Tisch School of Arts at New York University.  Ruth Fine is former Curator of Special projects in Modern Art at the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC. Adrienne Childs, PH.D, author of the book, is  former Curator in Residence at the Driskell Center and Julie McGee, who wrote the chronology in the back of the book, has written the definitive biography titled “David C. Driskell Artist and Scholar.”

This book reveals the importance of African American art. Deborah Willis says in chapter one, “Driskell is a chronicler of black life in text and image. With pen, pencil, brush, and type, he has documented the experience of artist-models, notable events within his own family, and the faces of the anonymous.” Willis continued, “Driskell’s prints capture the emotions and moments of everyday life.”

Ruth Fine states in chapter two, “Like Driskell’s paintings, collages, and drawings, his prints are inspired by his family activities, cultural rituals, homelike interiors, the glories of nature, especially the Maine landscape, and a panoply of world art, including African American sculpture and textiles.”

Adrienne Childs states in chapter three,” Stylistically and ideologically David C. Driskell’s printmaking is an integral component of his total creative practice. Childs continues, ”Although religion was not a popular theme in the 1950’s and 1960’s Driskell chose to pursue his interest in spirituality and Christianity. In the 1960’s he devoted his prints to nature and religious themes that would remain integral to his artistry.”

“Jonah in the Whale,”created in 1967, a linocut and collagraph, is a favorite of mine and a timeless work of art which can be seen in the book. A linocut is a design or form carved in relief on a block of linoleum. A collagraph is a print made by building up a surface creating recessed areas often using cardboard.

Prints are a wonderful creative medium. They give artists another creative path in expressing themselves and require a great deal of expertise. Prints also give the average person the ability to collect works by a favorite artist. Original prints are signed at the bottom by the artist at the right and numbered on the bottom on the left. For example the number 3/50 would mean 50 prints were made from this edition and this print was the 3rd pulled.The less pulled the sharper the print. Anything over 200 in an edition is considered commercial because the image does not remain sharp.

An edition of 50 or less is considered a good collector’s selection. Prints are a popular way that everyone can enjoy an original work of art in their home. They are not photographs or posters but original graphics signed. They are not inexpensive either but fun to see. You can see works by David Driskell at the Greenhut Gallery on 146 Middle St. in Portland, in the heart of the art district, or at the Portland Museum of Art on the third floor where two Driskell works are hanging, “Pine Trees in Falmouth” part of the PMA permanent collection, and “Ghetto Wall II” on view in the process of being acquired.

The book, “Evolution: Five Decades of Printmaking,” is for all artists, art students, art teachers, and the general public who are interested in the importance of the printmaking process, African American art, and  the art of David C. Driskell. Over fifty colored plates are in the book giving a wonderful selection of Driskell’s best works. I recommend it highly for all libraries, museums, art institutions, and people who love art.

— Pat Davidson Reef is a graduate of Emerson College in Boston. She received her Masters Degree at the University of Southern Maine. She taught English and Art History at Catherine McAuley High for many years. She now teaches at the University of Southern Maine in Portland in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Classic Films. She recently wrote a children’s book,”Dahlov Ipcar Artist,” and has now completed another children’s book “Bernard Langlais Revisited.”

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