People & Other Beasts

Biddle Gallery
2840 Biddle Avenue
Wyandotte, MI 48192
734-281-4779
www.biddlegallery.com

People & Other Beasts
Linoleum Block and Lithographic Prints by John R. Benson including the first public showing of the anniversary Portraits
April 30 to May 31, 2011

Opening Reception
Saturday April 30th, 11AM - 3PM

For the past 40 years John Benson has been making linoleum block creations – prints, greeting cards, and specialties. He is drawn to the directness of the medium and the ability to create bold and subtle statements in a reasonably quick manner. Carving linoleum blocks has allowed John to explore a wide variety of imagist subjects from natural history to theological statements and develop his design vocabulary of line and pattern. John also likes the fact that with linoleum block printing he can produce hand-made artwork that anyone can afford.

John's anniversary portraits started out as a challenging commission in 2009 but have since become an intriguing exercise in trying to develop a recognizable image using an economy of line and mass. They celebrate the significant anniversaries of various people, famous, notorious, and those who should be better known. In the faunal prints he is especially attracted to the boldness of natural forms and patterns. The disruptive patterning of zebras, either en masse or alone, John finds especially interesting. His range of natural history inspired cards and prints continue to expand as he learns more about the world in which we live.

Portraits include Poe, Darwin, Twain, Lizzie Borden, Gustav Mahler and Anton Chekhov. The animal portraits include 9 different zebra pieces, 2 armadillos, 2 different penguins, 3 different lion fish several different owls, and 2 different buzzard pictures.