HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOB BLACKBURN!!
Special by THE NEW TIMES HOLLER!
TOUR DE MASQUES
© Amir Bey, 2012
DECEMBER 12,
|
Robert "Bob" Blackburn, the master printmaker and founder of the Printmaking Workshop in New York City was born on December 10, 1920 in Summit, New Jersey. Over the years Bob helped countless artists, not only printmakers, but sculptors, painters, all kinds of multi-discipline artists. He also was a fervent supporter of music, dance, and other performing arts. Personally, I have many sheet aluminum plates that he gave to me for projects. And most significantly, in 1982 he came to my studio to do a life cast of his face. For some time I marveled at the sculptural character of his face, and wondered how I could portray it. At that time I was zealously head-hunting for life cast subjects, and when I asked him if he'd indulge me, he said, "Anything for Art!" I want to share the results of that afternoon.
|
THE MIGHTY BOB BLACKBURN
-Mighty cuz we owe him!
 Bronze mask, ceramic back, from the Car 2619 on the D Train series. (c) Amir Bey, 1989
|
|
|
FROM THE CAR 2619 ON THE D TRAIN SERIES
This portrait uses lips from another life cast, the dancer Cha-Lee Chan, for Bob's eyes. It's from the Car 2619 On The D Train series, 48 images of people on New York City's D Train exhibited at Bronx Museum of the Arts in 1989. Those pieces featured a cast mounted on a ceramic "seat." (c) Amir Bey, 1989
|
ORIGINAL CAST AND A STUDY
| |
The original ife Cast of Bob, casting compound, (c) Amir Bey, 1982
|
|
|
|
This is a study for the Bob with Cha-Lee's eyes (c) Amir Bey, 1986
|
|
|
FROM THE 12 x 12 SERIES
PHARAOH BOB is from a series of 10 pieces that were 12" X 12". Plaster cast, acrylic, sand, Rhinestones, metal tools, glass eye. One a da pharaohs a da Art Scene!
(c) Amir Bey, 2006
|
| |
CRESCENT BOB
Plaster, ceramic,
(c) Amir Bey, 1989
|
|
|
|
EMPEROR BOB
Ceramic, glaze, acrylic
(c) Amir Bey, 2009
|
|
|
ANOTHER FROM THE CAR 2619 ON THE D TRAIN SERIES
WEARIN' BOB'S MASK I put my mouth, nose, etc. in a mold of Bob's face. (c) Amir Bey, 1989
|
|
| | |
