Oregon

“INDU: Commensalists and Hand Me Downs” Installation, Oregon College of Arts and Craft

Posted by Tom Virgin

INDU: Commensalists and Hand Me Downs       Mixed media installation    12 ft x 12 ft x 12 ft             2008

This work came from an earlier residency at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in 2006. I finished cutting the plates and printing the prints that came from that residency, while I was in residence at the Oregon College of Art and Craft in 2007. This installation was created for the 2008 AIR Exhibition that brought back all the participating artists for a show. I combined a large drawing, archival digital C-prints, woodcut prints, commercial mesh banners and ephemera to create the effect INDU had on me in 2006.

This work has been featured in a National Parks Publication,

 

13 Views of Mt. Hood

Posted by Tom Virgin

An artist’s residency at Oregon College of Art and Craft in 2007 was a rich experience, kitty corner across the world from what I am used to. The Cascades are incredible, volcanoes popping up from the ground,  from California through Washington State. I came with the hope of creating an homage to Hokusai and the people of Portland. I left with renewed friendships from my youth and new friendships with Portland’s finest.

All images in this series 16 inches x 20 inches, black ink on Japanese paper, edition of 20.

Ganko, an artist’s book

Posted by Tom Virgin

“Ganko,” is an observation of overlapping cultures, housed in a multiple quire binding. After a class in single/complex quire bindings by Julia Miller at Oregon College of Art and Craft in 2007, I couldn’t wait to put the knowledge to work. During my residency there during summer 2007 this book came together with letterpress printed covers (thanks to Moe Snyder), digital imaging on sheets of Mohawk Superfine Text, and end sheets of kimono fabrics from the Japanese Gardens in Portland, Oregon. Akiko Watamori, my friend (and my bird Ashlynn’s Veterinarian) gave me a window on Japanese culture. I gave her a tour of Miami. The result, including some random images of Portland, Oregon, became “Ganko” in an edition of three.

Mountain Tops, an artist’s book

Posted by Tom Virgin

Mountain Tops             45 in x 11 in x 3 in (open)               2011
“Mountain Tops” is an accordion fold structure made from powdercoated watercut aluminum, rivets, aluminum mounted C-prints covered in plexiglass, dye on linen, canvas, and teak dowel. The font used for the haiku is Regallo Aplaya from T.26.
This book has two C-prints mounted under plexi on aluminum, one drawing and one print cut from aluminum plate, two panels of words (a haiku written by the artist), and a canvas carrying sling. The book is created in response to an artist’s residency at Oregon College of Art and Craft in Portland, Oregon during the summer of  2007. This book received an honorable mention in the 2010 Florida Artist Book Prize at the Bienes Museum of the Modern Book. It is an homage to Jim Findlay who helped me gain access to mountain tops with his support.