The joy of framing a piece of art you bought because you loved it and gazing at it every day is a sweet delight—truly "Life's Rich Pageant." As a printmaker myself, I own quite a few works that I like. Yet, surprisingly few of them are pieces I would want to keep on display close at hand year after year. Even a work that is renowned and makes a powerful impression can eventually become tedious if viewed day after day.
This is a work titled "Tow Pears" by Ray Bidegain, a photographer based in Portland who is also my mentor. The story behind this photograph began when he photographed the pears that a farmer had given to his two daughters. In later years, he created this print from a shot taken at that time. While this piece was born from a truly heartwarming family moment, what I love about it is not only his gentle perspective but also the freedom it affords the viewer to experience a wide range of thoughts and feelings. It feels like the bountiful harvest of early autumn—or perhaps like a happily married couple who are kindred spirits—evoking a smile that wells up spontaneously amidst the busyness of daily life.
This work possesses numerous technical merits. To begin with, it is constructed using Rives BFK printmaking paper as a base, upon which a sheet of Awagami’s “Kitakata” *washi* is mounted; the image itself is printed over this layer. This process called the *chine collé* technique. It possesses an atmosphere where Eastern mysticism seems to drift leisurely over a backdrop of Western history, while also offering a unique visual quality—specifically, the pear motif appears to leap out at the viewer with a striking, three-dimensional presence. Here is another perspective as well, when viewing a work of art, I always pay close attention to the artist's handwriting. Whether it is a painting, a piece of calligraphy, or a print, I take the time to savor the traces left by signatures, edition numbers, and titles. I examine the characters actually inscribed by the artist with the meticulousness of an archaeologist, for I believe that handwriting represents a specific attitude—an expression of intent—conveyed by the artist to the viewer.
In any case, if the first time someone sees my work, it sparks their imagination, and if it serves as some kind of guidepost, source of comfort, or brings them joy in their often difficult life, then that is a source of joy and pleasure for me as well.
