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We are pleased to present a special online exhibition, A Couch of Grass, featuring a series of drypoints made by John Hartman in 1992. These etchings were created as visual accompaniment for a book of poetry, by the same name, written by Flori Vale. Hartman and Vale exhibited together at the Gadatsy Gallery in the 1980s and had much mutual admiration for each other's practices.The limited edition book, A Couch of Grass, was in an edition of 20 and sold out immediately.The two portfolios included in this online exhibition are rare Artist Proof editions of the drypoints from A Couch of Grass. In addition, there are several Trial Proofs which are unique in their plate-colour combinations. These exceptional suites and etchings have remained in Hartman's personal archive until now.Hartman is widely known for his contributions to the colour drypoint medium, a tradition carried on from David Milne.
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"A Couch of Grass came into being at the suggestion of Julie and Stephen Gadatsy of the Gadatsy Gallery in 1990. Flori Vale, poet and artist, and I were both represented there. The handmade, small edition book was to feature Flori’s sensual garden poems and my colour drypoints. We loved the idea.
I made visits to Flori’s home on Hazelton Avenue in Toronto, sketching her as she played the grand piano in the bay window of her front room, making drawings of her writing desk and of her garden at the back of her house. She was fun, unpredictable, very spontaneous – and almost twice my age. I remember this time with great affection for Flori." -
John HartmanSpeculation, 1992colour drypointPlate: 4 x 3 3/4 in., Sheet: 8 1/2 x 19 1/4 in.AP with colour variation (6/6)$ 3,000.00
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John HartmanPassion, 1992colour drypointPlate: 4 1/2 x 5 3/4 in., Sheet: 8 1/2 x 9 3/4 in.AP with colour variation (3/3)$ 2,500.00
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"To make the drypoints I cut lines into copper plates, using a separate plate for each colour. I did more experimentation with possible colour variants than was usual, before arriving at the final colour combination for each print. I was influenced by David Milne’s approach to colour drypoint, where sometimes whole editions were variants. I also had to consider how all these drypoints would work together in the book. I kept these colour variants as my artist proofs and these are what you are seeing today. The twenty copies of A Couch of Grass all sold immediately. Until now, the drypoints have never been exhibited."
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