Jack Beal, Peonies and Creek
Medium: Intaglio print, line etching and aquatint
Initial processing and proofing: 1980-1982, by Jennifer Melby
Edition pulled: 2004, by Roger Bailey
Ink and paper type: Renaissance black ink on Hahnemuhle warm white
Edition size: 46
Signed: in pencil, lower right
Image Size: 9" x 11.75"
Paper Size: 15" x 18"
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Just outside their house and studio, Jack Beal and Sondra Freckelton had this view of the Ouleout Creek, a rock wall, the peonies and a shadow of the wooden bridge railing. A powerful flood later took out the bridge and nearly took out their home as well. Jack's original drawing for this print showed loosely painted washes, but here the values are rendered as very fine aquatint tones and textures handled beautifully by Jennifer Melby.
A Closer Look ... Peonies and Creek
In determining the tones and textures of the aquatints, Jack would often draw with washes on earlier state proofs.
Before the copper plate, with it's delicate aquatints, is ready for editioning, a microscopically thin layer of pure iron has bee deposited onto the plate.
Roger Bailey examines one of the edition prints.
This detail from "Peonies and Creek" reveals Jack's precise control and elaborate scheme.
A detail shows six or seven different aquatint tones and textures. Very nice work by Jennifer Melby.
Jack signs the edition, April 28, 2005.
Jack's signature, lower right.