Jack Beal, Spotted Salamander

Medium: Lithograph, from stone
Date editioned: July, 1973
Ink and paper type: black ink on Arches Cover white
Edition size:  29 
Signed: in pencil, lower right, bottom edge
Image size: 7" x 10 1/2" 
Paper size: 11 1/8" x 14 1/2" 

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Jack's drawings and paintings from as early as the 1960's often presented an illusion of natural reality as well as the reality of a flat two-dimensional painting or drawing surface. This print is a good example of this duality and tension as the viewer is encouraged to enter into the space through Jack's use of diagonals. At the same time Jack has emphasized the two-dimensional flat surface by his use of tangential relationships.

A Closer Look ... Spotted Salamander

"Spotted Salamander" was the last of the four stones that Jack worked on, (often with Sondra's assistance) that July and August, 1973. 

"Spotted Salamander" was the last of the four stones that Jack worked on, (often with Sondra's assistance) that July and August, 1973. 

The upper left corner of the print shows at least five points at which edges of forms touch on the two dimensional plane.

The upper left corner of the print shows at least five points at which edges of forms touch on the two dimensional plane.

There is a reality here that is animal and plant but Jack is just as concerned with the play of pattern and shape on the two-dimensional plane of the print.

There is a reality here that is animal and plant but Jack is just as concerned with the play of pattern and shape on the two-dimensional plane of the print.