In this harried world of mediocrity,
planned obsolescence and transient fashion, Ian Kochberg is a
throwback to a quieter time... a nobler era, where pride and
craftsmanship were the norm, rather than the exception.
A gifted child artist, by the age of
fourteen Ian was already recognized as being "a technical
genius" by Mr. Alan H. Jarvis, late director of the
National Gallery in Ottawa. The Ontario College of Art awarded
him a scholarship the following year. Ian went on to study both
architecture, and classical animation. His first glimpse of
international recognition came when he produced and directed
his own award-winning animated film, which was featured at
international film festivals, in North America and Europe. Upon
graduating, Ian taught himself printmaking. The once budding
'technical genius' was to blossom into an accomplished artist.
Much has been spoken and written about
Ian's timeless work. Using materials and methods that pre-date
the Renaissance, he painstakingly, and in his own uniquely
innovative style, creates each of his original prints by hand.
A stubborn, uncompromising perfectionist, Ian is a genuine
modern-day master of his ancient craft. His striking original
graphics are renowned for their keen wit, precision and
artistic excellence.
Ian's Richmond Hill home and personal
studio, is a permanent gallery of his art, where friends and
patrons are warmly greeted by Arlene... his wife, partner,
agent and soul-mate. His works are found in private and
corporate collections throughout Canada, the USA, Europe, Asia,
Australia, Africa and South America.
the artist
... deep in thought...
... helping hands...
“Hi. Come on in!”
Except for making the paper himself (Ian's
paper of choice is made in an ancient mill in France), each of
his works is created entirely by his own hand. Each original
print is a marriage of two distinct printmaking techniques:
Ian attains his rich colours using
SERIGRAPHY. In serigraphy, the image is 'drawn' by carefully
opaquing or blocking out areas of a specially prepared,
stretched screen. As ink is forced across the screen with a
squeegee, the unblocked areas of the screen allow ink to
penetrate onto the printing paper below. A separate screen is
required for each colour; he has spent up to 180 hours in the
creation of a single screen for a single colour.
His second printmaking technique, EMBOSSED
ETCHING, is done after all the colours are complete. Ian draws
his design onto a solid metal plate. The plate is then
precisely hand-cut. Each piece of plate is individually filed,
engraved, and etched in a bath of nitric acid; these processes
are repeated as necessary, after which the finished pieces of
metal plate are affixed onto a transparent base. The paper is
dampened, and registered onto the finished "plate".
Finally, Ian "hand-pulls" the paper and plate through
his massive, custom-made press. The press, which exerts up to
24 tonnes of pressure, permanently embosses the image of the
metal plates into the paper.
“the squeegee kid”
... the press sure’s on...