Who am I and what am I doing?

My name is Jeanette Jobson.  I am a visual artist, living on the northeast coast of Newfoundland and Labrador.  Being surrounded by water, it, and the creatures that swim and live in it strongly influence my work, either through paintings of water and boats or my work with gyotaku (fish printing).

Fishy Bits! is an extension of my previous work with fish, which is documented  visually through images, video and print in The Gyotaku Project on my website. This series of relief print in 2013 will broaden my experience in the technical aspects of printmaking and provide exposure for others to the range of cold water marine fish that live in these northern and island waters.

Each month in 2013 I will produce an original print of a different fish found in local water, creating a series of twelve unique pieces.  Each print is developed from my original drawing which is transferred or drawn directly onto a piece of lino and hand carved using traditional techniques and tools. The design and production of twelve prints in this 2013 series will give an “up close and personal” view of twelve individual species of cold water marine fish.  While stylized, the prints produced are based on real fish and are original representational pieces of art.

I use a variety of Japanese washi papers for printing, as well as printmaking papers and specialty handmade papers. My preference is for Japanese papers for the quality of prints they produce and the tradition behind them. Oil based inks are used to print from the carved plates, providing a crisp image with a lasting archival footprint. Each print measures 4” x 6” and has a generous border to allow for signature, framing and showcasing the piece.   The choice of paper type and ink colours will be my choice and will vary in each print run. 

What do I Need?

Currently, I am producing my prints without a printing press, relying on a simple baren or wooden spoon to adhere the ink to the paper’s surface and hand pull the prints.  While this does provide a quality print, it is more time intensive and consistency of print images is not reliable, with more rejected pieces and waste of resources.  It also limits my range of printmaking to relief prints only.

A printing press would allow me to achieve consistent print quality and expand my range of printmaking into etchings, as well as enabling me to share.  Your contribution to this project will allow me to purchase an entry level Jack Richeson Baby printing press to ensure a consistent printing quality, as well as enable the purchase of additional supplies of lino plates, professional cutting tools, inks and Japanese papers to complete the project at the professional level that I strive to deliver to all my collectors.

My Promise to Deliver

I am committed to complete this project in 2013 and deliver all perks as promised, whether full funding is received or not. Two fish prints are complete and the March print is being carved, ready for printing and release on the 15^th of the month. A short video on the carving of the March block can be seen here and more information in the form of photos of new prints and process video will be provided monthly as the project unfolds and new prints are released.

I completed a year long project on gyotaku in 2010-2011, funded through the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council, successfully producing more than 40 original gyotaku prints from a variety of local fish as well as a book, The Gyotaku Project, documenting the process. More information about this project and samples of my work can be viewed at on my website www.jeanettejobson.com

I am a prolific artist and this project is a portion of the art that I will produce in 2013.  I am represented in two local art galleries and have several exhibitions each year.  I am also a founding member of Arts Northeast, a local art group for networking and learning.  I have served on boards of art associations and as online mentor and moderator in art forums and teach workshops and classes in a variety of art techniques.  I take pride in providing professional service and quality and guarantee all my work.

The Impact of your Contribution

Your contribution supports the professional quality and production of a series of unique prints as well as helping me expand the range of printmaking that I can offer. Access to professional equipment and supplies opens a whole new avenue for printmaking, not only for me, but in teaching others the printmaking process in local workshops.  Having the right tools and equipment to ensure consistent results can inspire others to expand their artistic horizons.

Your contribution exposes more people to the world of cold water marine fish found in island and northern waters, with an opportunity to own an original piece of art that is within the price range of most budgets.

How to monitor your investment - updates

Each new print will be released on the 15^th of each month and will also be available for purchase on my website www.jeanettejobson.com under the Fishy Bits! Header until December 31, 2013.  As each print is released, an update and image will be provided as a “heads up” for perk recipients and collectors to watch their mailboxes for the newest fish.

Budget– Where does your money go?

Jack Richeson Baby Press              $815

Pusher & Catcher                          $ 45  

Lino plates                                  $  60

Cutting Tools                               $100

Oil based inks                              $  85

Japanese paper                            $175

Shipping & admin fees                   $400

TOTAL                                                     $1680

What happens if funding goes over or under expectation?

If the full funding amount is not raised, the project will still go ahead and I’ll look at other options for less expensive printing equipment and supplies.   If funding exceeds the requested amount, I’ll investigate the next level up in printing equipment and traditional Japanese cutting tools as well as other professional printmaking supplies and work expanding the range and type of prints I can offer.

Other Ways You Can Help

Your contribution doesn’t have to be financial. 

Sharing this project with friends and colleagues spreads the word to other investors. Put it on your Facebook page, Twitter feed, share it on your website, let people you work with know about it.  The more people who see the project, the better chance there is of reaching my goal.

Indiegogo also has a range of tools available to help share the message.  Check them out.

Thank you for considering this project for a contribution!