A Smack Of Jellyfish
I love everything about this lithograph. First off, who knew a group of jellyfish was called a “smack”?! That sent me right to The Oracle (see prior blog: https://www.ericasheirloomquilts.com/ericas-heirloom-treasures/the-oracle-not-at-delphi). The term is derived from the sharp blow (or smack) you feel when you get caught in a group of jellyfish. I, for one, have never been “caught” in a group of jellyfish – I spent many vacations visiting Siesta Key, FL, both as a child and with my children. Whenever jellyfish were about, we high tailed it out of the water. There are numerous types, some completely harmless, but a number of jellyfish can cause severe pain to humans. Much like mushrooms, they’re not something to mess with, and I suspect the common response among beach visitors is to avoid jellyfish like the plague.
I discovered the fabulous lithograph while volunteering at my favorite thrift shop, framed in a simple, well executed frame. When I am volunteering, I cannot price something I covet, for obvious reasons. After doing some research, I asked the manager for a price and she determined a fair one. Not cheap, but under $50. I happily paid it as I have decorated a son’s childhood bedroom with nautical imagery for many years. Interestingly, I don’t recall my son ever expressing any specific desire for his room to be “nautical” in nature. However, I hung a wallpaper border of nautical flags which set the tone for the room for well over 20 years, and either he humored me or he enjoyed the spoils of my thrifting/flea market hunting.
This piece was destined for that room, and while the other works are all watercolors of boats, this piece fit right in. I will have to write about some of the other pieces as they are impressive watercolors, but the main reason I added this piece was the collection of very large shells I have. My eldest sister acquired these when we would visit our grandparents on Siesta Key. As a child I coveted those large shells, and spent many a morning scouring the beach for large shells washed in overnight. Beach glass, sand dollars, shark teeth, even sea horses were found. But alas no impressively large shells. I suspect these shells may have been purchased as the local gift shops were filled with such finds. Back in the 1960s, the stores were small shacks on the beach, surrounded by towering pines, and the gaggle of us kids would wander through them admiring all the found shells. Those charming beach huts are long gone, replaced with high rise condos. My memories of the rented sea side bungalows and towering pines have remained. As have the shells – though to be honest I’m not clear how I ended up with them. They were displayed in my sisters’ bedroom, and I recall my eldest sister drew the shells in pen and ink while studying fine art in college. Not sure where those drawings ended up, but they hung for many years in my parents’ home.
(the 1970s sea urchin light was a flea market find)
I keep meandering, so back to our lithograph. Smack of Jellyfish was made in 1982 by Judith Bledsoe, and the back has a detailed documentation of the work. What a fabulous thing for us art hunters! Much like vintage quilts, so much art has no information and the work, while signed, remains a mystery. In this case, we are informed the work was derived from an original oil painting done by Bledsoe, and redesigned into a lithography run of 372, of which this is 212 of 300. Thankfully, the back explains why the series is 300, but 372 were produced. 60 were run as “artist proofs”- a process by which the artist develops the artwork, printing samples, so to speak, until she feels the piece is how she wants it. The final 12 were “personalized dedications to collaborators in the handwriting of the artist” – meaning additional printings given to other artists or printers who helped in the creation.
What I especially love about this documentation is that it explains HOW the work was made. “The artist created the image by drawing directly onto ten zinc plates and one plastic sheet.” In addition, the artist “supervised the mixing of colors, pulled several proofs and made corrections. The edition was pulled, one color at a time, at Arts Litho in Paris, France. “ The plates “have been destroyed” thus no additional unauthorized pieces could later be made. The work was published by Circle Fine Art Corporation, and bless them, they note they want “you to be fully informed about the art and how it was created. This Documentation provides you not only with the information required by the various fine art disclosure laws of NY, IL and CA, but also with additional important facts and data”! I was unaware Illinois had such a law. Seems it was enacted in 1972, and there are some very specific guidelines regarding the sale of print work. "Fine print includes, but is not limited to, an engraving, etching, woodcut, lithograph or serigraph”. https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/. It does indicate any framed work under $60 does not need to follow the law. Phew!
Who was Judith Bledsoe? The Oracle says she was an American painter and print maker (1928- 2013) who ran away from home at age 16 and moved to Europe. After living in London, she settled in rural France. (https://judithbledsoe.com/About the Artist.htm) She did work for UNICEF as well as the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, GA. In her own words: “My involvement in art has come as naturally as breathing – I could not have done anything else. It is all a matter of seduction, as most things in life are. Inspiration grows out of doing the actual work itself, from working steadily and keeping your sensitivity alive to everything…Art for me is magic, although it’s also magic when someone falls in love with a work of art, sees it and has to have it live with them in their home. That’s what art is – a torrid love story. You have to create it with your heart full of flowers.” It’s safe to say Bledsoe got my torrid love affair of art! Now to keep my eye out for art under $60.