Platemark s3e25's guest is Michael Barnes, an artist and professor at Northern Illinois University who specializes in lithography. In addition to deep knowledge of how lithography works, Michael is also an historian of the technique and a collector.

Michael's prints are set in strange desolate lands and feature figures engaged in absurd tasks. While these surreal visions come straight from the artist’s imagination, workers trapped in a farcical dystopian future is something to which we can all relate. Michael's spot-on compositions and consummate draftsmanship make these odd circumstances and their cognitive dissonance crystal clear.

Ann was extra interested in talking with Michael because he, obviously, knows what he’s doing with lithography and she hoped to get an in-depth explanation of the process. In addition, he also is an historian of the technique and a collector as well. Settle back and enjoy the conversation as they geek out about all things litho.

 

Franz Hanfstaengl (German, 1804–1877). Portrait of Alois Senefelder, 1834. Lithograph.

Mozart Sheet Music

Bolton Brown (American, 1834–1936). Recipes from his Lithography for Artists manual, 1930.

June Wayne (American, 1918–2011) at Tamarind Lithography Workshop, c. 1960. (Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico)

Wayne Kimball (American, born 1943). Marble Chair, 1973. Lithograph. Image: 6 ½ x 9 in. Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Madison.

Max Beckmann (German, 1884–1950). Throwing Dice before the Cross, from the series Six Lithographs to the New Testament, 1911. Lithograph. Image: 11 9/16 x 9 7/16 in. (29.4 x 24 cm.); sheet: 22 11/16 x 16 5/16 in. (57.7 x 41.5 cm.). Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Georges Rouault (French, 1871–1958). Charles Baudelaire, 1926. Lithograph. Image: 8 ¼ x 6 3/8 in.; sheet: 10 ¾ x 6 ¾ in. Davidson Galleries, Seattle.

Eugène Delacroix (French, 17987–10863). Mephistopheles, from Goethe’s Faust. Paris: Charles Motte, 1928. Lithograph. Sheet: 16 13/16 x 18 5/8 in. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

David Becker (American, born 1937). Crosspaths, 1984. Etching and aquatint. Sheet: 22 1/4 × 29 3/4 in. (56.5 × 75.6 cm.); plate: 12 3/4 × 18 3/4 in. (32.4 × 47.7 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Evan Summer (American, born 1948). Landscape XXXIV, 1998. Etching, aquatint, engraving, and drypoint. Sheet: 79.59 × 66.99 cm. (31 5/16 × 26 3/8 in.); plate: 69.53 × 59.06 cm. (27 3/8 × 23 1/4 in.). National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Diane Victor (South African, born 1964). Printed by Bandolier Press, University of Northern Illinois. The Awakening, 2018. Lithograph. Sheet: 76.5 x 112.5 cm. (30 1/8 x 44 3/8 in.). Mutual Art.

Josef Budka (Polish, born 1953). The Cloud, from the series Dream, 1985. Lithograph. 50 x 70 cm. Courtesy the artist.

Ericka Walker (American, born 1941). Overly Optimistic, 2022. Lithograph. Sheet: 38 x 22 in. Courtesy the artist.

Tom Huck (American, born 1971). Classic American Head Job, 1998. Woodcut. 20 x 24 in. Courtesy the artist.

Old Milwaukee beer labels on lithograph stone in Michael Barnes’ studio.

Edouard Manet (French, 1832–1883), published by Lemercier et Cie. Civil War, 1871–73. Lithograph on chine collé. Image: 15 5/8 × 20 in. (39.7 × 50.8 cm.); sheet: 19 1/8 × 24 3/4 in. (48.6 × 62.9 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Michael Barnes (American, born 1969). Some Things are Best Forgotten, from the series Steindruck München, 2020. Lithograph. Image: 20 × 17 in. (50.8 × 43.2 cm.); sheet: 22 1/2 × 19 1/2 in. (57.2 × 49.5 cm.). Courtesy the artist.

Michael Barnes (American, born 1969). Breaking of Stones, from the series Steindruck München, 2020. Lithograph. Image: 17 x 19 ½ in.; sheet: 19 ½ x 22 in. Courtesy the artist.

Rodolphe Bresdin (French, 1822–1885). The Good Samaritan, 1861. Lithograph on chine collé. Image: 22 3/16 x 17 3/8 in. (56.4 x 44.2 cm.); sheet: 27 15/16 x 22 1/16 in. (71 x 56 cm.). Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Rodolphe Bresdin (French, 1822–1885). The Good Samaritan, 1861. Lithograph. Image: 22 1/4 x 17 1/4 in. (56.5 x 43.8 cm.). Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown.

[DETAIL without bird] Rodolphe Bresdin (French, 1822–1885). The Good Samaritan, 1861. Lithograph. Image: 22 1/4 x 17 1/4 in. (56.5 x 43.8 cm.). Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown.

[DETAIL with bird] Rodolphe Bresdin (French, 1822–1885). The Good Samaritan, 1861. Lithograph on chine collé. Image: 22 3/16 x 17 3/8 in. (56.4 x 44.2 cm.); sheet: 27 15/16 x 22 1/16 in. (71 x 56 cm.). Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Robert Rauschenberg (American, 1925–2008). Published by Universal Limited Art Editions; printed by Robert Blackburn. Accident, 1963. Lithograph. 41 1/4 x 29 1/2 inches (104.8 x 74.9 cm). Robert Rauschenberg Foundation.

Carl Straub (German, active 1840s), artist; Franz Hanfstängl (German, 1804–1877), publisher; after a painting by Franz Snyders (Flemish, 1579–1657). Bear Hunt (Baerenhatze), from the series Königliche Gemäldegalerie in Dresden, 1835–40. Lithograph on chine collé. Image: 375 x 498 mm.

Gustave Doré (French, 1832–1883). The Holy Bible with Illustrations. London: Cassel, Petter, and Galpin, 1866.

Michael Barnes’ stone on the press for Battle Scene, 2023. Lithograph.

The big reveal: Michael Barnes (American, born 1969). Battle Scene, 2023. Lithograph.

Michael Barnes (American, born 1969). Battle Scene, 2023. Lithograph stone.

Michael Barnes (American, born 1969). Battle Scene, 2023. Lithograph. Image: 19 x 24 in. Courtesy the artist.

Antonio Pollaiuolo (Italian, c. 1432–1498). Battle of the Ten Nude Men, c. 1490. Engraving. Sheet (trimmed within platemark): 384 x 589 mm. (15 1/8 x 23 3/16 in.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

George Bellows (American, 1882–1925). Splinter Beach, 1916. Lithograph. Sheet: 16 5/8 × 21in. (42.2 × 53.3 cm.); image: 15 × 19 7/8 in. (38.1 × 50.5 cm.). Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.

George Bellows (American, 1882–1925). Billy Sunday, 1923. Lithograph. Sheet: 40 × 55.9 cm. (15 3/4 × 22 in.). National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.

Robert Riggs (American, 1896–1970). On Stage Four, c. 1934. Lithograph. Image: 14 ¾ x 18 7/8 in. Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia.

Robert Riggs (American, 1896–1970). Commissioned by Smith, Kline and French Laboratories, Philadelphia. Children’s Ward, c. 1940. Lithograph. Image: 14 1/4 x 19 in. (36.2 x 48.3 cm.); sheet: 17 3/8 x 23 in. (44.1 x 58.4 cm.). Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia.

Robert Riggs (American, 1896–1970). Commissioned by Smith, Kline and French Laboratories, Philadelphia. Accident Ward, c. 1940. Lithograph. Image: 14 3/8 x 19 in. (36.5 x 48.3 cm.); sheet: 17 1/2 x 23 3/4 in. (44.4 x 60.3 cm.). Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia.

James Ehlers (American, born 1976). Tweet Tweet Boom, 2018. Engraving. Courtesy the artist.

Sean Starwars (American, born 1969). Blue Skull, 2022. Color woodcut. Sheet: 15 x 20 in. Courtesy the artist.

Bill Fick (American, born 1963). It Keeps Going, 1994. Lithograph. Courtesy the artist.

USEFUL LINKS:

Michael Barnes’ website: http://michaelbarnes.us/

Saint Louis Art Museum: https://www.slam.org/collection/objects/?show_on_view=false&featured_objects=false&se=Michael%20Barnes

Takach Press: https://www.takachpress.com/

Korn’s litho crayons: https://shop.takachpress.com/korns-lithographic-crayon/

Stones Crayons: https://www.graphicchemical.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=148&cat=STONES+CRAYONS+%26+PENCILS

T-Bar Ranch Litho Pencils: https://ericwilson.us/shop/ols/categories/t-bar-ranch-litho-crayons

Crayola Crayon maker: https://www.crayola.com/splash/products/crayonfactory

Trilobite Workshop: https://trilobiteworkshop.com/

Bandolier Press: https://www.instagram.com/bandolierpress/?hl=en

Brumfield Gallery: https://www.brumfieldgallery.com/artist/michael-barnes

Steindruck München: https://www.kuenstlerhaus-muc.de/programm/lithografiewerkstatt/