orka fine arts

MARKETING AND SALES

2011-10-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

A major shipbuilder invited us to consider the creation of small desk items to be used as promotional gifts following sales meetings. We came up with the idea of a paperweight made of stainless steel, glass, and wood highlighting their newest naval vessels. Hand-crafted customized boxes enhance each piece.

PRESS

2011-05-06T10:17:00.001-07:00

Latest feature in the May/June 2011 edition of the German publication Meer & Yachten

THE WORLD OF SUPERYACHTS

2011-01-18T06:48:00.000-08:00

When we work on a project, several composition/drawings will be rendered as a result of a creative atmosphere between OFA and the yard, design firm or Owner. Once a composition is decided upon, details can be finalized. In the case of 7Seas, pictured completed below, drawing #2 ( out of 5 ) was chosen (top) and the rose/compass was moved to the right side of the composition.

THE WORLD OF SUPERYACHTS

2010-12-10T01:50:00.000-08:00

"7Seas" sreenprint, watercolor on etched aluminum 75 x 60 cm. with glass overlay

Our latest project involved printing onto plex-glass that "floats" 1 cm. above the work, which in effect, creates another dimension. The image on the glass are the chart coordinates and soundings of the entrance to the Hook of Holland, indicating where the yacht was built. The frame supporting the work is the same teak used in the yacht's decking. Several computer concept drawings are conceived, discussed and agreed upon before the work commences, allowing a company an oversight into the aesthetic process of the final result. (see samples of drawings above this post)

PRESS

2010-08-10T02:57:00.000-07:00

Latest inclusion in the Mar/April 2011 edition of SYW

4 page feature in the March 2010 issue 1, volume 5 of Super Yacht Industry.

PRESS

2010-08-10T02:41:00.000-07:00

Noted Dutch photographer Jan Willem Steenmeijer recorded documentary-style the making of 'Jems' at the Amsterdam Grafitsch Atelier during the summer of 2009. His photographs and a descriptive interview were included in the annual Heesen yearbook for that year.

THE WORLD OF SUPERYACHTS

2010-08-05T01:57:00.001-07:00

"4You" screenprint and watercolor on etched aluminum 65 x 50 cm.

THE WORLD OF SUPERYACHTS

2010-08-05T01:29:00.001-07:00

"Jems 2" screenprint on etched aluminum 65 x 50 cm.

"Jems 1" screenprint on etched aluminum 65 x 50 cm.

I developed the concept of printing on the same aluminium from which a superyacht is built in order to make the work more integral with the entire shipbuilding process. My intial effort was sponsored by Heesen Yachts in Oss, Netherlands. My collegues and I developed an etching bath modified from a traditional print-making process for etching zinc plates and adapted it to etch alumunum. The result is "soft" ground on which to print and a beautiful end result. More about the process can be seen under "PUBLICATIONS".

I did 2 versions of Jems. Emboldened and inspired by the initial result of Jems 1, I wanted to alter the aesthetic: hence, the 2nd version which is less minimal. The map coordinates are where Heesen trial-runs her boats off the Dutch coast. The top image is the piece framed and under glass. Frames are built from the same wood used throughout the interior of of each ship.

COMMERCIAL SHIPBUILDING

2010-08-04T05:16:00.000-07:00

Screenprint, digital, and watercolor on Rives BFK paper 65 x 50 cm.

Screenprint, digital, and watercolor on Rives BFK paper 65 x 50 cm.

Damen shipyards wanted to present to their client, Smit of Rotterdam, a gift of appreciation. I did 2 versions. Smit was founded by Fop Smit in 1842 to provide ships entering the port of Rotterdam with safe passage and today is an internationally operating company. Because it was founded in the 19th century, I researched the map dept. within the University of Amsterdam to find a mid-19th century chart of the Hook of Holland. This is the entrance to the Port of Rotterdam. I worked the map it into the overall composition.

COMMERCIAL SHIPBUILDING

2010-08-04T04:45:00.000-07:00

Study. Screenprint and watercolor on paper 20 x 50 cm.

Screenprint and watercolor on Rives BFK paper 65 x 50 cm.

Screenprint and watercolor on Rives BFK paper 65 x 50 cm.

Vroon is an international shipping company with over 150 vessels located in Breskens, Netherlands. To celebrate the addition of its newest ship to the fleet, Base Express, we created a few versions for them to choose from. The image was lightly screenprinted then hand painted over with watercolors to nice effect.

SHIP BUILDING HISTORY

2010-08-02T13:11:00.000-07:00

"Von der Tann" screenprint, woodcut, and watercolor on Rives BFK paper 65 x 50 cm. edition of 9 with 2 artist proofs

Blohm & Voss is a German shipbuilding and engineering works founded in 1877, today a subsidiary of ThyssenKrupp Marine. Over the past 130 years they have build some of the world's foremost vessels from ocean liners such as the 1930 Blue Riband winner SS Europa to Roman Abramovich's superyacht M/Y Eclipse, the world's largest private yacht at over 538 feet long. Today, B & V builds frigates and patrol boats for various navies, private mega-yachts, and commercial ships.

We approached Blohm and Voss with the idea of creating a series of artworks highlighting some of their historic vessels. Von der Tann was ordered in Sept. 1907, laid down in March 1908 and launched in March 1909! She was Germany's first turbine - powered warship and the fastest dreadnought afloat, capable of reaching speeds of 27 knots. She participated in the Battle of Jutland and sank the British battleship HMS Indefatigable.

The image of the ship is printed from a woodcut, brush - inked and printed on an antique press at AGA studio in Amsterdam. The font is from an early 20th century typewriter that belonged to my Grandmother, enlarged, then silkscreened. I thought a woodcut of the ship would produce a deeply contrasted, strong image: as if seeing the ship silhouetted against the sky. A series of prints depicting a company's historic builds could not only be displayed nicely in the lobby or conference room, but a boxed set of the same prints would make a great gift to a departing executive or CEO.

IMAGE BRANDING

2010-05-20T01:06:00.000-07:00

"St. Clement Study 1" screenprint, collage, on Rives BFK paper 65 x 50 cm.

"St. Clement Study 2" screenprint, woodcut, on Rives BFK paper 65 x 50 cm.

Many wineries and businesses rely on merchandising through their gift shops as a major source of additional revenue. Some try to incorporate fine art as a visual complement but finding the right art of high quality is a challenge to many merchandising directors. We developed the concept, pictured above, for the St. Clement Winery in Napa, California. Our idea was to create art work, limited edition signed prints, inspired from a winery's label. We developed the monk holding aloft a wine glass as an added visual element to the overall composition that could be used as a theme representing the wine, a visual point of sales reference. From parking-lot banners, to gift shop merchandise including museum quality artwork, the visual narrative is consistant throughout. A fairly large edition of hand-pulled, signed prints can ensure affordability to most.

PACKAGING INSPIRATION

2010-05-12T06:13:00.000-07:00

"Pall Mall" screenprint, collage, on Rives BFK paper 65 x 50 cm. edition size: 7 with 3 artist proofs

"Petteroes" screenprint on Rives BFK paper 65 x 50 cm. edition size: 7 with 1 artist proof

"Benson & Hedges" screenprint, collage on Rives BFK paper 65 x 50 cm. edition size: 4

Years ago I bought a pack of Pall Mall cigarettes circa 1935 in a flea market. Although I don't smoke, I thought the label and packaging was beautiful. In 2004 we approached British American Tobacco in London to investigate the possibility of creating a series of prints utilizing some of their package design from the 20's and 30's for in-house usage. They consulted with their lawyers and passed on the idea. The lawyers thought they would be in violation of the ban on tobacco advertising! I knew the minute lawyers got involved the project would become derailed. This shows how a company's product packaging can be used to great effect. Campbell's Soup could not pay an ad agency nearly enough for what Andy Warhol gave to them for free!

I printed the stamps on Pall Mall and Benson & Hedges separately on fine japanese paper and adhered them to each print.

THE INTERNATIONAL ARCHIVE OF THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT

2010-05-07T08:25:00.000-07:00

The Dutch Woman's Movement had a profound impact thanks to the unceasing efforts of forward - looking women such as Rosa Manus, Johanne Naber and Willemijn Posthumus van der Goot. The major role that Rosa Manus played in the momen's movement is documented in her personal archives, which were returned to the Netherlands from Moscow in 2003. In 1940 The International Archives of which Manus was a co-founder, were stolen by the Nazis and taken to Berlin. The Soviets later took the archive to Moscow following the capitulation of Nazi Germany. Catharina follows an amazing story in this 25 minute film of which she wrote, produced and directed. One copy is in the National Archive in Den Haag.

USS VIRGINIA

2010-03-10T08:03:00.000-08:00

"SSN 774" screenprint on Rives BFK paper 65 x 50 cm. edition size: 10 with 2 artist proofs

In 2004 I was engaged by the Navy League of Virginia to create a 'commissioning print' for the launch of the U.S. Navy's newest class of attack sub, USS Virginia. This ship marked a turning point in the development of undersea technology and warfare. I was asked to make a historic link to her namesake predecessor CSS Virginia, the civil war era first all-steel fighting ship.(1860 - 1864) Copies obtained of the original iron clad blueprints from the Maritime Museum in Virginia were incorporated into the background along with an image of the sub on her sea trials. Ten prints were editioned and presented to 10 repesentaives of the major contractors involved in her construction. VIPs such as Sen. John Warner of Virginia, Atlantic Fleet Admiral Edmund Giambastiani, and sponsor of the boat Lynda Johnson Robb, daughter of former U.S. president Lyndon Johnson each recieved a work of art. The top image is a transparent oversheet, also screenprinted, to protect the signed artwork.

HAJENIUS

2010-03-10T07:34:00.001-08:00

Cigar emporium and tobacconist Hajenius has been doing business in the center of Amsterdam for over 100 years. The store located on the Damrak is a landmark. Our objective was to illustrate the history of the business with images. Six prints make up the suite beginning with a woodcut of Mr. Hajenius, the oldest printmaking technique which represents the 19th century, and ending with Madonna smoking a cigar photographed off the television and printed by silkscreen, a printing technique developed and representing the 20th. A customized box was created to store the prints and presented to representatives of the company. Three editions were printed. An edition was purchased by the Gemeentearchief of Amsterdam for inclusion in its permanent collection. The archive is a cultural collection of art, documents, and photographs of importance to the history of Amsterdam. An exception was made to purchase directly from a living artist on recommendation by the Stedlijk Museum.