The Bartell Print

This woodcut print of the Bartell Theatre by Madison artist Steve Chappell is a striking limited edition artwork celebrating a Madison original through a Madison original’s work. Now you can purchase one of the remaining 50 prints at a discount! During the month of May 2009, Bartell Prints will be available for $80.00. Proceeds partially benefit the Bartell Theatre Foundation. You can also purchase online here.

This exclusive edition of 100 prints shows a portrait of the theatre with its unique 1968 era facade and is available for purchase through the Bartell.

Chappell likes to call his print exhibitions “Pictures of the Floating World,” recalling the Ukiyo-e block prints of old Japan. His prints can be found in collections throughout the United States. Most recently his prints were featured in the Spring 2003 issue of The Madison Review.

50% of all proceeds earned from the sale of the Bartell print will benefit the Bartell, which is steadily making its presence known in the Madison theatre-art scene. Fall 2008 marked the theatre’s 11th year as a performance space which currently hosts six separate performance groups.

The Bartell Theatre couldn’t have found itself in a better location for audience prospects. New condo projects are rising up in every direction, and the Overture Center opened up just down the street. Not to mention all the restaurants, coffee shops, and clubs that are gradually filling in the vacant spaces around the Capital square. With out a doubt, the citizens of Madison are fortunate to have so many cultural options, and the Bartell Theatre is a great choice. We welcome any support we can get!

Contact Information:

The Bartell Community Theatre 113, E. Mifflin Street, Madison, Wisconsin, 53703.
Business office: 608-204-0280.
Email: SHoover@bartelltheatre.org 

The lobby is open 10 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday, and also whenever there is a performance.

The BARTELL PRINT
$145 framed
$100 unframed ($80 during May 2009)

50% of proceeds from sale of the Bartell Print will be donated to the Bartell Theatre.

Artist's Statement: Printing the BARTELL

The idea for this print first came about through a meeting of minds.

I’ve always enjoyed the performances at the Bartell Theatre. In April of 2003 I called the theatre and expressed interest in creating a print to represent their organization. With great enthusiasm they looked through my portfolio, and without hesitation suggested a portrait be made of the rather peculiar facade of their building. I found this to be a welcome challenge, as the style of the building is truly unique.                         

Soon after this meeting, I had completed a drawing on wood and brought it to the Bartell. Satisfied, the Bartell staff encouraged me to proceed with the project.

Following three months of production, the final print came off the press on July 9th at 1:45 a.m. 

To date, this has been the largest edition that I have printed since I started making prints in the 1980s. From the first stage, where the first lines were drawn on the block, to the final impression run through the press, over seventy hours of studio time were needed to complete the edition.

Of 122 total impressions, the best 100 were selected, signed and numbered to complete the formal edition. 5 secondary impressions were retained by the artist and signed as “artist’s proofs”. Approximately 1 pound of ink was used. The inks are all oil based. The paper is Arches, a mould made paper imported from France. I am pleased with the results.

The composition features six colors: blue, grey, tan, yellow, brown and black. The color portion was printed with a single pine board in the “jigsaw method”. In this method a single board is sawed into jigsaw pieces which separate the various color areas. The pieces are then inked up in their individual colors and then fit back together on the press. Multiple colors can then be printed in a single pass through the press. To complete the composition the key block was printed over the colors in black. The key image was carved out of a sturdy piece of wood veneer. The veneer has a hard surface and is more likely to maintain image quality throughout a long run.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to the staff and patrons of the Bartell Theatre. It has been a great privilege to have had the opportunity to participate in this project. In essence, the printing of the Bartell Theatre has been a collaboration of artists. In a healthy arts community mediums should, whenever possible, overlap and support one another. In the case of the Bartell print, the visual image is celebrating the performance space. The Bartell Theatre is young, and has already hosted many memorable performances. I have no doubt that it will enjoy a long and active life in Madison’s growing arts community.

-S. Chappell