Raven Editions Presents: The Driskell Portfolio: An Homage to David C. Driskell"
Please join us in celebrating the life of someone who means so much to Raven Editions by exploring our online gallery and collecting his work. A selection of twelve fine art prints by the late Dr. David C. Driskell are available through a special online gallery exhibition. These works, created in collaboration with Raven Editions, are exclusively available through our site and offer the opportunity to collect unique prints by the legendary artist.
Celebrate the life of a friend, mentor and inspiration to Raven Editions by exploring our online gallery. Prints can be purchased individually at the listed prices, or as a full portfolio at a special rate available upon request. Please contact ravenfinearteditions@gmail.com with specific questions.
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Photo Credit: Raven Fine Art Editions
THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF DAVID C. DRISKELL
Photo Credit: Raven Fine Art Editions
David C. Driskell made our lives richer by promoting and understanding the unwritten history of African Americans. He was revolutionary in advancing the stature and awareness of African American art and its place within the canon of American art.
He maintained an active career as a practicing artist, teacher, curator, collector, art administrator, and art consultant. He lectured across the globe and his works are included in major collections of art museums throughout the world. Driskell authored several exhibition catalogues on the subject of African American art. He received numerous fellowships, awards, and prizes, including three Rockefeller Foundation Fellowships and a Harmon Foundation Fellowship. In 2000, he received the National Humanities Medal from President Clinton.
Master Artist David C. Driskell and Master Printmakers Curlee R. Holton and Jase Clark began collaborating in 2003 and never stopped. They produced over 40 creative projects together, with two in progress at the time of Driskell’s passing. Often when artists join forces, difficulties arise in navigating egos, ideas, and differences in styles. For these creatives, that was never the case.
Driskell and Holton shared a uniquely harmonious collaborative relationship and friendship, rooted in respect and admiration for each other. As artists, scholars, and professors alike, they worked side by side in several capacities. The pair developed a natural ease in working together, utilizing experimental printmaking techniques both at Raven Fine Art Editions and Lafayette College’s Experimental Printmaking Institute, both institutions founded by Holton. In 2014, Holton was appointed Executive Director of the David C. Driskell Center, further developing the duo’s relationship.
These creators had a great deal in common, from their shared aesthetic philosophy to their ambitions in promoting the growth of artists from diverse backgrounds. The work they made together leaves a legacy of unparalleled teamwork and passion that should serve as an example of what can be accomplished when we work towards a common goal, whether in art or society at large.
THE ART OF PRINTMAKING
The fine art of printmaking and its technical variations, both traditional and experimental, provide a range of endless aesthetic possibilities. Raven Fine Art Editions provides the artist and collector with the unique potential of the printmaking medium by embracing its unique role as a mechanism of creative expression and the offering of high-quality artworks of value to both individual collectors and institutions.
The future of print is to be found in its unique potential for artistic collaboration. The future of the printmaking medium is far more than serving as a tool in the toolbox of artistic mediums and approaches to the art-making process. The fine print and all its unique approaches simultaneously represent the singular voice of the individual artist and the expression of the collective art-making process.
David C. Driskell
June 7, 1931 - April 1, 2020
“Pictured is David signing various print editions at his summer home in Falmouth, Maine. We collaborated on over forty different editions, both large and small sizes. David, who I often referred to as the ‘Super Duper Maestro,’ was just that. The depth and breadth of creative spirit was inspiring to witness. We began collaborating in 2003 and never stopped.
I was working on two print projects when he passed. In spite of his great renown and fame, he was always thoughtful and respectful of the art making process. He has left a legacy few individuals can match. He was the ‘Super Duper Maestro’ in and out of the studio. We were blessed to share his creative spirit and devotion to the arts. We will miss him deeply.”
-Curlee Raven Holton, 2020