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TAMARIND LITHOGRAPHY WORKSHOP, INC.

For further information:
SAM FRANCIS
c/o Tamarind Litho. Workshop
1112 N. Tamarind Ave.
Los Angeles 38, Calif.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LOS ANGELES -- Tamarind Workshop announces the completion of twelve lithographs by Sam Francis, the first group created in the United States in this medium by this internationally known American artist. Mr. Francis has worked extensively in lithography in Europe, and until now, his prints were created in Zurich. However, the Tamarind prints include techniques not seen before in the oeuvre of this artist.

Nine of the twelve lithographs are multi-stoned and large in scale. The images utilize intense red, blue, green, yellow, orange and violet in overlapping transparent and opaque shapes. This approach insists on disciplined control of open and closed areas so that the multi-colors do not overload the paper with ink. Some of the editions progressed through many color-trial states before Mr. Francis was satisfied with the result.

Three of the editions are black and white, and in these the use of techniques new to the artist are clearly discernible. One can see that the image has been cut into droplets of acid and/or lye, to heighten the essentially organic nature of the image. In some, water tusche has been applied to a stone previously flooded with gasoline which causes tusche to separate into distinct globules of texture. But whether the techniques were new to him or not, the lithographs show the mystery and effortless-seeming energy for which this artist is known.

Technical director Bohuslav Horak prepared the stones and plates for printing, and printer-fellows Irwin Hollander and Jason Leese worked in collaboration with the artist in the printing of his editions. All the editions are on French hand-made paper.

Sam Francis was born in California in 1923 and studied medicine before serving in the United States Air Force in 1943. He began painting during a stay in a military hospital. From 1948 to 1950 he studied the history of art and received his M.A. degree. He travels widely, dividing his time between New York, California, Paris, Berne, and Tokyo.