About the Emulsion Print Series
After Jules Schaeffer left advertising in the early 90’s, he spent a few years working at the Princeton Packet Newspaper setting up printing still done by printing press. By accident one day some film they used in this process was destroyed and it revealed to Jules’s artist’s eye an other-worldly landscape. This revelation spurred him on to experiment with film and emulsion printing. He then created rich abstract compositions and continued to hone this technique to what you see here. These prints continue Jules’s exploration of letting the medium unfold and mastering it.
HOURS
Show Opening
Reception: December 7th
7pm - 9pm
LOCATION
BLUE TABLE POST GALLERY
67 Dean St
Brooklyn, NY 11201
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Jules Schaeffer was born in 1930 and grew up in Philadelphia. In 1950, he enlisted in the Air Force in order to attend college under the G.I. Bill. During his three-year assignment in Japan, the experience of immersing himself in a new culture profoundly shaped his artistic sensibilities. After returning to the US, he attended the Philadelphia College of Art before moving to New York City with his wife, Barbara, whom he met in school. Jules soon made a name for himself in advertising, spending the 1950s-80s as a creative director — an original Mad Man — collaborating with luminaries like Andy Warhol over the course of his professional career.
Parallel to his achievements in advertising, Schaeffer emerged as a visual artist during the Abstract Expressionist Movement of the 1950s. His artistic focus became monoprinting, characterized by his pioneering layering technique. Through subtle adjustments with each press pass, his method yielded prints imbued with remarkable depth, achieved through slight changes of color and opacity with each new layer. His scope of work also includes assemblage, oil and acrylic painting, and photo emulsion.
SELECTED WORKS
Emulsion Prints 48" x 24"
Emulsion Prints 11" x 15" (framed)
Emulsion Prints 4" x 6" (with matte)
Mono Prints 18" x 24"
SPOTLIGHT: COVID-19 SERIES
In 2020, at age 90, Jules embarked on a two-year Covid-19 series characterized by stark black and white abstract paintings. This endeavor unfolded during his isolation from his friends and family, prompting Jules to turn to the canvas as a means of expression within a period of solitude.
While engrossed in the creation of these pieces, Jules found himself not only delving into and mastering novel techniques but also drawing heavily from his prior printmaking work. In a manner reminiscent of his monoprinting approach, he took to the canvas with a comparable methodology—layer by layer. With deft manipulation of shape, form, and color, he meticulously crafted each layer, echoing the signature process he developed over the years.
In each 36x36” composition, the dance between black and white ebbs and flows. Some have bold brush strokes and others are like delicate filigree. These paintings masterfully orchestrate a play of contrasts—seamlessly transitioning from bold, striking strokes to fine, intricate swirls—the quality that defines this captivating body of work. The final outcome is highly dynamic, showcasing the complete spectrum of Jules's painting and compositional prowess.
The resulting series comprises over 60 distinctive works, a testament to Jules’s creative energy and dedication. This exhibition, as envisioned by Jules, presents a grid of the Covid-19 series and offers a retrospective of his life's work. Having previously exhibited at local galleries as a resident of Princeton, Jules earned notable recognition with a retrospective at the Trenton Museum in 1990—a testament to his enduring influence and artistic legacy.
COVID Series (on canvas with stretcher)
