I’m stepping away from the classic Art Basel fairs, to tie in the INK Miami Art Fair. Like Aqua, INK takes place at a Miami motel. The galleries are on the first floor, and many of the gallery owners stay on the second floor. The show has an open courtyard feel, and after all the years of tagging along with my brother and sister-in-law I’ve come to know the different galleries, owners, staff and the work they showcase. INK, on a whole, couldn’t be more welcoming, and after a long day we went to the opening night party. I took a little break, and sat on the outdoor porch (each room/gallery has one) of one of the galleries resting my aching feet, and had a cocktail. These fairs are hard work.

The INK fair is presented by the International Fine Print Dealers Association (IFPDA) and exhibitors are selected for their ability to “offer collectors a diverse survey of 20th century masterworks and just-published editions by leading contemporary artists.”

The fair started in 2006, has approximately 11 exhibitors, and takes place at the Suites of Dorchester. I don’t know how many people attend every year, but in my opinion not nearly enough.

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The galleries are on either side of the courtyard. Bars at both ends.

Stoney Road Press is based in Dublin, Ireland. It is independently run and owned by David O’Donoghue, a trained printmaker. I have always been taken by the various types of printing that Stoney Road Press does, particularly the luminescent print collaborations with Dorothy Cross. The Ghost Ship is my favorite, but I also like the jellyfish and tree images. I think I am drawn to the Ghost Ship because it connects to a public work by Cross. In the winter of 1999, she painted a de-commissioned lightship with phosphorous paint and moored it in Dublin Bay. It glowed at night for several weeks. David is great about showing various stages of the process including how the luminescent prints look in the dark. My brother and sister-in-law own a few. I really like the flocked printing process of the Kelvin Mann work, if only the main image were not a bird. Regular readers will soon come to understand that I’m consistently anti-bird. Also take a look at work by James Kennedy and Barbara Rae.

Argentinian artist Analia Saban’s collaborations with Mixografia have been some of my favorite pieces at INK. Every time I go, I find myself enamored with the printing work Mixografia does. The Remba family moved from Mexico City to Los Angeles and specialize in printing and publishing three dimensional prints on handmade papers. I’m not showing you the print I’ve wanted for years, or the one my brother and sister-in-law want. These are limited editions! Look at the list of artists they’ve worked with including Jonas Wood, Jacob Hashimoto, among others. I’d really like to see the Louise Bourgeois pieces in person.

Tandem Press was founded in 1987 and is affiliated with my alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Read about it here. They have a great list of artists they work with, and among my absolute favorites is a collage piece by Judy Pfaff that I saw last year. It was a woodcut with hand-painted dye and colored silver leaf. Okay, twist my arm….below are photos of a Judy Pfaff piece from last year’s INK fair. If you don’t know Pfaff’s work in general, you should.

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