The FAE Collector Blog provides easy access to more in-depth information about the Collections and Artists that appear on the FAE Website. The FAE Collector Blog Table of Contents consists of:
It would be accurate to say that Austin-based Flatbed Center for Contemporary Printmaking is one of Texas’ most respected Fine Art Institutions. Its antecedent, Flatbed Press was founded in 1989 when artist/educators Katherine Brimberry and Mark Lesly Smith partnered to open a Fine Art Press in a small warehouse on West 3rd Street, just west of downtown. Following the model of the famed Dallas-based Peregrine Press, their dream was to make the printmaking arts available to emerging artists, especially those who lived/worked in Texas.
West 3rd Street Studio
Katherine and Mark equipped their space with everything they needed to produce prints in the traditional relief, planographic, and intaglio techniques and provided a gallery space for exhibitions of prints. Since both had full-time teaching positions, they spent most of their spare time teaching interested artists the art of printmaking, and then editioned the works they produced. They also pursued publishing projects, did contract printing for those artists who were experienced, and allowed artists to rent the presses when available. They quickly became known for their collaborative skills and were sought out by those artists who seriously wanted to see how their vision would translate into the medium.
Press room at the 3rd Street warehouse location
We need More Space: First Move
Flatbed Press’ second location at 2830 E. Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Austin
They realized that their West 3rd Street space did not allow for growth, so in 1999, they moved their operation to an 18,000+ square foot warehouse in East Austin on Martin Luther King Blvd. To commit fully to the project, both Katherine and Mark gave up their teaching positions to run Flatbed full time. They wanted to make their new home more than a press and gallery, so they subleased the space they did not need to artists and other creatives.
Looking down the hall to the press room in the MLK buildingAnn Conner and Katherine Brimberry reviewing Ann’s Prints in the press room
In the years that followed, Flatbed became the most highly respected press in Texas. A partial list of the Texas artist luminaries the press has either published or printed for includes: Terry Allen, Luis Jiménez, Mary McCleary, Melissa Miller, Andrea Rosenberg, John Alexander, Keith Carter, Trenton Doyle Hancock, Billy Hassell, Sharon Kopriva, Bert Long, Linda Ridgeway, Julie Speed, David Everett, and James Surls. In addition to their standing as a fine art press, their building became the epicenter of the burgeoning East Austin arts scene.
Mark, Katherine, and Lois Jiménez stand at the press
Co-founder Mark Smith left the business in 2012 to pursue his own art. However, because of his ongoing friendship with Katherine, Mark collaborated with her on an anniversary book about the press titled Flatbed Press at 25, published by the University of Texas Press in 2016.
Published by University of Texas Press
Losing their lease: Second Move
As often happens when artists move into an area, it becomes gentrified, rents soar, and either the artist is hit with lease renewals they cannot afford or the landlord decides to not renew at all so they can repurpose their buildings. In this case, in 2019, Flatbed fell victim to the latter scenario.
Entrance to the Flatbed Center for Contemporary Printmaking, 3701 Drossett Drive, Suite 190, AustinFlatbed Center for Contemporary Printmaking, side view
At this point, most people who had reached a normal retirement age and were faced with losing their lease would have closed their business. But instead, Katherine decided that what she had built was more important and needed to continue. She moved the Press to a new 6,000 square foot space, renamed it Flatbed Center for Contemporary Printmaking.
The Community Press Room
In addition to what they have always been doing, Katherine made the business more community oriented with print making classes and 24-hour membership access. She also designed a new gallery into the space, so Flatbed is able to host both traditional and experimental print-based exhibitions.
Flatbed’s flat-file roomGallery talk at the new exhibition space
Katherine the Great:
Katherine standing next to a 3rd Street Flatbed press
What has made Flatbed such a successful institution are the people who have managed it. In Katherine’s case, because of her teaching background, calm demeanor, and depth of knowledge, she excels at collaborating with artists. After working together on a project, artist Betty Ward called her an extreme facilitator, then added, Working with Kathy was almost like, working with yourself.
Katherine pulling a proof off the printing matrix
Regarding her role, Katherine says, The main objective of a publishing press is to help artists who may not be familiar with printmaking. Our role is to help them create work in the fine art print medium by being technical collaborators. All the mark-making and decision-making is their own, with our technical assistance. There is a long tradition of this type of collaboration in the printmaking world. If the artist approves and the type of technique allows it, we are able to create small editions of hand-printed multiples.
Collaborating with artist Lance Letscher
The prints she helps publish vary in style, technique, subject, and size, but are all the unique creations of the artists by their own hands. Some of the techniques derive from the 17th century, and some involve the latest digital resources. The artist’s experience in the shop is often an experimental blend of old and new printmaking processes. Each project is artist-driven; the shop’s motto is- What would happen if . . .?
FAE is pleased to be collaborating with Flatbed and now has prints available from the Flatbed Press collection. Check back regularly to see what new works have been posed by this Texas fine art institution.
Yukio Fukazawa was born on July 1, 1924 in Yamashina Prefecture, Japan to Hidensuke and Umeno Fukazawa. Hidensuke was employed by the Japanese government and shortly after Yukio’s birth was reassigned to a post in Korea where he moved his family. Yukio entered Seishu Grammar School from which he graduated in 1937. While in school he met another student named Hiroo Nakahara and they became best friends. After graduation, at age 15, Hiroo went to Kyoto, Japan to study business and two years later, Yukio traveled to Tokyo, Japan to attend the Tokyo Fine Arts School. With these moves and their intense involvement with their new schools and eventual careers, they had no communication between them for the next 26 years.
Seishu Grammar School, KoreaGraduating Class of 1937, Seishu Grammar School, Hiroo Nakahara is in the second row, third from left and Yukio Fukazawa is in the third row at far right.
Although Yukio started out to be a painter, in the mid-40’s he damaged his knee. Because he was not able to stand at the easel for long periods of time to paint, he chose to focus on Intaglio printmaking where he could work sitting down. While he was still attending school, in 1947, he married Kakkiko Kojima. He graduated in 1949.
From 1949 to 1962, Yukio became one of Japan’s most revered print makers and teachers exhibiting in numerous print shows throughout Japan and winning many awards. In the early 60’s, he reached out to the mother of his Grammar school friend Hiroo Nakahara in hopes of reconnecting. He discovered that Hiroo had become a successful businessman in Dallas, Texas working for the Japan Cotton Company that bought cotton in the US and Mexico and exported it to Japan. They started corresponding and when Hiroo found out in 1963 that his old friend had been invited by the Mexican International Cultural Association to come to Mexico City to teach copper plate printing techniques, where his company maintained an office, he arranged to meet with him there. They again became good friends.
An Intaglio print by Fukazawa showing his exceptional skill and design as a print maker.
When his teaching stint in Mexico ended, Yukio then traveled to New York City. With Hiroo’s financial help, he was able to continue his journey on to Paris to continue his own study. He returned to Japan at the end of 1963.
Once back in Japan, he became a part time instructor at Fukuoka Gakgei University. Through the 1970’s, he became a board member of the Japan Print Artists’ Association; returned to visit Mexico and traveled to Guatemala; was a juror for the Japan Modern Arts Exhibition; became a part time instructor at the TAMA Fine Arts School; and then chairman of the board of the Print Arts Association.
In 1986, Yukio took a position as a full-time professor at the TAMA Fine Arts School. He was so busy teaching, lecturing, and exploring other fine art mediums like etching glass, clay, and acrylic painting, he did not have time to print his intaglio prints. He asked his daughter, Akiko, who had an art degree from the same art school in Tokyo he had attended, to help him edition his prints. She became his printer and worked closely with her father to maintain the exceptional quality printing that had become a hallmark of his work.
A number of exhibition catalogs from exhibitions of Yukio Fukazawa’s prints.
From the late 1960’s through the late 1970’s Yukio exhibited his work all over the world. His prints were exhibited in New York, Vancouver, Cincinnati, Napoli, Rome, Firenze, Stockholm, Brussels, Boston, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Australia, Venezuela and in many museums and university galleries in Japan.
Retired businessman and good friend of Yukio’s, Hiroo Nakahara
Since 1963, He continued his friendship with his old friend Hiroo. To pay him back for the money Hiroo had loaned him over the years, he would send him a print from a current edition when he was especially proud of it. Over time, Hiroo ended up with over 30 prints of Yukio’s in his collection. He gave a number of them to the art department at Southern Methodist University in Dallas and turned the rest over to FAE to place.
A letter dated October 19,1994 from Yukio to Hiroo letting his good friend know that the Ichihara Lakeside Museum will have a permanent exhibition space for his work.
In 1991, a retrospective of 200 works by the Fukazawa was held at the Yamanichi Prefectural Museum. To cap an amazing career, in 1994, the Ichihara Lakeside Museum was gifted over 450 works by Fukazawa. The museum dedicated a permanent room to his work where exhibitions rotate 4 times a year.
The Ichihara Lakeside Museum was gifted over 450 works by Fukazawa.
Hiroo remembers his old friend and speaks fondly of the friendship that was rekindled after so many years. He is happy to have helped his friend out saying, “When you loan money to a friend, it is best not to have any expectation to be repaid. In this case however, Yukio repaid me in many ways.”
Dr. Jean Andrews, The Pepper Lady
Flatbed Press: A Texas Fine Art Institution
The Photographic Archives Collection of Andy and Becky Reisberg
The Dorothy and Mat Garland Collection
LEE BAXTER DAVIS, A Lifelong Expedition of Discovery
DONALD S. VOGEL, His Philosophy and Studio Practice
ECHERYL D. McCLURE, Freedom through Abstraction
ELLEN SODERQUIST & Drawing the Nude
OTIS HUBAND: A Consummate Artist
Dallas Painter WILLIAM ELLIOTT (1909-2001)
Three Important Early Paintings by VALTON TYLER
YUKIO FUKAZAWA: Master Printmaker
M. J. LEE Estate Gifts to the Amon Carter Museum
Early Career Paintings by JIM STOKER: The Eternal Naturalist
Drawings from the Estate of EVERETT FRANKLIN SPRUCE: Texas’ Most Celebrated Modernist
MARJORIE JOHNSON LEE, An American Modernist
Introduction to the photographs of JOHN ALBOK, Part II: the Photographic Archives Collection
