I have been an artist in photography, video art & performance art, and since 1994 in printmaking showing in regional, national and international exhibits. My work of the last few years has involved the exploration of photography and printmaking as a hybrid medium of expression. The work isn't contained within a genre, although landscape and still life studies dominate, but shows concern with texture, the hand manipulation of the image and surface.Â
  For me photography is another way to create images. My Dad gave me a 35 mm camera when I was 11, as I was constantly 'borrowing' his whenever I could get my hands on it; when I was 13 I entered my first photography contest.
  Later all through Viet Nam and four years in the military I carried a camera - both as a way of interpreting what was happening to me and those around me, and to distance myself from it.
  I exhibited photography off and on until I began a career in cinematography and video in the late seventies and received a Master of Art in 1979 from the University of Missouri-KC. I taught mediated communications at Haskell Indian Nations University and later at Northern Illinois University. By 1986, bored with documentaries and commercial video production and seeking to return to the single image, I started a graduate program in studio art, while keeping my day job of producing educational programs in the arts. I found myself taking addition course-work in photography and worked with traditional printmakers in documenting their workshops and classes.
  Upon gaining my MFA, I a took a course in printmaking, and it was a zen moment in the studio: working the plates, inking, pulling prints. A wholly different tradition of the single image, a completely new toolset for me drew me. This was in 1992, and led to 18 hours of post-grad work with intaglio and relief techniques and many more hours with David Driesbach of Miracle Press who for years was the finest example of a person and an artist I'm sure I will ever know; for over a decade he invited me in to document the activities of Miracle Press and the yearly week long master printmaking sessions - his humor and technical skill shows me the way still.
  In 2002 I picked up a digital camera, mostly to record textures I found in wood, stone, mud, and textiles as references in printmaking, and I started thinking immediately about photography from the point of view of a printmaker.
  So I feel that I finally understand enough about the images that I respond to, and most importantly about the images I need to make, to take the journey as photographer and printmaker. Artistic life is full circle, I'm back to that happy kid seeing things truly for the first time in the view finder and the mind's eye, revealed on the plate and paper.
www.timburns-art.com for other work and background information; this functions as an on-line portfolio for me.
tim
Comments (14)
awadissk
excellent
2Loose2Trek
Beautiful Tim. It leaves me with the impression of an imagined meta-dimensional life of plants.
anaber
Do You need new glasses??? I DO!!!:-))) I did zoom..and wow!!i´ve no words for this,Tim: the yellows,the whites and the different tones of green and the washes so carefully done! I adore the look absolutely tridimensional i feel here!! And the detail of the dried leaves on the ground...open my eyes entirely! This another great one from you! PS:I go to see if i can have that papper and my good wishes for your local exibit!!Good luck and thank you for this!
tennesseecowgirl
Lovely~
november22
http://www.bookbinders.com/AMATE-BARK-PAPER-BLANCO-WHITE_p_83.html is one source for this paper - these guys call this one white, others ivory [like dick blick art supplies]. Or get it direct from mexico perhaps.
plassgard
Beautyful stuff, I really sink into the 3dmention int this.
Gwynhale
Very nice Tim! I really like this one. And best wishes for the exhibit :)
geoegress
nice :)
vintorix
First he "render", i e print out with special printmaster technique. Then comes the "postwork" which in this case means painting with real brushes. Just an variation of the normal workflow.. :) The result is stunningly beautiful, just do as anaber says, zoom.. And about the Amate paper, Can you think about something more cool than handmade quality paper? Neither can I. Except perhaps, handmade quality paper from Mexico.. Combining digital and real painting is the future of art.
helanker
WOW WOW ! It is gorgeous and such an exiting technic. I am just sure my printer couldnt use that Amate Paper. Darn I wish it could. I have a normal Epson printer/scanner.
SecondChoice
wonderful!
anahata.c
I know I'm late to these, but I've been offline a lot, and only got back full, last night. I always want time to sit with your images, as they are worthy of real time...The balance of foreground detail creates a universe instead of just a 'view', and I realize that that's part of what makes your work what it is. There's plenty of background & mid ground here: In fact you have wonderfully diverse layers of background with some beautiful hues (some pinks, subtle earth tones, etc). And I love the hidden branches, etc. But in foreground, everything speaks in such dulcet tones: There's real definition, but nothing is loud. And the equanimity of different leaves is like Bach—if you know the reference. (Ie, where many melody lines are happening at once—but in that mysterious equilibrium that makes everything seem in tune with itself.) What you do to these prints is marvelous, the levels of detail, the care in each leaf, etc, and the following of contours, lights, hues, etc with your 'pen' so to speak: You give articulation to what's inside your images. It's Talmudic, in that, in Talmud, thoughts are commented on by teacher after teacher, and then there are commentaries on those, and commentaries on those, etc. What I mean is, there's a 'commentary' element to your work, where each thing you do 'comments' on what's already there. I hope this is clear (I'm trying, lol). A beautiful image, a different series, but Tim to the core; and yes digital & real is a wave of the future, and you do it as if the two have been side by side from the beginning. In fact, they have been side by side from the beginning, because digital was inside of us waiting to be given voice for all these centuries. Wonderful piece of work, just great to come here.
ARTWITHIN
Another beauty with superb qualities of a unique nature. I love your art, Tim. A fav!
lucia77
very impressive !