63rd Street fine art print now on eBay

A new limited edition, archival-quality, large-scale fine art print of Jim Flora's late-1950s tempera 63rd Street is now on eBay for a 10-day auction. An edition of ten has been produced by Flora historian/archivist Barbara Economon. The print now listed (10/10) is the only copy from the edition that will be auctioned in 2007, and the sale price of remaining prints will be higher than the winning bid. If you've got questions about the edition, drop us a line.

UPDATE (13 FEB 08): We have one print remaining from this edition.

Flora in Juxtapoz

The August issue of Juxtapoz magazine includes a feature article on Jim Flora, written by someone named Irwin Chusid (who denies responsibility for the article's poorly constructed sentences, mangled syntax, bad grammar, and blown punchlines; to quote Erich von Stroheim, it was edited by "someone who had nothing on his mind but his hat").

Regardless of the feature's narrative flaws, the Flora works reproduced therein are magnificent, and include the late 1940s painting The Rape of the Stationmaster's Daughter, the 1951 woodcut Railroad Town, the 1951 tempera 63rd Street, and several commercial illustrations. Bonus: the article reveals in sordid detail the Flora-Elvis connection!

Update (Jan 08): We posted the unedited text (sans typos) at JimFlora.com.

woodland critters

Bottom half of two-tiered tempera found in sketchbook (ca. 1963-65). One of countless Flora works without a title.

Railroad Town on the Fantagraphics flog

Fantagraphics Books Art Director Jacob McCovey writes:

Flora is jaw-dropping to the point of being a spokesman for TMD, not to mention Bipolar Disorder. The entire tsunami of illustrators/designers making a new-wave career producing rock posters should be paying alms to the descendants of the man who made album design such an emotional experience.

liquor demon

Detail, untitled pen and ink depicting an artist suffering

from alcoholic delusions, ca. 1993-94, from sketchbook

Railroad Town release party!

We've compiled a Railroad Town info page at JimFlora.com, commemorating the print's official "launch." If you're curious to learn more about this 1951 Flora masterwork (detail at right) which can now be purchased as a numbered, limited edition relief print, visit Railroad Town Central.

Besides the new edition of 50, there are a small number of proofs available in varying ink colors and papers (info on the RRT page).

The current block of five released prints (#41-45) is priced at $700 each.

UPDATE (July 20): The #41-45 block is sold out. We are now releasing #26-30 at $750 each.

UPDATE (July 21): One print sold of #26-30 block; four remain.

P.S. If you're in Hoboken, stop by Right Angle Framing at 320 Washington Street (bet. 3rd and 4th). A Railroad Town proof, elegantly framed by the shop's Pablo Godoy, is on exhibit in their window. And it's for sale — ask Pablo.

Railroad Town (edition)

Production is complete:

Flora carved Railroad Town in 1951 while living in Taxco. The trial proof relief print above was produced in December 2006. The June 2007 numbered edition (of 50), just completed at Yee-Haw Industrial Letterpress in Knoxville, is even better (alas, no photo yet). Most of the "saltiness" (white flecking) visible above in the peripheries has been eliminated by printmaker Bryan Baker. The impression is solid—and stunning.

The longer I stare at the details of this woodcut (click on image to enlarge), the more I'm convinced this is one of Flora's definitive masterpieces. Every quirk and every nuance is evident: music, architecture, dogs, and trains; wild contours and interlocking figures; degenerate behavior, multi-tiered cutaways, and unfathomable anatomy. It's a graphic traffic jam. As Flora once confessed, "I could never stand a static space."

The edition, struck from the original artist's block, features black ink on 280g archival-quality Rives BFK cream. The block measures 11" x 22-1/4", and the full print (with border, not shown above) measures 18-3/4" x 30". Each print is hand-titled and numbered, and authenticated in letterpress type (also not shown above).

We are releasing five unframed prints (#46-50) from the edition at $600 each (plus s/h; PayPal accepted). After those are sold, we will release a second block of five at $700 each. For subsequent releases, prices will increase as stock is depleted. We hope to offer these prints for sale officially by late July. If you want to get a jump on the market, email us. No one reads blogs anymore. If you've gotten this far, you're an insider.

UPDATE (14 JUL 07): First block of five quickly sold out. We have released prints #41-45 at $700 each.

Mambo print hits milestone

Jim Flora Art LLC recently sold #100 of the Mambo For Cats limited edition screen print. As originally announced, the first 100 prints (of 200 produced) were sold for $150/ea., with the caveat that prices would be increased as stock was depleted.

JFA is now releasing a block of 25 more prints at $175/ea. The 1955 illustration originally appeared on a 12" x 12" RCA Victor LP cover, but the print measures an outsized 20" x 20". The edition was produced using three acrylic screen printing inks meticulously matched to Flora's original colors on archival 100-pound off-white cover stock. All prints are numbered and authenticated.

If your budget is limited but you'd still like a Jim Flora LP cover in a 20" x 20" archival screen edition, the Pete Jolly Duo print (also featuring a 1955 RCA Victor illo) sells for $125. (Price applies to #2-51 of the print run of 125, after which—well, you know the drill).