JohnNatsoulasGalleyHostsMarkBulwinkle RetrospectiveExhibition
JoinusattheJohnNatsoulasGalleryinDavis,Californiatoseeselected sculpturesandprintsfromthe50-yearcareerofthelegendaryartistMark Bulwinkle,theOakland-basedinnovatorofgraphicallycutsteel.
Knownforhismanicsteelsilhouettesofdog-facedflowersandperverse, joyfulfigureswithelectrifiedgrins,MarkBulwinkle'snuttyartworkcanbe spottedacrossthePacificcoast,displayedproudlyinwindows, overgrowngardens,andsmallbusinesses.
Bulwinkle'sgraphicallycutsteelpropelledhimintofame, influencingthecreationofBurningManinthe1980sand evenleadinghimtorejectaninterviewwithOprahin1991.
Lesserknownbutequallyimpressive ishisextensiveworkindiversemedia: ceramics,silkscreen,papier-mache, andevendigitalillustration. Hisenamelsilkscreenprocesswas incrediblychallengingtoachieve,but itresultedinbeautifullytextured surfacesforhisprints.
BulwinklereceivedanMFAinPrintmakingfromtheSanFranciscoArt Institutein1974,makinghundredsoffabulouslyintricateindustrialenamel silkscreensandwoodcuts.
Bulwinkleisknownforcreatingelaboratehomes,filledwithhisownartwork.ThefirstwashisManilla St.House,atoweringsteelsculpturebuiltaroundamodesttownhousethatbecamealandmarkin Oakland.Later,hebuilthisfamous"Bulwinkleland,"aspacefilledtothebrimwithhiszanyart.
