First thought octopus/cephalopod maybe? Then unfurling plant like a fern or something? Really I’m just not sure though. What do y’all think? Appears to be Susan L. Rowland. Picked it up for a couple bucks at a thrift store years ago and rediscovered it recently. Might not have bought it today but it is nice. Just not sure it’s very salable.
But you're correct - the nautilus belongs to the cephalopod family. They had a few in a special exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History, & I swear one was stuck on the glass, eying the visitors.
Ah yeh I guess that’s it. Pretty sure that floated across my mind at some point and then kept floating I guess. Thanks
Oh I actually didn’t know that! I’ll have to investigate the actual critter. So used to only seeing their shell, or depictions of their shell. Good to know. Cephalopods are the most interesting creatures. Assuming it was alive in the display I wouldn’t be surprised if it was. I lived in Puerto Rico for a while. I would snorkel just about every day. One day I came upon a cuttle fish. It was very curious about me and I was just as curious about it. We swam around each other for what seemed like a very long time. We kind of did the tango. It changing colors in the most psychedelic manner possible. It was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had.
I could see that. Would it be typical for an art student to do a run of 80 prints? I have no idea if that would fit a norm. For a minute I was excited to find any hand signed print that I liked the look of. Today I’d probably rather have the $2 and my space but I still think it’s pleasant and won’t be surprised if someone gives me $10-$20 for it.
Where the 12/80 is next to her signature I would interpret that as the date - December 1980 rather than a print run designation. When were you in Puerto Rico? We lived there for a year in the early 70s.
As it followed the artist's name, I interpreted 12/80 as the date. And this is an example of why it's always important to include the frame in a photograph of an artwork. The frame's design may/may not support a 1980 date. Or a student budget vs. a collector's budget. Debora
Quite alive, in a special pressurized tank. Another seemed to be having a love affair with the filter.
Lol yeh I could use a few if they could figure things out for me. Really one of the most fascinating experiences I’ve ever had with the natural world. Such a simple thing but one of my favorite experiences ever.
I never thought of it being a date. Very well could be. I was in San Juan. It must have been such a great place to see and experience in the 70’s. Not that it’s over developed necessarily now but I would love to have seen it even less developed. A truly beautiful place to pass time.
I didn’t really have any questions about the piece other than what the subject matter was. I should have anticipated more would arise once posted here though I suppose!
We went to the radio telescope out in the middle of nowhere! (which fell apart in the past year or so ) On another roadtrip we found the roadside "banana stand" that was used in a movie about that time. Wish I could remember the name - or even the cast. I do remember it was very funny!
Do we think it could be this one? https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/nytimes/name/susan-rowland-obituary?id=13852278 She did do prints.
If I recall correctly I was passing through Fairfield County, CT when I bought this. Pretty close to NY. It sounds like a pretty good match based on her other work.
I don't read that signature as "Rowland." If so, the L. of her middle initial and the "l" in her surname are formed in quite distinctive manners. Also, I don't see this done by a woman who "channeled an irrepressible exuberance through her work as a painter, printmaker and ceramicist" as an artist. Debora
