ART STORIES: Dave Lefner Interview & Studio Tour
Vintage Indie would like to welcome Dave Lefner as our featured artist, and creator this week. You won't want to miss a second of this interview. Dave's loft studio is a dream workplace with swanky style.
Can you tell us a little bit of background about yourself? Where are you from etc.?
I am actually a native Angeleno, born and raised in Los Angeles.
I’ve lived in various areas, from the Valley to Burbank, Miracle Mile
by LACMA to my current home in Downtown LA. I earned my degree in Art
at the California State University in Northridge. I live/work in a
loft at the world’s largest artist colony, the Brewery, for over ten
years now.
Carving
What is your preferred medium?
My chosen medium is
reduction linoleum block prints. It is a relatively lost art form
invented in the 1950s by Picasso. It is a process in which a
multi-colored print is created by printing color stages from a single
block of linoleum onto paper. The block is carved then inked, and run
through a press. Then that is repeated over and over until the final
color is printed to complete the piece. I wish there was an easy way
to explain it, but there’s not!
Studio & Letterpress
How did you get started?
what I did. I always knew I would be an artist. Always. My mother
definitely influenced me. She’s a mother/housewife that does it all.
She is a watercolorist, a quilter, an interior designer, you name it
& she can do it more creatively then you’ve ever seen before.
Who or what inspires you?
The urban landscape of Los
Angeles is my biggest muse; the shadows cast from rusted, broken neon
signs in the day, mom&pop storefronts, the web of telephone wires
above our heads. Typography & fonts. Shakespeare & Sinatra.
Pop Art.
“The Orpheum” (triptych),
2008, reduction linocut, 7 colors,
What advice would you give to someone wanting to get into this medium?
You must be extremely patient. You must be willing to give over to
the mystery of the process. There is no instant gratification in this
medium. You can have a basic idea of what you want in the end, but
until you print your final color, your outcome is unknown.
Being an “old soul”, vintage is all around me. The loft is filled with
vintage artifacts; from old steamer trunks & typewriters, to actual
vintage neon signs. My collection of classic fedora hats is proudly
displayed. And my Art is directly inspired by a time gone by, from the
medium to the subject matter.=0D
Work & S
Kitchen
I try to convey to them how labor-intensive the process is. There is
no rushing a piece. Every edition takes weeks to months to complete
because each stage must be carved on the block, then printed with
oil-based ink, which needs time to dry. And all that is only one color
stage. Generally, I use about 5-8 colors in a piece. Also, the
edition sizes are very, very limited. My editions are rarely more than
5 or 6 prints, and each print is hand-carved & hand-inked by me
personally. It is my hope that people respond to the subject matter,
but the process is very important to understand, as well. The medium
is the message.
Bedroom
Trunk
A special thank you to Dave Lefner for sharing his awesome studio and work with us. You can see more of Dave's work at his website and inquire about purchasing there. Be sure to check out his upcoming events to see his work in person. Last but not least, my personal favorite below.
“The Rialto”, 2008, reduction linocut, 9 colors, 36” x 20”, edition of 6