Jim Steg (1922-2001):
Flocked Serigraphs

Amanda Winstead Fine Art is pleased to present a unique collection of flocked serigraphs from the Estate of Jim Steg. Created during the late 1960s, the Mod influence has a stunning presence in our selection of his work. Though flocking was widely used in commercial art at the time, Steg was the first to explore its possibilities in the fine arts medium. The unexpected element of the velvet finish from this synthesis brings a textural depth to the striking silhouettes of the compositions. Steg achieved this finish through the development of an original technique in which he combined the traditional silkscreen method of printing with innovation by mixing colors/ink with wet adhesives. He then applied a powder-like substance made of rayon fibers known as “flock” on the adhesive surface using an airbrush. This allowed him to control the course and measure of the flock to create areas of high or low pile within a single composition. The resulting textured work catches and reflects light just as velvet fabric does, creating a shimmering visual effect.

Upon further glance, these stylized works represent his escape from societal norms through revolutionary artistic exploration. During this decade of radical social and cultural change, Steg was strictly confined in his role as a professor at Newcomb College where he exclusively taught women.  His artistic experimentation seen in these flocked serigraphs was a way to push the boundaries that restricted his day to day life in academia. Created for himself in expression of artistic freedom, works such as The Cast play to his passion for the theater fostered from time spent on the stage in his youth. Beyond his technical mastery of printmaking, Jim Steg is remembered as a true innovator in his field. This collection of flocked serigraphs is a tribute to his artistic legacy.