Arts&Life

exhibit

30 | APRIL 23 • 2020 

J

onathan Santlofer estab-
lished a successful career as 
a painter before two trage-
dies impacted his professional 
instincts. After the death of his 
wife (food writer Joy Santlofer) 
and a fire that destroyed 10 
years of work, he began writing 
projects and altered his artistry.
Santlofer revealed his experi-
ences and Jewish outlook in The 
Widower’
s Notebook: A Memoir 
(Penguin Books, 2018) and 
moved into fiction with detec-
tive novels. Leaving behind 
the abstract, he experimented 
with merging realistic images 
through printmaking.
Santlofer’
s 13-color screen-
print “Beyond the Forest” and 
pieces by two other well-re-
garded Jewish artists, Sidney 
Hurwitz and Hugh Kepets, are 
among the works of 35 artists 
from around the country in 
the exhibit Glimpse: Fine Print 
Selections from Stewart & Stewart 
1980-2020. 
The exhibit is on view 
through June 4 (by appoint-
ment because of social dis-
tancing) at the Birmingham 
Bloomfield Art Center. It also is 
available through an online cat-
alog at stewartstewart.com.
The exhibit honors the 40th 
anniversary of husband-and-
wife team Norman and Susan 
Stewart, who print, publish and 
collaborate with artists in their 
Bloomfield Hills studio-resi-
dence. Santlofer is one of many 
printmakers who have stayed 
at the Stewart facility to trans-
fer matrix images and color to 
other surfaces.
“They were open to letting 
me do what I wanted to do in 
what is a collaborative art,
” said 
the New York-based Santlofer.
In “Beyond the Forest,
” 
Santlofer started with his own 
handprints, drew on top of 

them and developed a land-
scape.
“I had been visiting the cave 
paintings in France, and the 
handprint, which you see so 
often in Paleolithic art … was 
in my mind,
” he said.
Santlofer’
s works have been 
in more than 200 exhibitions 
worldwide and are in the 
permanent collections of the 
Metropolitan Museum of Art 
in New York, Art Institute of 
Chicago and others.
Norman Stewart, a master 
printer, helps artists create 
imagery using traditional and 
digital fine art printing tech-
niques. Susan Stewart, a graphic 
designer, is instrumental in 
placing the original editions in 
worldwide museums, galleries, 
corporations and residences.
“In choosing the pieces for 
the BBAC exhibit, I wanted a 
range of artists and techniques,
” 
Norman Stewart said. 
Artist Sidney Hurwitz, who 
focuses on industrial sites, is 
represented in the show by “Gas 
Works,
” an etching/aquatint 

Jewish artists highlighted in BBAC 

exhibit of Stewart & Stewart artists. 

SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Print Patrons

THE BBAC HAS LAUNCHED its first at-home Art Challenge, 
encouraging people to make art at home. The first challenge is 
inspired by artist Andy Goldsworthy, a sculptor, photographer and 
environmentalist. Participants are challenged to go on an adventure 
through their own backyard and observe the natural elements that 
exist right outside their door, using collected objects to create their 
own land sculpture. 
 At-home artists can send images of their work to Info@
BBArtCenter.org with “Art Challenge” in the subject line and include 
their name and age. More challenges are coming soon. The BBAC 
will post select photos on its website and social media. 

Sidney Hurwitz, “Gas Works,” etching/aquatint, ed: 100 (Fine Art 
Print Commission for the Flint Institute of Arts, Flint)

COURTESY OF BBAC

