Below

2 DETAILS - Joel Elgin, Br'u na Boinne - Winter Solstice at Newgrange: Ceiling 3 , 2006, Intaglio, 18" x 24"

THE DAGDA

The Dagda, the Good God of Ireland lived in Brú na Bóinne (Newgrange).
In addition to his skills in the arts and magic he was an invincible and fierce warrior. The Dagda possessed a number of the treasures of Ireland including the Cup of the Dagda and the Harp of the Dagda. Brú na Bóinne.

The Cup of the Dagda
The cup could generate drink or food for any number of people. Only cowards and oath-breakers were left
hungry. The cup or cauldron had the ability to heal and in some accounts raise the dead.

The Harp of the Dagda
The Dagda and his harp known as Daurdabla were inseparable. Even in battle the Dagda carried his harp
and it was known to be not only richly decorated but heavily scarred. The Dagda had the ability to play his harp
in order to control the proper order of the seasons. The harp is the national emblem of Ireland.

The Goddess: Clíona Cébha  and her Three Birds

The Birds of Clíona Cébha

On the Manannan Island Tadg also meets Clíona Cébha (Bird Goddess of the Afterlife). She tells him he is destined to be one of the Kings of Ireland. She gives him a gift. He is given three birds: one blue with
a crimson head, one crimson with a green head, and one speckled with a gold head.
The birds eat magical apples and heal the sick with their sweet songs.
“Those birds will go with you,……they will give you guidance on your way, and they will make music for you,
and there will be neither sorrow or sadness on you, by land or by sea,”

(Gregory, 98).

The Goddesses :
Iolar Móran         Fand and Li Ban

The Goddess Iolar Móran
In a quest to recapture his wife and his brothers from invaders Tadg arrives at the enchanted Manannan Island. While on the island he and his warriors encounter a rare race of giant eagles. They are great speckled birds
who swim in the sea and are able to shed their bird skins and become humans. The print is a portrait of
the Eagle Goddess Iolair/(Iolar Moran). She is red with a green head, her eggs are blue and crimson.
She owns a feathered coat that turns humans into hawks.

(Gregory, 97)

The Godesses: Fand and Li Ban

Fand (Pronounced: FAWN) - Pearl of Beauty, The Gentle One, Teardrop of Beauty - Matronae Aufaniae

From a tale of the hero Cuchulain comes the image of emotional connectedness in the print. It is a portrait of two fairy or goddess sisters: Fand (Pearl of Beauty, Teardrop of Purity,) and Li Ban (Beauty of Women). The portrait details the emotional bond between them, a bond so absolute that when they take the form of magical birds that bond is visible as a golden chain. The sisters work together enlisting Cuchulain’’s help in a battle to keep control
of the Irish Sea.

(Gregory, 497)

• Platework •
Iolair Moran • Intaglio - Drypoint, line etch, aquatint, softground, simultaneous color, multi-plate color,
monoprint, selective wipe, extensive scraping and burnishing. Printed on Arches Cover white.

 Fan & LiBan • Drypoint, line etch, aquatint, softground, chine colle, simultaneous color, multi-plate color,
monoprint, selective wipe, extensive scraping and burnishing. Printed on Arches Cover white.

 • Platework •
• Intaglio: Drypoint, line etch, aquatint, softground, simultaneous color, multi plate color, mono-print,
selective wipe, extensive scraping and burnishing. Printed on Arches Cover white. • 

• Platework •
• Intaglio - Drypoint, line etch, aquatint, soft ground, simultaneous color, multi-plate color, monoprint,
selective wipe, extensive scraping and burnishing. Printed on Arches Cover white. •

• Platework •
• Intaglio: Drypoint, line etch, aquatint, softground, simultaneous color, multi plate color, mono-print,
selective wipe, extensive scraping and burnishing. Printed on Arches Cover white. • 

• Platework •
• Intaglio: Drypoint, line etch, aquatint, softground, simultaneous color, multi plate color, mono-print,
selective wipe, extensive scraping and burnishing. Printed on Arches Cover white. • 

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ARTIST STATEMENT 2011

Exhibition Statement: JOEL ELGIN

The rich history of my Irish roots drives me to explore the numerous myths, mysteries and truths
that exist in the forms of text and image. To touch my past I often journey to Ireland and each
time become lost in the mist that exists between myth and truth.

In March of 2009, I was honored to be invited to explore the legendary sites of Knowth and Dowth.
The honor was even more meaningful because I was accompanied by Ann Hodge the
Curator of Prints at the National Museum and Archaeologist Geraldine Stout, who was instrumental
in the early excavations of the sites. I am fortunate to be one of the very few people who have been allowed access to these great treasures of Ireland.

As I crawled through the narrow decorated tunnels of Ireland’s most ancient sights, I was struck by the brilliance of the people who created these sacred spaces. In candlelight I ran my fingers over the beautifully carved stone and found myself enchanted by the magic of their mysterious message.
Many stories connect the ancient architectural sights with the Tuatha Dé Danann who flew to Ireland in a cloud of mist and became known as the Fairy-Folk or the Sidhe. They were a race of deities as well as a race of heroes, skilled in art and science, poetry and magic; well known for their own beauty and their love for the beauty of mortals. The palaces of the Sidhe are hidden in the depths of the Earth and include Bru na Boinne, or Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth.

The prints I make are a reflection of the deep respect I hold for the ancient Irish: for their creation
myths/truths, for their gods and heroes who created the ancient structures, lived historic lives and
told wondrous tales and for the powerful gifts they have left us.

The gifts of the Irish people are not merely of ancient lore. Today I am blessed by the generosity of the Irish who have guided me in my journey and who have invited me to return to the island of my ancestors. I thank them for allowing me to experience their national treasures and for taking interest in the etchings, arranging exhibitions from Mexico to Warsaw to Singapore to Athens. I am honored to have the most recent prints, focusing on the The Tuatha Dé Danann, exhibited at
Grace Chosy Gallery.

ARTIST BIO 2011

Joel Elgin earned both the M.A and the M.F.A from the University of Iowa under Mauricio Lasansky.
He taught for five years at Dartmouth College before his present position as Professor of Printmaking at The University of Wisconsin LaCrosse.

Elgin has served as a Lecturer/Visiting Artist at such places as Yale University, Swarthmore College and Auburn University. His prints have been exhibited in over seventy five exhibitions and are included in numerous permanent collections including Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, Harvard University Art Museums, and the Cincinnati Art Museum.

The etchings consist of multiple plate color intaglio, simultaneous color printing methods, digital methods and lithography. The image making methods utilized were learned from Lasansky; and
reveal a very physical approach with deep aquatint etch, extensive scraping, multiple passes through the press as well as any other printmaking trick needed to support the content of the image.
Jim Cuno, Director of Harvard University’s Fogg Museum, stated after adding one of Elgin's etchings to the collection, that Elgin’s work is “truly a product of the printmakers kitchen”.

Artist Resume 2011

JOEL L. ELGIN

EDUCATION

1984 M.F.A. in Printmaking, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
1983 M.A. in Printmaking, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
Major Study With: Mauricio Lasansky

PROFESSIONAL HISTORY

1995 - Present Professor of Art University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, LaCrosse, Wisconsin
1989 - 1995 Dartmouth College. Hanover, New Hampshire
Lecturer in Studio Art- Printmaker/ Director, Studio Art Exhibition Program
1985 - 1990 University of Maine at Machias Machias, Maine
Assistant Professor of Art, Director of Galleries ––

GALLERY REPRESENTATION

Grace Chosy Gallery, Madison, Wisconsin
Olsen-Larsen Galleries Des Moines, Iowa

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
● CarelFundacja Kultury Irlandzkiej, Poznań, Poland. 2010
● The Embassy of Ireland in Poland Collection, Warsaw, Poland. 2010
● The Embassy of Ireland in Malaysia. Collection, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 2010
● The Embassy of Ireland in Mexico Collection, Mexico City Mexico. 2009
1 Office of Public Works, Dublin 2, Dublin, Ireland. 2009
2 NorthWest Mutual Life Insurance, Milwaukee, WI. 2009
3 Brugh Na Boinn Center Donore, Co. Meath Ireland. 2008
4 Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. 2004
1 Harvard University: Arthur M. Sackler, Fogg , Busch Reisinger Museums. 1999
2 Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati, Ohio. 2002
3 The Jules Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art Auburn University Auburn, AL. 2003
4 Milwaukee Art Museum 2006
5 Kohler Art Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison 2006
6 Kohler Art Library at the University of Wisconsin-Madison 2006
7 UW-Green Bay Permanant Collection 2006
8 Northwestern College. Korver Visual Arts Center Orange City IA 2007
9 International Graphic Art Studio, Barga, Italy 2004
10 University of Miami, Miami Florida 2004
11 Florida Printmakers, Miami, Florida 2004
12 WEA Insurance Group. Madison, WI 2005
13 Amity Foundation, Woodbridge, CT 2004
14 Print Zero Gallery, Seattle, WA 2004
15 Columbus State College Museum Columbus, Georgia 2002
16 Fine Arts Collection, Brooklyn, NY
17 University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas
18 Tempo Gallery Madison, Wisconsin
19 Mental Health Center, Machias, Maine
20 University Of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
21 Grandview College, Des Moines, Iowa

ONE ARTIST EXHIBITIONS

Exhibitions for 2011/2012 are being currently being finalized in the following locations:

Oulu, Finland
Sofia, Bulgaria
Athens, Greece
Ankara, Turkey.
Istanbul, Turkey
Izmir, Turkey
Stockholm, Sweden

1 Into the Mist, The Irish Prints 2011
Ireland House, Embassy of Ireland, Singapore

2 Into the Mist, The Irish Prints 2010
Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
3 Into the Mist, The Irish Prints 2010
The Lazarski School of Commerce and Law Gallery,
Warsaw, Poland
4 Into the Mist, The Irish Prints 2010
CarelFundacja Kultury Irlandzkiej, Poznań, Poland.
5 Into the Mist, The Irish Prints 2010
Muzeum Archeologicznego w Poznaniu Poznań, Poland
6 Into the Mist, The Irish Prints 2010
The Traffic Club Arts Center, Wroclaw, Poland
7 An Exhibition of Etchings by Joel Elgin 2010
Universidad Claustro de Sor Juana, Mexico City MÈxico
8 An Exhibition of Etchings by Joel Elgin 2009
Casa Jaime Sabines Cultural Centre, San Angel, MÈxico

1 Brugh Na Boinn: The Center Of The Oldest Heart Of Ireland 2008
Brugh Na Boinn Center Donore, Co. Meath Ireland
1 Brugh Na Boinn: The Center Of The Oldest Heart Of Ireland 2006/07
Verex Exhibit Winter Grace Chosy Gallery, Madison, Wisconsin
1 “Prints of Ireland” 2006
Korver Visual Arts Center Te Paske Gallery
Northwestern College. IA
2 “Ruminations of Ireland” 2006
St. Catherine College, Minn., MN
3 “Joel Elgin” 2005
Galeria de la Place, Wabasaka, Maine
1 “Apatheia – Peace of the Soul” 2000
Xavier University Cincinnati, Ohio
2 “Apatheia – Peace of the Soul Prints of Saints and Martyrs” 2000
The Center Gallery Saint Mary's University - Winona, Mn –

3 “Joel Elgin – Lives of The Saints” 2000
Koren Gallery Luther College Decorah, Iowa-
4 "Images of Athletes" 1997
Wayland Academy, Beaver Dam, WI
5 “Prints by Joel Elgin” 1992
The University of Auburn at Montgomery, Montgomery, Al
6 “Elgin Prints”, 1992
Simpson College, Indianola Iowa
7 “Joel Elgin” 1991
Columbia Basin College, Pasco, Washington
8 “Joel Elgin’s Prints and Drawings” 1991
Grandview College, Des Moines, Iowa
9 Into The Eye"- 1990
University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas
10 "Into The Eye"- 1989
Dartmouth College- Jewett Exhibition Hanover, New Hampshire
11 "Prints and Paintings"- 1987
The Stony Brook School Gallery Long Island, New York,
12 "Prints and Paintings"- 1987
Iowa Wesleyan College Mt. Pleasant, IA.
13 "An Exhibit of Joel Elgin’s Color Intaglio Prints" 1984
The University Hospitals and Clinics Iowa City, IA.
14 "An Exhibit of Color Intaglio Prints" 1984
The Frame House Gallery Iowa City, IA.

INVITATIONAL GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2 Irish Myths & Prairie Glory/ Joel Elgin & Lynn Schoenecker March 4-26 2011
Grace Chosy Gallery, Madison, Wisconsin
3 Small Works Exhibition December 2010
Olsen-Larsen Galleries, Des Moines, Iowa
4 30TH ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION April 2009
Grace Chosy Gallery, Madison, Wisconsin
5 30TH ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION November 2009
Olsen-Larsen Galleries, Des Moines, Iowa
6 Four Printmakers April 2009
Grace Chosy Gallery, Madison, Wisconsin
7 East Storefront Print Invitational Fall 2007
319 West 47th Street NY
8 UW Systemic Ante Spring 2007
Wisconsin Arts Board/Department of Administration Building Lobby Exhibit space
Madison, Wisconsin
9 RED!!
Grace Chosy Gallery, Madison, Wisconsin Winter 2007
15 Birds By a Baker’s Dozen
Grace Chosy Gallery, Madison, Wisconsin Summer 2006
16 UW Systemic Ante
SGC 2006 Conference Pyle Center University Wisconsin April 2006
17 Florida Printmakers Second Invitational Spring 2005
University Of Miami Rainbow Building, Miami, Florida

18 Selected Prints from UWL Printmaking Program
University Of Miami Rainbow Building, Miami, Florida Fall 2004
19 Florida Printmakers Second National Print Exchange
University Of Miami Rainbow Building, Miami, Florida Sept.2004
20 Printzero Studios International Print Exchange –
Blue Door Gallery. Seattle, Washington, June. 2004
21 Printzero Studios International Print Exchange – Laramie, WY, July. 2004
22 Florida Printmakers Members Internet Exhibition Summer 2004
http://www.as.miami.edu/art/fl_print_members.html
23 "Homeostatic” Invitational Group Exhibition. LeVall Gallery, Novosibi, Russia 2001
24 “Peace” Internet Exhibition at World Printmakers (http://www.worldprintmakers.com)
2002
25 “Homeostatic” Portfolio exhibited at V International Conference: Culture and New
Technologies, Pablo de la Torriente Brau Cultural Centre, Havana, Cuba 2002
26 “Homeostatic” Invitational Group Exhibition. Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 2001
27 “Homeostatic” Invitational Group Exhibition 2000
University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, Louisiana
28 “Homeostatic” Invitational Group Exhibition Washington State University, Pullman, WA
2000
29 “Homeostatic” Invitational Group Exhibition Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
2000
30 Brittingham Art Invitational 2001/2002
Brittingham House University of Wisconsin System Madison, Wisconsin
31 "HomeoStatic” Invitational Internet Exhibition at World Printmakers 2001
http://www.worldprintmakers.com)
32 "Homeostatic” Invitational Group Exhibition 2000
University of Minnesota - Morris- Morris, Minnesota
33 Homeostatic Invitational Group Exhibition 2000
University of South Florida Tampa, Florida
34 “Homeostatic” Invitational Group Exhibition2000 Southern Graphics Council Miami, Florida
35 Printmaking Invitational 1998 Winona Fine Arts Center Winona, MN
36 Faculty Exhibitions 1995, 96, 97,98, 99, 00, 01, 02, 03, 04, 06, 08, 10
University Art Gallery University of Wisconsin –LaCrosse
37 LaCrosse Educators ExhibitionPump House Regional Arts Center LaCrosse, Wisconsin 1999, 2000
38 LaCrosse Area University Faculty Pump House Regional Arts Center LaCrosse, Wisconsin 1995
39 Selected Wisconsin Faculty Winona Arts Center Winona, Minnesota 1995
40 6X6 Traveling Exhibition 1995/96
Central College, Simpson College, Luther College, Wartburg College,Coe College, Cornell
College
41 Faculty Exhibition 1995 Running Gallery Luther College Decorah, Iowa
42 Agora Arts Gallery 1994,95,96,97 Group Exhibitions Decorah, Iowa
43 Faculty Exhibitions 1989, 90, 91, 92, 93, Jaffe Fried Strauss Gallery Dartmouth College
Hanover,,NH
44 Invitational Group Print Exhibition 1994 The Penn. State University, State College, PA
45 Four Printmakers 1994 Nesto Gallery, Milton Academy Milton, Ma
46 Artists Against Aids 1989 University of Texas/E l Paso Gallery, El Paso, Texas
47 Printmakers Who Teach 1989 Jewett Hall Gallery, University/Maine/Augusta, Augusta, Maine
48 Faculty Exhibition 1987 The University of Maine at Machias Machias, Me
49 Graduate Printmakers Traveling Invitational 1983 Curated by Mauricio Lasansky
50 Graduate Printmakers Exchange Invitational 1983 University of New Mexico
51 Two Artist Exhibition 1982 Eve Drewlowe Gallery University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA

PUBLICATIONS/ REVIEWS

2006 UW Systemic Ante Invitational Portfolio (18 UW System Printmakers)
Edited/Published by Christine Style ––UW-Green Bay
2005 “The Celtic Prints” by Joel Elgin
Working Papers In Irish Studies Winthrop University, Rock Hill SC
ISSN: 0732-2674
2005 Florida Printmakers Second Invitational Portfoilo (19 International artists)
Edited/Published by the: University Of Miami Miami, Florida
2002 Review of prints included in Homeostatic Portfolio in " Papel &Estampa"
(Paper and prints) # 10 Argentina April

VISITING ARTIST or LECTURER

2008 Fall Carelton College, MN. Visiting Artist/Lecturer
2007 American Conference for Irish Studies Lecture
Southern Regional Conference Winthrop Univ., Rock Hill SC
2006 Northwestern College. IA Lecture
2006 St. Catherine’s University, Minn. /MN. Lecture
2005 American Conference for Irish Studies Lecture
Southern Regional Conference Univ. of St.Thomas, Houston, TX
2004 American Conference for Irish Studies Lecture
Midwest Regional Conference –– Univ. Wisc. Milwaukee WI
2002 Fall Auburn University, AL. Visiting Artist/Lecturer
2000 Spring St. Mary’s Univeristy, MN. Lecturer
2000 Spring Luther College, Decorah, IA. Lecturer
1997 Fall Wayland Academy, Beaver Dam, WI. Visiting Artist/Lecturer
1996 Spring Graceland College, Lamoni, IA. Lecturer
1995 Spring Luther College, Decorah, IA. Lecture
1992 Fall Yale University, New Haven, CT. Visiting Artist/Lecturer
1992 Fall Simpson College, Indianola, IA. Artist in Residence
1992 Spring Amherst College, Amherst, NY. Visiting Artist/Lecturer
1989 Spring Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA. Visiting Artist/Lecturer