@ Riverside Art Museum
Exhibition: August 26, 2017 – January 12, 2018
Opening Reception: Thursday, September 7, 2017, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
The Riverside Art Museum is pleased to present Potatostamp, a retrospective of Jeff Soto’s screen-printed gig posters and fine art prints from the last 15 years. The exhibit will feature over 70 posters, as well as 40 original ink drawings. In addition, over 100 screen-printed works personally collected by Soto will be on display as an adjacent mini group show.
A different frame of mind comes into play when creating gig posters. They are illustrative and serve as merch for the bands but they also have to invoke the spirit of the music. I enjoy the creative freedom given with gig posters and it’s fun to match the band’s music with visuals. I also enjoy the technical aspects of creating screen prints. There are size limitations, and a limited amount of colors and papers to choose from. The layering and trapping of colors, and creating halftone and gradients sometimes feel like an artistic puzzle. These technical challenges make screen printing interesting and creatively rewarding to me.
– Jeff Soto
The poster mini group show includes prints from: Emek, CatCult, Michael Sieban, Aaron Horkey, Jim Phillips, Tara McPherson, Ryan J Smith, Souther Salazar, Bwana Spoons, Martin Ontiveros, Tim Biskup, Tyler Stout, Mike Giant, Jeremy Fish, Shepard Fairey, Dave Kinsey, Chuck Sperry, Scott Saw, Woes, Sammy Harkham, Delicious Design League (Darwin + HOW), Acorn, Jim Houser, Esther Pearl Watson, Mark Todd, Alex Gross, Plankton, Ben Ralph, Justin Hampton, The Chung, Jordan Crane, KRK Ryden, Mike Bertino, Jeff Ribaudo, Natalie Irish, Rachel Sumpter, Levon Jihanian, Caroline Hwang, Ben Woodward, Jason Gallo, Choque Culture, Soul Assassins, Jermaine Rodgers, Maxx242, Bioworkz, Munk, Zoltron, Todd Slater, Methane Studios, David Welker, Mark 5, Drew Milward, Travis Millard, Sam Dunn, Brandon Heart, Annie Walter, Diana Sudyka, Killer Acid, Brad Klausen, NC Winters, Kat Lamp, Kristen Liu Wong, Wes Winship, and others.
Special thanks to Roberta Calderon at InHouse Printing (Chino, CA), Tim Soto at F4D Studios (Riverside, CA), and Andy Stern at Diesel Fuel Prints (Portland, OR).
Jeff Soto was born in 1975 in Fullerton, California. In 2002, he graduated with distinction from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. In 2008, his work was the subject of a solo exhibition at the Riverside Art Museum titled Turning in Circles. His work has been exhibited in galleries throughout the United States and Europe. Soto has been featured in numerous publications and published two monographs: Potato Stamp Dreams in 2005 and Storm Clouds in 2008. Soto teaches studio art at Riverside City College and lives in Riverside with his wife Jennifer and two girls.
Exhibit-Related Programming
Exhibit-related events are free for museum members. Included with paid general admission unless otherwise noted.
Potatostamp Opening Reception
Thursday, September 7, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m., Free
Join us for the Opening Reception for Jeff Soto’s latest exhibit at RAM.
Gallery Talk with Artist Jeff Soto
Saturday, September 23, 1 p.m.
Join Potatostamp artist Jeff Soto as he discusses and shows his poster work and his collection in this presentation that is half gallery talk and half slideshow.
The Print Biz!
Saturday, October 7, 1 p.m.
Artists Jeff Soto, Munk One, Bioworkz, and Maxx242 join Roberta and Frank Calderon of InHouse Printing for a casual discussion on the business of making and selling gig posters.
Drawing Session with F4D Studio Artists
Thursday, November 2, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m., Free
Join a drawing session with Jeff Soto, Maxx242, and other guest artists. Come prepared to draw or to chat. We will be creating art, sharing secrets, and talking craft in this casual event. Coffee and Sharpies provided!
