Bill Ritchie was born in 1941 and grew up on a family farm in Yakima, Washington. When he was 18 years old, he left to pursue a career in fine art printmaking. He earned a bachelor’s degree in art at Central Washington University and a master’s at San Jose State University. Ritchie received an offer from the University of Washington to teach printmaking in 1966, when he was only 25 years old. His art and curriculum were quickly influenced by the emerging Seattle tech industry and by 1970 Ritchie was teaching video art, challenging his students to see the opportunities new technology allowed. He left the University of Washington in 1985 to start his own studio for research, teaching, and practice.
Bill Ritchie exhibited work in close to 300 galleries, solo and group shows, installations, and performances. His workshops, consultations, and lectures focused on the history and techniques of printmaking, computer-aided multimedia art-making, and artist entrepreneurship. Bill and his wife, Lynda run a small art gallery in Seattle.
Electronic art, printmaking demonstrations, and lectures created by Bill Ritchie, as well as electronic art, print demonstrations, dance, and performance he collected over time. Many of the videos are collaborative work Ritchie and his colleagues worked together to produce.
No user access copy is available for video materials. Users may be able to obtain a reproduction of the media for a fee. Contact Special Collections for more information.
Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.
Artist/teacher Bill Ritchie set out to record his demonstrations as soon as practical, portable video systems were available. He made a number of them in black and white. This recording is the first time a color portable camera was available. Seth Polanski, an art history student who loved printmaking, helped with the demonstrations.
It took Bill Ritchie several hours to make the 1976 print "My Father's Farm on the Moon." This was the most complicated print he attempted. He made eight plates and fitted them together like a puzzle. He documented the printing with a vintage camera. The title for the print came from a series of works based on a nostalgic view of Ritchie's years on the farm.
Towards the end of the film there is a slow section of printing, during which audio of the first moon landing is dubbed over, followed by audio of a song by Carl Chew on the theme of farming on the moon, which Chew created at Ritchie's request.
Barry Moser, renowned illustrator and wood engraver, gives a lecture and demonstration at the University of Washington School of Art while visiting Seattle.
Lecture sponsored by the Book Arts Guild. Recorded by the University of Washington Instructional Media Services. Produced and edited by Bill Ritchie. Directed by Jim Settlemier.
Internationally known printmaker Carol Summers demonstrates for other artists and students how he makes his large, brightly colored relief prints. In an art studio at the Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Summers explains his techniques and shares his printing "secrets" with the audience. In this video, he also gives an overview of his work up to 1984. The whole demonstration was taped as it happened, and edited to viewing length. Summers was in Seattle at the time for his one man show at the Davidson Galleries.
In 1977, five video art students took two cameras to record a pioneering artist/entrepreneur, Daniel G. Smith, showing their professor, Bill Ritchie, how he makes ink for etching. After the demonstration, Bill asked Smith about the reasons why he, as a foremost artist, wanted to start an ink making business. (Years later, the Seattle-based company Daniel Smith, Inc. became known worldwide.)
The documentary was created as a student project for a Video Art course, with the goal for students to conduct a recording session outside of the video studio. The film was also an opportunity for students to experiment with special effects and video editing techniques including fades, cross-overs and dissolves.
Produced by Bill Ritchie for his teaching library, "Ritchie's Video Archive," in co-operation with Winn Galleries and Olympus Press, and support from the University of Washington Instructional Media Services. Video and audio by Video Art students Greg Both, Greg Arnold, Terry Morgan, Jennifer Dersham, Helen Hughes, and Lorna Pauley Jordan. Transcription by Nellie Sunderland.
In 1980, as part of their Media Arts series, the King County
Arts Commission contracted with Bill Ritchie for a video on selected area
artists. Its title is
The video includes Greg Both, Doris Chase, Carl Chew, Megan Dean, John Dowell, Jr., Louise Durkee, Norman Durkee, Dennis Evans, Suzanne Ferris, Karen Helmerson, Sheila Klein, Alan Lande, Susan Nininger, Ed Praczukowski, Bill Ritchie, William O. Smith, Norie Sato, and Janet Yang, plus the voices of John Gilbert, and Matthew Kangas, Richard Minsky, and Ann Grosshans briefly.
Produced and edited by Bill Ritchie. Directed by Marvin Albert, Jack Buchans, and Karen Helmerson. Music by Norman Durkee.
In his last day working at Triangle Studio in Seattle, Bill
Ritchie created the mixed media print, entitled "The Locus and the Sea
Squares," a variable edition of proof 141 in a series inspired a decade before
by the film,
At the time this tape was made, Ritchie felt he was getting near the end of the series. He was also preparing a tour of artists' printmaking, video and computer art studios and schools world-wide for which he bought equipment to videotape his survey and report on it in his role as a professor at the University of Washington Art School in Seattle. So, on his last day working at Seattle's Triangle Studio, he handed his new video camera to another artist, Norie Sato, known for her prints, video art and installations, asking her to record him printing what was to be his last print made at Triangle Studio, Number 141.
The resulting tape is a mostly "live" work; there are few edits or enhancements - a kind of raw, verite-style "studio documentary" or home video snapshot. Footage includes a farewell party for Ritchie. The process began with preliminary steps to get the composition and colors. This film show certain special effects, and how this print related to a poster similar in design to the one shown being made. A list of owners of the print Ritchie made is included.
Other artists at Triangle Studio are pictured, including Norie Sato, Nancy Matson Mee, Margi Beyers, Beth Elliot, and Jeffrey Bishop.
Digitally restored from the 1982 videotape.
Bill Ritchie opens the documentary with his explanation of computer graphics as fine art. Then he shows the features of the computer in use at that time by a number of artists--a system known as the Ibis. Ibis was the brainchild of Carl Youngman and Eleanor Mathews, principals of Fairfield Graphics. They loaned the system to a loose-knit group of artists who proceeded to use the workstation for their art. Using media ranging from printmaking to rugs and mixed techniques, they created a body of work that was shown in Tacoma at the American Art Company gallery. The program includes commentaries by several artists, explaining how they adopted the Ibis into their studio work. Broadcast on Tacoma Municipal Television.
Interview of Bill Ritchie by Anne Souther on the student
television production series
Duplicate from 2-inch original master.
An assembly of interviews with Bill Ritchie made for radio and TV in the decade that saw the state of his art rising out of printmaking the old way to new technologies blending with the old. Bill was a professor of art when some of the interviews took place.
Interviewers include Angela Torres-Henrick (KCMU), Anne Souther (KCTS), Joel Parks (KOMO), Billie Karen (3Aw, Melbourne), Nick Walker (KIRO), Clif Lenz (KING), Frank Catalano (KING-AM), and the interviews include Carl T. Chew, plus images of former students and studio mates.
John E. Dowell Jr. earned his MFA degree in Printmaking at the University of Washington in 1966. He returned as to UW as an artist-in-residence in 1979. In this film, Dowell "performs" his paintings with the Visual Music Ensemble, a group he assembled to play musical works based on his watercolors. He also speaks to students in the Bill Ritchie's graduate seminar for the School of Art.
In this lecture, Dowell shows how he blends musical composition with visual arts and how artists from different disciplines can take on creative efforts together.
Performed by Bob Campbell (cello), Michael Dougherty (percussion), John Dowell Jr. (keyboard), and Bobby Zankel (saxophone). Filmed at the UW CCTV Studios. Produced by Bill Ritchie. Directed by Jim Settlemier.
Seminar on choreography, music, and bookwork. Second hour of seminar including Sheila Klein, Richard Minsky, Norman Durkee, and the students.
Seminar on choreography, music, and bookwork. Third hour of seminar featuring Norman Durkee.
Art and technology is an issue in our times, when slides may be replaced by videos as in this lecture/videotape. Bill Ritchie created it for the World Print Council's 1982 "New Print(making) Technologies" conference. He describes how "time" relates printmaking to other arts, how "time technology" has been used by artists over the past century, and how some contemporary artists use it in performance and video art.
Lecture by Bill Ritchie with slides and videotape presented at St. Martin's College for the college's 1986 "Human Creativity Conference." As an artist whose work at the time used computers but who did his beginning work in printmaking, Ritchie tells how video serves as a model of the creative process. Ritchie describes his artwork since 1964, how old and new technologies were used, and how he was influenced.
Lecture at University of Nevada Las Vegas by Bill Ritchie. Sponsored by Tom Holder, Professor of Art.
Lecture for interns at Western Washington State College in Bellingham (later renamed Western Washington University).
The last lecture Bill Ritchie gave at the University of Washington.
"Carl's Garden and Kokoban": By Carl Chew and anonymous.
"Painted Self" (or) "What is Real?" (1975): By Dennis Evans. (5 min. 30 sec.)
"Video Insult" (1976): By Carl Chew. (7 min. 15 sec.)
"Papers for Printmaking" (1984): Kathleen Rabel and Bill Ritchie show various papers available to printmaking artists in front of audience of students from a silkscreen class. The recording took place in the shipping room of Daniel Smith Inc., a supplier of most papers for artistic use. Both common and rare papers are included. Cost-saving methods, suitable composition, and handling are discussed. (30 min.)
"How We Made 'My Father's Farm From the Moon'" (1972-1973): Narrated by Bill Ritchie. (28 min.)
"Glimpses I": Excerpts of video work by faculty, students, and friends at the University of Washington from 1973-1979. (21 min.)
"Smith, Greenhouse, Saw" no. 4, 5, 6, and 7: Version of improvisational music and video based on the work of William O. Smith and the Contemporary Group. (5 min. 30 sec.)
"Kurosaki: Watercolor for Woodcuts" (1980-1981): (12 min).
"Wed" (1973): Music by William O. Smith. Video by Dennis Evans, Larry Stair, Norie Sato, Bill Ritchie, and Harris Sweed. Includes Seattle Post-Intelligencer newspaper clipping from September 26, 1983, which mentions and quotes William O. Smith. (18 min.)
"Kepes is Not Here" (1978): By Bill Ritchie. Made with the help of C. Corson, M. Dodge, Darcanne Preble, and Ron Meadows. (12 min.)
"The Hands of Carl Chew on My Father's Farm" (1974): The video was created in 1973-74 with Carl Chew. Carl Chew, whose hands are pictured, was not hearing the music at the time. Bill Ritchie added music during the editing process. The "farm" reference is to Ritchie's etching of that title. (6 min. 55 sec.)
"Theory of Gravity" (1974): Carl Chew and Scott Milzer illustrate "The Theory", and Ritchie's favorite economist talks about change. Director: Dennis Evans. Audio track: Bill Ritchie. (2 min. 55 sec.)
"Smith, Greenhouse, Saw" (1979): William O. Smith and the Contemporary Group of the University of Washington improvise in a greenhouse. Ritchie added the saw. Jack Armstrong and Ed Boyd created the video/audio mix. (4 min. 55 sec.)
"Rolling Sorcerer" (1978): In printmaking the printing press is the source. In video improvisation, the "source" varies greatly; and video itself, like its progenitor television, is a sorcerer, rolling along. (2 min. 55 sec.)
"Kepes is Not Here" (1978): Since the time Ritchie was a student, Kepes' writings inspired and guided him. Ritchie was anxious to repay Kepes for the fundamentals of his vision with the fundamentals of Ritchie's aural videoist's experience. (11 min.)
"Theory of Gravity": Carl Chew and Scott Milzer illustrate "The Theory", and my Ritchie's favorite economist talks about change. Director: Dennis Evans. Audio track: Bill Ritchie. (3 min., color)
"Untitled": By Dennis Evans. (7 min. 10 sec., black and white)
"Painted Self" (or) "What is Real?" By Dennis Evans and Sean Licka. (5 min. 30 sec.)
"With Balls" by Dennis Evans and Nancy Mee. (7 min. 10 sec.)
"I Loved That Wave Square" (1977): Corrected by UW (old) TBC from original 1/2-inch Portapak tape. (40 min.)
"Looking for the Target" (1978): Five parts. (20 min.)
Compiled broadcasts of artists in Seattle featured on TV.
Videos created by and featuring some of the Pacific Northwest's foremost artists when they were students of Bill Ritchie. The work of these artists including painting, sculpture, printmaking and performance are well known, but less is known about their use of video as art instruments.
Clips include the burning of Carl Chew's "Prehistoric Post Office," "Rolling Sorcerer," and others. Videos feature commentary by Bill Ritchie.
Collector's Edition including CD, Ritchie's Cinderella Stamp and Flashbook, and a game developed by Ritchie with associated map.
Purchased Art. UW CCTV Services.
This video was recorded by Mike Holcomb at the 1973 Bumbershoot Art Festival in Seattle. The festival included an open video art studio which Bill Ritchie and his video art students participated in. Ritchie viewed this event as the first major art festival to show video artists in action. Ritchie used this video in his course "Video art 1970-1985."
Carl Chew and Scott Milzer illustrate "The Theory", and Bill Ritchie's favorite economist talks about change. Director: Dennis Evans. Audio track: Bill Ritchie.
William O. Smith with Larry Stair, Norie Sato, Harris Sweed, & Subu Swaugh (early).
Includes Seattle Post-Intelligencer newspaper clipping from September 26, 1983, which mentions and quotes William O. Smith.
Excerpts of Louise Durkee's choreography from 1974-1979, prepared for the Artists' Fellowships Awards in 1980.
"For Those Who Are Mistaken," "Maids of Heart," and "Automatix."
Choreography and costumes by Louise Durkee.
Duplicate from edited submaster.
Scenes of three artists in an independent shop producing a collaborative screen art print using flocking, printing on glass, metal and paper. Unedited master of Dennis Evans, Keith Beckley, and Jeffery Michael Peterson in Peterson's studio working on the artists' bookwork, "The Seminary".
Conceptual artist Ulises Carrion presents a series of monologues lamenting the error of Aristotle Onassis when he left Maria Callas for Jackie Kennedy. Subtitles are used as the speakers are heard in Chinese, Dutch, Hebrew, Japanese, Malay, Polish, and Spanish.
Dub from 1" master. University of Washington Instructional Media Services.
Excerpts from a ceremony held in Seattle, in which Austrain born artist Lisel Salzer was awarded the Austrian Cross of Merit in Gold. Lisel Salzer (1906-2005) was forced to leave Austria during WWII. She eventually settled in Seattle and was a renowned painter and enamellist, particularly known for reviving the lost art of the Limoges Enamel technique of fused glass on copper.