"Methodist Church, Georgetown, CT " by John B. Hermansader, Amer., (1915-2005)

Woodcut, 1940, ed. unknown but small, 7-1/8 x 4-9/16, unsigned, but inscribed "1st proof from block Nov. 1940" in pencil, on cream wove japan paper. I've just gleaned the title penciled on another impression I've come across recently, also marked "1st. proof", no doubt a casual mistake. John B. Hermansader was born in Reading, PA in 1905, and was a graphic designer, painter, printmaker and art restorer. He had a career in advertising, then later located his home and studio to West Redding, CT. In the 1940's-50's he designed many record covers for blues and jazz artists on the Blue Note label, and had a large collection of their music in his Connecticut studio. Friendly with the artist Ernest Roth, who lived not far away, Hermansader preferred a modernist vision in contrast to the older artists' more traditional work. Later in life he exhibited in CT and at the Art Student's League with the Spiral II Group. His prints I've seen thus far do not seem to have been issued in formal editions, his interest apparently focused on process and experimentation. They appear to exist in at most a few proofs each. This is a lightly inked impression of an early print by the artist, showing a cubist influence.