Country Summer, John Wade (b.1947), 1970s emulsion etching, 10×11 in, signed & numbered 60/80.

$1,150.00

Country Summer, John Wade (b.1947), 1970s emulsion etching, 10×11 in, signed & numbered 60/80.

This original 1970s emulsion etching by American printmaker John Wade captures the rustic warmth and quiet atmosphere of a sunlit summer day. Signed and numbered 60/80, Country Summer exemplifies Wade’s pioneering fusion of traditional intaglio with early photo-emulsion techniques—an experimental approach that helped shape the evolution of contemporary American printmaking.

Artwork Description

Country Summer depicts an aged wooden barn rendered in Wade’s signature blend of finely etched linework and softly diffused photo-emulsion tonal fields. Warm golden hues wash across the composition, evoking the heat and stillness of midsummer rural life. The barn’s sagging roofline, deep shadows, and surrounding foliage are articulated with technical precision while maintaining an expressive, atmospheric quality.

Wade’s hybrid process—combining photo-emulsion on copper plates with traditional etching—creates areas of grainy texture, smooth tonal gradation, and crisp architectural detail. This tension between the photographic and the hand-drawn gives the work its distinctive emotional resonance. The print is hand-titled Country Summer, numbered 60/80, and signed “John Wade.”

Thematically, the piece aligns with Wade’s larger body of work focused on rural structures, memory, and the quiet poetry of everyday Southern landscapes.

Artist Biography

John Wade (born 1947, Charlottesville, Virginia) is an American printmaker known for blending traditional etching, lithography, and relief techniques with early photo-emulsion processes beginning in the late 1960s. His work occupies an important niche in the movement toward experimental printmaking workshops that emerged in the post-war era in the United States.

Wade studied at Elon College (BA) and later earned an Associate of Applied Arts degree from the Technical College of Alamance, focusing on advanced printmaking, drafting, and technical illustration. Between 1967 and 1971, he served in the U.S. Army as a military illustrator, where he refined his precision in linework, perspective, and tonal rendering—skills that would later underpin his etching style.

In 1977, Wade established his own printmaking studio in North Carolina, designing it as an experimental workshopwhere he developed hybrid processes:
• photo-emulsion applied to copper plates
• multi-plate tonal etching
• hand-drawn aquatint overlays
• early light-sensitive resist techniques influenced by commercial photomechanical processes

Wade’s influences include mid-century American regionalist printmakers, technical illustration, early photographic etching pioneers, and the dramatic tonal structures of 19th-century European etchers. He became known for creating imagery that is both realistic and otherworldly, often depicting barns, rural roads, storms, and nocturnal scenes with heightened contrast and emotional intensity.

His work has received awards in regional art competitions throughout the Southeastern United States, and his prints are represented in numerous private collections in the U.S., Europe, and Canada, as well as select university collections with contemporary printmaking programs.

By the 1980s–1990s, Wade’s workshop became a training site for younger printmakers, especially those interested in combining analog photographic processes with traditional intaglio—placing him among the early adopters of hybrid photographic/non-silver techniques in studio printmaking.

John Wade, Country Summer, 1970s. Emulsion etching, 10×11 in. Signed, titled, and numbered 60/80. Excellent impression with warm tonal palette.

Artist: John Wade (b.1947)
Title: Country Summer
Date: 1970s
Medium: Emulsion Etching (Photo-Emulsion + Intaglio)
Dimensions: 10 × 11 in
Edition: 60/80
Signature: Hand-signed, titled, and numbered
Authenticity: Verified through signature, edition, technique, and alignment with Wade’s documented experimental printmaking methods.
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC

This certifies the work as an authentic original etching by John Wade.

Provenance Chain

  1. Artist’s Studio, North Carolina – 1970s

  2. Private Collection, NYC

  3. Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC – current owner

Country Summer, John Wade (b.1947), 1970s emulsion etching, 10×11 in, signed & numbered 60/80.

This original 1970s emulsion etching by American printmaker John Wade captures the rustic warmth and quiet atmosphere of a sunlit summer day. Signed and numbered 60/80, Country Summer exemplifies Wade’s pioneering fusion of traditional intaglio with early photo-emulsion techniques—an experimental approach that helped shape the evolution of contemporary American printmaking.

Artwork Description

Country Summer depicts an aged wooden barn rendered in Wade’s signature blend of finely etched linework and softly diffused photo-emulsion tonal fields. Warm golden hues wash across the composition, evoking the heat and stillness of midsummer rural life. The barn’s sagging roofline, deep shadows, and surrounding foliage are articulated with technical precision while maintaining an expressive, atmospheric quality.

Wade’s hybrid process—combining photo-emulsion on copper plates with traditional etching—creates areas of grainy texture, smooth tonal gradation, and crisp architectural detail. This tension between the photographic and the hand-drawn gives the work its distinctive emotional resonance. The print is hand-titled Country Summer, numbered 60/80, and signed “John Wade.”

Thematically, the piece aligns with Wade’s larger body of work focused on rural structures, memory, and the quiet poetry of everyday Southern landscapes.

Artist Biography

John Wade (born 1947, Charlottesville, Virginia) is an American printmaker known for blending traditional etching, lithography, and relief techniques with early photo-emulsion processes beginning in the late 1960s. His work occupies an important niche in the movement toward experimental printmaking workshops that emerged in the post-war era in the United States.

Wade studied at Elon College (BA) and later earned an Associate of Applied Arts degree from the Technical College of Alamance, focusing on advanced printmaking, drafting, and technical illustration. Between 1967 and 1971, he served in the U.S. Army as a military illustrator, where he refined his precision in linework, perspective, and tonal rendering—skills that would later underpin his etching style.

In 1977, Wade established his own printmaking studio in North Carolina, designing it as an experimental workshopwhere he developed hybrid processes:
• photo-emulsion applied to copper plates
• multi-plate tonal etching
• hand-drawn aquatint overlays
• early light-sensitive resist techniques influenced by commercial photomechanical processes

Wade’s influences include mid-century American regionalist printmakers, technical illustration, early photographic etching pioneers, and the dramatic tonal structures of 19th-century European etchers. He became known for creating imagery that is both realistic and otherworldly, often depicting barns, rural roads, storms, and nocturnal scenes with heightened contrast and emotional intensity.

His work has received awards in regional art competitions throughout the Southeastern United States, and his prints are represented in numerous private collections in the U.S., Europe, and Canada, as well as select university collections with contemporary printmaking programs.

By the 1980s–1990s, Wade’s workshop became a training site for younger printmakers, especially those interested in combining analog photographic processes with traditional intaglio—placing him among the early adopters of hybrid photographic/non-silver techniques in studio printmaking.

John Wade, Country Summer, 1970s. Emulsion etching, 10×11 in. Signed, titled, and numbered 60/80. Excellent impression with warm tonal palette.

Artist: John Wade (b.1947)
Title: Country Summer
Date: 1970s
Medium: Emulsion Etching (Photo-Emulsion + Intaglio)
Dimensions: 10 × 11 in
Edition: 60/80
Signature: Hand-signed, titled, and numbered
Authenticity: Verified through signature, edition, technique, and alignment with Wade’s documented experimental printmaking methods.
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC

This certifies the work as an authentic original etching by John Wade.

Provenance Chain

  1. Artist’s Studio, North Carolina – 1970s

  2. Private Collection, NYC

  3. Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC – current owner

COUNTRY SUMMER by John Wade

A Delightful Gem from the 1970s Art Scene

Dimensions: 10 x 11"
Medium: Etching
Edition: Signed and numbered 60/80

Dive into a kaleidoscope of 1970s vibrancy with "COUNTRY SUMMER" by John Wade, an enchanting etching that radiates warmth through its stunning emulsion of yellows. After more than four decades lying dormant within the storied inventory of a retired NYC gallery, this exquisite piece is ready to charm a new generation of art lovers.

Artist Profile: John Wade

Born: 1947, Charlottesville, VA
Education:

  • BA from Elon College

  • Associate of Applied Arts from the Technical College of Alamance

John Wade's artistic journey began in the heart of the U.S. Army, where he served as an illustrator from 1967 to 1971. His incredible talent blossomed into a groundbreaking printmaking studio in North Carolina, established in 1977. Here, he created an experimental workshop that melded traditional etching techniques with innovative photo emulsions, paving new paths for the art world.

Artistic Style and Impact

Wade's oeuvre is a delightful exploration that fuses the real with the phantasmagoric. His unique approach leads to captivating effects that linger in the viewer's mind. With numerous accolades under his belt, his pieces find homes in private collections worldwide, testaments to his significant contributions to contemporary art.

Full bio available upon request.

Don't miss the opportunity to add "COUNTRY SUMMER" to your collection, where the enchanting shadows and shimmering golds come alive, capturing the essence of a transformative era in art!

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