Today we’d like to introduce you to Matt Bagley.
Matt, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I have volumes to tell… But, today I will tell the story of Iron Frog Press, the Print Frog, and the partnership with my wife, Sharon Neel-Bagley. I met Sharon in the printmaking studio at University of North Texas. All the photo majors had to take printmaking and when Sharon took it I was the lab monitor. We started dating after college. We fell in love over our relentless determination to be professional working artists. Sharon worked in commercial photography. I continued to work in the printing industry and we married in 1998. In 2008, I started Iron Frog Press to encourage more fine art printing in our Dallas community.
In 2012, I had a job where I was having difficulty printing a twisted block on my press. I was dreading hand printing this job because it’s a long, hard, and painful work. I was pondering if a bulb shaped piece of glass could make hand printing easier. The technical name for a hand printing tool is a baren and I commissioned a glass blower to make me one. He made about 40 and they all performed way beyond my expectations. Hand printing was now easy, efficient, and painless. My printmaking friends were impressed and they all got one. Sharon saw the potential in this glass baren. She convinced me that we should share it with the printmaking world. We named it the Print Frog®.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
The Print Frog is the only solid glass baren available. It is gaining popularity with international artists too. Printmakers can now continue their craft without having access to a press. The Print Frog is proving its self to be a versatile “must have” tool for all printmakers. I’m grateful that the Print Frog is becoming popular with artists. But, I’m stoked to be working with the tool of my dreams. I’m getting to do things that I didn’t think were possible for me. The most rewarding opportunity I’ve had is teaching printmaking to under served communities. Since my glass baren is portable and easy to use, I’m able to share printmaking to anybody anywhere.
How can artists connect with other artists?
Staying connected with other artists is easier than ever with social media. Instagram is a fun way to share images of your work, your process, and follow other artists. I find FB an effective tool for communicating with many groups of people at the same time. It’s a quick way to find out what’s going on in the Dallas art scene. FB makes it easy to find a groups or guilds for your type of art. Share information and make international sales without a middle man. Social media does not take the place of actually going out to art events and meet people too.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
You can see Sharon’s work online at the following:
http://www.snbagleyphotography.com/
https://www.instagram.com/snbagleyphotography/
https://www.artsy.net/artist/sharon-neel-bagley
http://www.rrandcoshop.com/pages.php?pageid=39
Attend Sharon’s next Exhibition:
“Microscopic Cross Sections and Other Oblique Views of Dallas, Tx: Urban Heat Island Effect from a Tree’s View”
On View: August 6th-30th 2018
Opening Reception: Sunday, August 12th 2-4pm
Lillian Bradshaw Gallery- J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 4th floor
1515 Young Street |Dallas, TX 75201 | 214-670-1643
*Sharon’s exhibition is supported in part by the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs
I do continue to make my own artwork as well and I exhibit in group and solo shows in the Dallas area. My work is available online: https://www.ironfrogpress.com/iron-frog-press-artists Our Iron Frog Press shops include information on our Print Frogs, upcoming events, and workshop classes: https://www.ironfrogpress.com/iron-frog-press-print-frogs-page
etsy.com/shop/IronFrogPress
facebook.com/ironfrogpress
facebook.com/printfrogglassbaren
instagram.com/iron_frog_press
twitter.com/IronFrogPress
pinterest.com/ironfrogpress
I’m available to teach workshops, help artists make their own prints, and lecture on the virtues of printmaking. My next children’s workshop will be at Flatbed Press in Austin, TX: Kids Summer Camp at Flatbed | Future Printmakers: Intro to Printmaking | June 29-30-July1 2832 East MLK Blvd | Austin, Texas 78702
Tuition is $110 and includes materials. Sign up at flatbedpress.com
Ages 6-9: 10am – 1pm
Ages 9-12: 2pm – 5pm
In this action packed, fun, and rewarding camp students will learn: basic relief printing techniques, painterly and spontaneous mono printing, color theory, and how printmaking relates to the community and environment. Kids love working in the Flatbed studio surrounded by inspirational artwork and interesting printing presses that boost imagination and creativity.
Contact Info:
- Address: 8131 Barbaree Blvd. Dallas, TX 75228
- Website: https://www.ironfrogpress.com/ http://www.snbagleyphotography.com/
- Phone: Sharon: 214 769 3779 Matt: 214 766 7947
- Email: info@ironfrogpress.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/ironfrogpress/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ironfrogpress/ https://www.facebook.com/printfrogglassbaren/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/IronFrogPress
Image Credit:
Photographed Artwork: Sharon Neel-Bagley
All artwork made by Matt Bagley & Sharon Neel-Bagley
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
