Francois Houtin, influence and inspirations

The reinvention and evolutionary process in ones career has always fascinated me so when I discovered Houtin's work at the Cleveland Print Fair presented by Chicago gallery Richard Reed Armstrong I was immediately struck not only by Francois Houtins fantastical etchings and draughtsmanship but also his background as a landscaper.  No doubt his prior career as a gardener, floral decorator and then landscape architect have influenced his new direction as a superb printmaker.  His work reminded me of my childhood fantasies of the perfect habitats to hide within the immersion of a mystical albiet utopian, forest. I also found a similar affinity to his personal history within my own mother's artistic talents. I grew up observing endless drawings by my mother Virginia Bleck, influenced by her passion for trees.  Aside from raising nine children, she worked as a landscaper for her father's tree nursery, where we also resided and then later in life, she also like Houtin began to explore her personal work inspired by her work in landscaping with a similar direction of fantastical landscapes but in watercolors and pen and ink. There are some pieces of art that we are drawn to that serve as a metaphor for our own personal goals as an artist as well as fulfilling lasting impressions of our imaginations explored and then fulfilled…Houtin's work is all of this for me.  I purchased this print and one for my amazing mother who also by the way was one of Hallmark cards first freelancers from the age of 48 until 72 years old. 
This Friday, Jan. 20th my Houtin print, "12 Cabane de Jardinier" will hang at Zygote press, "Collected Gems ll : Zygote Memebers Collect"