Oscar Cahén

Oscar Cahén
Life & Work by Jaleen Grove
rubber cement resist
A technique in watercolour painting in which rubber cement is applied to a surface that is
subsequently painted over with watercolour paints. When the paint is dry, the rubber
cement is removed, revealing areas untouched by the paint.
scratchboard
Term refers to the medium and an illustration technique. Scratchboard is a white clay
surface coated in black ink. An image is created by using sharp blades and scraping
implements to scratch patterns in the clay, revealing the white underneath the surface.
Sevier, Gerry (Canadian, b. 1934)
A commercial artist, illustrator, and instructor, Gerry Sevier uses light and shadow in his
work to powerful effect. He is a member of the Royal Canadian Academy and has works
in more than 150 corporate collections.
Surrealism
An early twentieth-century literary and artistic movement that began in Paris. Surrealism
aimed to express the workings of the unconscious, free of convention and reason, and
was characterized by fantastic images and incongruous juxtapositions. The movement
spread globally, influencing film, theatre, and music.
Sutherland, Graham (British, 1903–1980)
A painter, printmaker, and designer interested primarily in landscapes and natural motifs,
which he represented in a non-traditional, almost Surrealist style. His Crucifixion and
Thorn Head images gained wide currency as expressions of the human condition in the
aftermath of the Second World War.
Synesthesia
A neurological condition in which sensory input, such as vision, is simultaneously
experienced through one or more additional sense. Synesthesia also occurs when
cognition of an abstract concept, such as letters or numbers, triggers a sensory
perception, such as of hearing or taste.
Szyk, Arthur (Polish/American, 1894–1951)
An illustrator and cartoonist who championed human rights and civil liberties through
artistic media. During the Second World War, Szyk’s caricatures, which appeared in
newspapers across the United States, effectively highlighted the Jewish plight in Europe.
His work was also featured in such publications as the New York Post, Time magazine,
and Collier’s.
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