My goal is to promote our fine transportation heritage by preserving historical icons of a bygone era through both original artworks and limited-edition reproductions.
I have been exploring these subjects virtually my entire life. Railroads have always held a special fascination for me, as nearly all of the previous generations of my family depended on it for their livelihood. I could see the important role they once played in the social and economic fabric of our country, and that the traditions of that earlier era were being swept away forever. I chose to use the medium of ink drawing to evoke rich images of this previous era in the idealistic hope that people would someday opt to restore this more sensible method of moving people and goods with less harm to the environment than transportation modes of today afford.
My images are created from photographs of the earlier era; either taken by myself 20-30 years ago or photos obtained from a variety of sources (books, museums, and individuals). I then create a composition that involves some minor rearrangement of the elements and leaving out of items such as autos and other extraneous items. Sometimes consultation with people familiar with the location in the era depicted has helped add certain details.
The drawings are nearly all 10 x 14 inches with a few being 12 x 15 inches. They are executed, after the initial pencil sketch, with technical pens and india ink. A straightedge and templates are sometimes used for line control. The original drawings are done on 150 lb. Bristol drawing paper.
In addition to the original drawings, I offer many of my images as reproductions produced in editions of 100, or sometimes, 200 "prints". These are produced commercially using offset lithography. I have worked with the same printing company for nearly 20 years and have developed a good working relationship with them.
I look forward to my continued research into creating art that represents and preserves historically significant scenes from our past era of railroad transportation. Thank you for allowing me to share it with you.
979 Hardwood Ave.
Shoreview, MN. 55126-9135
(651) 481-8479
National Railway Historical Society
Northstar Chapter, NRHS
Chicago & North Western Historical Society
Great Northern Railway Historical Society
Milwaukee Road Historical Society
Minnesota Transportation Museum
Missabe Historical Society
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association
Rock Island Technical Society
Soo Line Historical and Technical Society
Other links:
Art Show Schedule | Available prints A-H | Available prints I-P | Available prints R-Z | Order Form
This page last revised on May 31, 2007.
This page and all it's contents ©2005-7 by John Cartwright and DD-Design.org