Short Bio
Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, Renée Bott has always made and worked in art. Renée earned her MFA from The California College of Arts and Crafts in 1985. That same year, she started working as a printer for Crown Point Press in San Francisco, working alongside artists such as Richard Diebenkorn, Wayne Thiebaud, and Al Held. In 1996, Renée and Pam Paulson founded Paulson Bott Press, a fine print atelier located in Berkeley, California. For twenty years, Renée was a partner and Master Printer of Paulson Bott Press (now called Paulson Fontaine Press). In 2016 Renee left Paulson Bott Press to pursue making her own art. In 2020, and 2023, Renee was included in the San Francisco's Fine Art Museum show: The DeYoung: OPEN, exhibiting her work alongside important bay area artists. Working steadily on her art in her home studio, Renee's paintings have been exhibited widely since 2020.
Statement
My work is based on the minute and detailed lines found in etchings and engravings from the 15th to -17th centuriesy. I collect my source materials from museums, antique print dealers, and private collections. I photograph the prints and use Photoshop to digitally modify the images, which serve as general outlines for my compositions. Often book pages provide the underlying armature for many of my works. I overlay the digitally enlarged image on top of the book pages, which are mounted to a canvas or backing material. The content of the text often offers inspiration for the image. Selectively lining out the text with paint or ink allows me to develop a composition that is woven into the text.Some of the common themes found in my work are based on my appreciation for both engravings and handwritten cursive. I enjoy thinking about how both these art forms were ubiquitous tools for communication in the past, and how obsolete they are today. I am also inspired by science and contemplation of the natural world.
Resume / CV
