Artwork Description
Tom Dula Black AP Artist Proof Silkscreen Print by Shepard Fairey- OBEY Hand-Pulled on Cream Speckletone Fine Art Paper Limited Edition Artwork Obey Pop Culture Artist.
AP Artist Proof 2012 Signed & Marked AP Limited Edition Artwork Size 18x24 Silkscreen Print—Lonesome Tree Stylized Old Gnarled Tree in Western Desert Setting. Thomas C. Dula was a former Confederate soldier who was convicted of murdering Laura Foster, based on a song made famous by Kingston Trio.
Shepard Fairey Tom Dula Black AP 2012 Silkscreen Print
Shepard Fairey, born Frank Shepard Fairey in the United States, created the Tom Dula Black silkscreen print in 2012 as part of his ongoing exploration of American folklore and historical narrative within Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork. This Artist Proof edition is signed and marked AP, distinguishing it from the standard numbered run and identifying it as part of a smaller subset traditionally reserved by the artist. The hand-pulled silkscreen measures 18 x 24 inches and is printed on cream Speckletone fine art paper, a textured stock frequently used in Obey editions for its archival strength and vintage character. The work references the story of Thomas C. Dula, a former Confederate soldier convicted in 1866 for the murder of Laura Foster, a case later embedded in American folk music through a ballad popularized in the twentieth century by The Kingston Trio. Fairey’s interpretation situates this narrative within a broader visual examination of justice, myth, and cultural memory.
Lonesome Tree Imagery in Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork
The composition centers on a stark, leafless tree rendered in bold black linework against layered red and gold tonal gradients. The gnarled branches stretch outward across a desert-like landscape, while intricate ornamental textures and faded imagery subtly emerge in the background. A rope hangs from one branch, symbolizing the historical implications of execution without overt depiction. The word Lonesome appears at the base, reinforcing the solitary and reflective tone of the image. Fairey’s use of distressed overlays and decorative patterning echoes vintage poster design while maintaining the graphic clarity associated with Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork. The restrained yet intense palette of crimson, ochre, and black heightens the emotional atmosphere and connects the work to Fairey’s broader visual language rooted in propaganda-inspired composition.
Artist Proof Significance and Obey Historical Commentary
Artist Proof editions carry particular importance in fine art printmaking, often representing early or reserved impressions from the print run and carrying enhanced collectibility. Within Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork, such AP markings underscore craftsmanship and direct artist involvement. The Tom Dula Black variant demonstrates how Fairey adapts a nineteenth-century American crime narrative into a contemporary silkscreen format, using symbolic landscape imagery rather than portraiture to communicate the story’s gravity. By merging archival textures, disciplined hand-pulled production, and culturally loaded symbolism, this 2012 Obey print stands as a thoughtful example of how Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork can reinterpret historical events through bold yet contemplative graphic storytelling.
