Blackwing Vol.93 Pencils (SET OF 12)
Corita Kent was an educator, artist, and social justice advocate who believed that art could be a tool for dialogue, reflection, and change.
While chair of the Art Department at Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles, Corita asked her students to engage in “slow looking” exercises. Using a paper viewfinder tool that simulated the experience of using a camera, her students were able to select, isolate, and examine the details of the world around them. This resulted in piles of drawings that taught the students how to slow down and see the world with a fresh perspective.
This message of being present and curious permeated through every chapter of Corita’s life and work. From the 1950’s until her death in 1986 her art progressed from modernist interpretations of traditional religious subjects to pop-infused political statements and introspective examinations.
The Blackwing 93 is a tribute to Corita and her message to slow down and find gratitude in the everyday. Each pencil features one of the six colorful brushstrokes that make up Corita’s iconic rainbow swash. Commissioned in 1971, the rainbow swash adorns a 140-foot-tall natural gas storage tank along Interstate 93 in Dorchester, Massachusetts. The pencils contain our soft graphite and each set includes two of each color design.
5% of the proceeds from this pencil will support continued work in art education through the Corita Art Center.
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Blackwing Pencils
Legendary Grammy, Emmy, Pulitzer and Academy Award winners have created with the Blackwing 602 pencil. The list of known users includes John Steinbeck, Looney Tunes creator Chuck Jones, and Disney animator Shamus Culhane who, according to animation historian Charles Soloman, asked to be buried with his Blackwing 602.
Blackwings roots go back to the 1930s when the 602 model was first introduced by the Eberhard Faber Pencil Company. Over the years, the pencil with the unique rectangular eraser became synonymous with quality. Then, in 1998, after several corporate acquisitions, it was discontinued, but not forgotten. In fact, fans began paying as much as $40 on eBay for a single Blackwing pencil.
In 2007, Blackwing introduced their Palomino range of pencils using Genuine Incense-cedar and premium Japanese graphite. Artists and writers started comparing them to their beloved Blackwing 602s, and folks began asking Blackwing to consider reviving the Blackwing brand. Blackwing tapped into over 100 years of family-run pencil industry experience to re-introduce Blackwing pencils in 2010.
In the 10 years since its revival, Blackwing has grown from a single pencil into a culture. Its a culture that's all about living mindfully and finding balance in our fast paced lives.