A Day of Printmaking

This past Saturday, we had a whole lotta printmaking going on. In the morning, our monthly Kid Quest event focused on printmaking through common everyday objects, including food, showing a packed room of budding artists that inspiration can come from just about anywhere:

We held the opening reception for our new printmaking exhibition, Vermillion Editions to Hannaher’s Studio: The Print Renaissance Comes to Fargo, 1977 to Today, on Saturday evening. MSUM printmaking professor and Vermillion guest curator John Volk (below) took attendants through the exhibition and shared his enthusiasm for the art of printmaking. Volk voiced his respect for the Vermillion Editions Ltd. works that comprise the show as well as his respect for Vermillion founder and master printer Steve Andersen. (Andersen was also instrumental in the early planning phase of the Museum’s Hannaher’s, Inc., Print Studio).

MSUM photography professor Wayne Gudmundson also joined in, demonstrating the experimental photo print process he and Volk have been working on.

Our celebration of printmaking doesn’t end there. On Saturday, February 19, from 1 – 4 p.m., art students from MSUM, Concordia, NDSU, and the University of Manitoba will come together at the Museum for a portfolio exchange and discussion of their printmaking techniques. Also, Volk will lead a two-day workshop on wood cut printmaking for all ages on Saturday, April 16 and Sunday, April 17 (go here for details and registration). On top of all of this, Volk and his students will be on hand Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays this spring to show free print demonstrations to the public in the Print Studio on the third floor.

An exhibition, youth activities, a student artist meetup, a class for adults and kids, and ongoing public involvement … all centered around printmaking. It’s a joy and a privilege to be presenting this worthwhile art medium to such a broad group of people. Please join us!

(All photos by Britta Trygstad, Milestones Photography.)