2015 Delta National Small Prints Exhibition Opens Jan. 29 at Bradbury Gallery
JONESBORO – The 2015 Delta National Small Prints Exhibition will open to the public at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 29, at the Bradbury Gallery in Fowler Center, 201 Olympic Dr., on the campus of Arkansas State University.
The exhibition, which continues through Feb. 27, promises to be as interesting as ever with an innovative, thought-provoking and diverse set of work.
Since its inception in 1996, a forward-thinking group of patrons from the community and the region have provided support for this unique sampling of prints to be shown in Jonesboro annually. Artists from across the country and––more frequently each year––from around the world, submit their work for consideration by a respected expert in the field of printmaking.
According to Les Christensen, director of the Bradbury Gallery, this slow-but-steady shift has most likely been caused by the easily shippable nature of the art form, combined with a readily available dispersal of information about the show via the web.
No matter the cause, she says, this slight change is an interesting reminder of how interconnected we all have become and an increase in the exchange of ideas and imagery with artists from any location is always an enriching experience that helps us to better understand our world and our lives.
This year Ruth Lingen, director of Pace Paper, a hand-printing and paper-making studio in Brooklyn, N.Y., served as the 2015 juror. She selected a collection of prints that varies widely in technique and style. The exhibition includes 55 prints, from the same number of artists, that provide viewers a look at what is happening in small printmaking today.
Lingen states, “The works I have included strike a balance between concept and technique—with neither outshining the other. I was also influenced by the overall level of experimentation and play. Ed Ruscha once said that he liked art that had a bit of the 'huh?' factor—or, in other words, an inexplicable quality."
As with previous Delta National jurors, Lingen made her selections blindly; that is, she reviewed the prints and was informed of the titles, dimensions and type of print, but nothing more. The artists’ names and addresses were not known to her until after her decisions were made.
Funding for the DNSPE is provided through the generosity of several individuals. The Bradbury Gallery’s commitment to contemporary printmaking in a small format could not be possible without these many supporters. They provide the assistance necessary to produce the exhibition and the catalog, and to offer awards to several outstanding artists. Because of their generosity, this year 13 prints will receive purchase awards and become part of the Permanent Collection at Bradbury Gallery.
This exhibition is dedicated to Brackett-Krennerich and Associate Architects, including the two founding members, Jerry Brackett and George Krennerich, and the two new principal architects, Kyle Cook and Jeff Herren. According to Christensen, “They have consistently supported the gallery and specifically the Delta National for many years. They are our patrons, friends and advisers, and for that we are most grateful.”
A full color catalog of the entire exhibition will be available at the opening reception.
Bradbury Gallery hours are noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 2 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, and by appointment. The exhibition, the catalog and the reception are admission-free and open to the public. For additional information, interested individuals may contact the Bradbury Gallery at (870) 972-2567.
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