Art Gallery to Present An exhibition of Prints BY UTB Printmaking students

 Prints, Monoprints, and Monotypes

                                                        Ruby Campos                                                                                                         Jose Parga

Brownsville, TX – The Art Gallery in the Rusteberg Building is proud to present the printmaking exhibition created under the guidance of adjunct Professor Jack R. Lewis, Professor Emeritus of Art from Georgia Southwestern State University, Americus. This print exhibition represents all the hard efforts and long hours put forth by the printmaking students here in the printmaking classes at UTB/TSC.

             Once printmaking students become competent with basic printmaking technology, they are encouraged to experiment with techniques they have discovered in class. Printmaking has long been a medium used for the expression of contemporary concepts. In keeping with that tradition, the students are encouraged to direct their imagery toward political, humorous, religious, even controversial ideas. In this exhibit, you will see all the divergent types of ideas expressed in their prints. (Jack Lewis)

The show will be opening June 03, 2008 at the Art Gallery in the Rusteberg Building, 6:30 – 8:30 PM. The last day to view the show will be June 14, 2008. General admission is $1.00. Admission for Patron of the Arts members and all art majors are free. Please contact us at (956) 882-7097 or e-mail us at gallery@utb.edu.

Curator Statement:

Jack R. Lewis

Traditionally prints were not matted, glazed, and framed. The early approach to presenting prints started with the Asian (Japanese and Chinese). This manner of experiencing the print resulted in the personal handling; unrolling them to study the works in a more intimate experience. It is for this reason we present to the viewer art works on the wall as pure to the intention of the artist. Another reason for this presentational approach is to highlight the fine handmade paper on which the image is printed. This is part of the idea of enjoying the printed image and the fine and expensive paper together in one experience. You will see the types of paper made by hand such as the Masa (an expensive Japanese paper used for woodcuts), the Arches 88 (a fine paper made in France used for etchings, Monoprints, and monotypes.) and the Copperplate Deluxe (an expensive Italian paper used in printing etchings). Each of these handmade papers is specific to the different types of printing. Each kind of paper allows different types of printmaking to realize their full potential. In the area outside the exhibition, you will see in the large glass case explanations about the Art of Printmaking and the tools used to create this type of Art. Feel free to read and study how and why Prints are made.

Jack R. Lewis obtained his M.F.A. degree at Georgia State University in Atlanta. Lewis taught at Georgia Southwestern state University fro 29 years, serving as head of the Art Department and Chairman of the Department of Fine Arts for seven years. Currently he is an adjunct faculty at the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College.  Lewis has exhibited in 33 international juried exhibitions, 70 national juried competitions in the USA, won eight Grand Prizes, and had 19 one-man exhibits in the USA and International museums and galleries. Other exhibits include Ljubljana, Slovenia, Krakow in Poland, Cabo Frio in Brazil, Fredrikstad in Norway, Venice in Italy, Biella in Italy, and Russia 2005.