Delta National Small Prints Exhibition Opens Jan. 28 at Bradbury Art Museum

JONESBORO – The Delta National Small Prints Exhibition will feature 55 prints by the same number of artists.  The artwork ranges from traditional imagery and printmaking techniques to monotypes and experimental print mediums.

The exhibition opens to the public at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 28, at Bradbury Art Museum in Fowler Center, 201 Olympic Dr.  A full color catalog of the entire exhibition will be available at the opening reception.

This annual celebration of contemporary printmaking in a small format is made possible by many generous individuals and organizations.  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 museum's Permanent Collection.

"The 20th annual Delta National Small Prints Exhibition is dedicated to Chucki and Curt Bradbury Jr., the museum’s namesake and two very generous people who desire to see the arts flourish in Northeast Arkansas," said Les Christensen, director of BAM.  "They are philanthropists in the truest sense of the word, striving to promote the welfare of others through support for and appreciation of how life-changing the arts can be."

The juror who selected the exhibition was Dennis Michael Jon, the well-respected associate curator of prints and drawings at Minneapolis Institute of Art.  He carefully reviewed hundreds of exceptional submissions by artists from nearly every state as well as several other countries.  He examined their wide array of themes and printmaking styles, and determined which works would be included in the exhibition and which would receive awards.

Jon stated, “Jurying a show as esteemed and prominent as the Delta National Small Print Exhibition is always rewarding and always challenging. It’s gratifying to have the privilege of viewing hundreds of outstanding contemporary prints, whether works by seasoned printmakers or artists just beginning to make their mark. The process also offers the lucky juror a fascinating look at recent trends and developments in printmaking. The challenge, of course, is to select a group of prints that represents the current state of printmaking, but that works as a cohesive exhibition as well.”

According to Christensen, "We owe Dennis Michael Jon much gratitude for his dedication to the field of printmaking and the expertise he brought to this exhibition.  His selections encompass a full range of printmaking types and styles offering something for everyone in our viewing audience.

“The DNSPE was conceived as an opportunity to celebrate as well as investigate printmaking created in a modest scale.  The idea that bigger is not always better has evidently been proven true.  Now for the 20th year we once again host an exhibition of extraordinary contemporary prints."

The exhibition continues through Feb. 28.

BAM 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 please contact the museum at (870) 972-2567.

# # #