Purchase Awards at Delta National Small Prints Exhibition

JONESBORO – The 20th annual Delta National Small Prints Exhibition (DNSPE) at Arkansas State University’s Bradbury Gallery opened Thursday evening (Jan. 29), with winning selections for purchase awards and juror’s merit awards announced.

Artists from across the country and around the world annually submit prints to be considered for inclusion in the exhibition, according to Les Christensen, director of Bradbury Gallery.  A nationally known expert in the field of printmaking reviews the entries, then selects those to be exhibited as well as the award winners.

Ruth Lingen, director of Pace Editions, a hand-printing and paper-making studio in Brooklyn, N.Y., served as the 2015 juror.  She selected a collection of 55 prints that varies widely in technique and style; close to 800 prints were submitted.

As with previous Delta National jurors, Lingen made her selections blindly, seeing only the title, medium and dimensions of each print, but not the artist's name or location.

Lingen commented in her juror's statement, “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. . . . The range of techniques varied widely with a majority of intaglio work, with woodcut and linocut in abundance, as well as silkscreen and lithography.  Digital and traditional photography, monotype, letterpress and mixed media were also submitted."

Funding for 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 received purchase awards and became part of the Permanent Collection at Bradbury Gallery.

A full color catalog of the entire exhibition is available to exhibition visitors and the artists.

The award-winning entries are as follows:

• Lindquist Purchase Award (underwritten by Chucki and Curt Bradbury Jr. of Little Rock): “My Monkey,” 2012, mixed media monotype, by Maggy Aston.
• Carol Thoren Christensen Purchase Award (in memory of Carol Thoren Christensen): "Cyclone Cross-Section," 2014, intaglio and relief, by Ray Bishop.
• Donna and Don Bowyer Purchase Award (underwritten by Donna and Dr. Donald Bowyer of Jonesboro): "Space no. 1," 2013, serigraph, by Dustyn Bork.
• Beth and Scot Snodgrass Purchase Award (underwritten by Beth and Dr. Scot Snodgrass of Jonesboro): “The Great Awakening,” 2014, drypoint, by Amy Buchholz.
• Teresa & Steve Owens Purchase Award (underwritten by Teresa & Steve Owens of Oxford, Miss.): “Anchored in Anchorage,” 2012, silver gelatin print, by Donald Buelter.
• Chucki Bradbury Art Purchase Award (underwritten by a Special Endowment in Honor of Chucki Bradbury): “Charmed Out of Your Basket,” 2013, lithograph, by Aaron Coleman.
• President’s Purchase Award (underwritten by Mandy and Dr. Charles Welch of Little Rock): “Wacky,” 2014, linoleum reduction, by Helen Cox.
• Brackett-Krennerich & Associates Architects Purchase Award (underwritten by Kyle Cook, Jeff Herren and George Krennerich of Jonesboro): “Ruined Ruins,” 2014, reduction woodcut, by David Graves.
• Senator Kaneaster Hodges Jr. and Lindley Williams Hodges Purchase Award (underwritten by Claude M. Erwin Jr. of Dallas): "Synaptic Sprout," 2014, etching, by Karla Hackenmiller.
• Les Christensen Purchase Award (underwritten by Sharon and Evan Lindquist of Jonesboro): “Baby Doll and Gators,” 2014, lithograph, by Brian Kreydatus.
• Don A. Tilton Purchase Award (underwritten by Don A. Tilton of Little Rock): “Obscure Desire II,” 2013, drypoint, by LUCE.
• The Cheryl Wall Trimarchi Purchase Award (in memory of Martha and Bryant Wall): “Pull,” 2014, monoprint, by Ellen Price.
• Chancellor’s Purchase Award (underwritten by Drs. Deidra and Tim Hudson of Jonesboro): “Megan Draper's LA with Drones,” 2014, 3D lenticular print, by Mary Ann Strandell.

Juror’s Merit Awards were selected as follows:

• Drs. Phylllis and Warren Skaug Sponsorship: "Dollar Store," 2014, intaglio with watercolor, by Kirsten Flaherty.
• Jones Sponsorship in Memory of Flo and Phil Jones: “ . . . survival through solidarity . . . ,” 2013, serigraph, by Brian Johnson.
• DNSPE Sponsorship: “Sub-Spiritual Oubliettes,” 2014, 9 color lithograph from stone on rives BFK, by Johnny Plastini.
• Caryl Steele Sponsorship: “Existentialisme,” 2012, serigraph, by Nayrb Wasylycia.

The exhibition continues through Feb. 27.  Images also will be available for viewing on the gallery’s website, http://www.bradburygallery.com.

Hours for Bradbury Gallery in Fowler Center, 201 Olympic Dr., are noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 2 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, and by appointment.

Admission is free.  For additional details, one may contact the Bradbury Gallery at (870) 972-2567.

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