Nearly forty years ago, in 1981, a group of twelve Museum Members with an interest in prints and drawings established Print Forum. George Evans and Kent Anderson served as the group’s first president and vice-president, respectively. One of the Museum’s nine currently active support groups, Print Forum is among the longest standing.
As its name suggests, Print Forum provides an opportunity for Museum Members interested in works on paper to gather and expand their knowledge of the various printmaking methods. Its members enjoy curator-guided viewings and visits to artists’ studios and print workshops. The group also plays an important role in supporting exhibitions, programs, and other initiatives at the Museum that are related to printmaking. During the 2015 renovation, Print Forum members advocated for adding dedicated spaces for displaying works on paper, which are sensitive to light and need to be rotated frequently. As a result, four galleries now regularly feature selections of drawings and prints.
Highlights of Print Forum’s activities over the past forty years include organizing a print fair that showcased twenty-two print dealers; hosting weeklong residency programs with artists Tom Huck and Juan Sánchez; commissioning ten prints for members by nationally known artists; and conducting a successful fundraising campaign to publish the catalogue raisonné of Warrington Colescott’s graphic work (see the first image).
One of Print Forum’s primary goals has been to fund the acquisition of works on paper for the Museum’s collection, such as those pictured in this post. The group has supported the purchase of more than 130 portfolios and individual impressions by renowned printmakers such as Jacques Callot, Giovanni Battista Piranesi, and Félix Vallotton. To celebrate its fortieth anniversary season, Print Forum will facilitate the purchase of a print that will help the Museum advance its goal of collecting work that was made by or tells the narratives of historically underrepresented individuals and communities.
To learn about how you can become a member of Print Forum, visit the Museum’s website. My thanks to Ray Kehm, the current Print Forum president, for contributing to this article.
Nikki Otten is associate curator of prints and drawings. She plans exhibitions and rotations, manages acquisitions, and researches the collection of works on paper from the fifteenth to the twenty-first century.