2020–2021 exhibitions
2021
107th Annual Members’ Exhibition
Visit CSP’s 107th Annual Members’ Exhibition online.
Participants include: Nora Akino, Rhiannon Alpers, Christina Altfeld, Andis Applewhite, Kelly Autumn, Katherine Baca-Bielinis, Peter Baczek, Karen Baden Thapa, Erica Barajas, Sandra Beard, Sherry Bell, Joan Dix Blair, Noah Breuer, Robert Brokl, Megan Broughton, Donna Brown, Teralyn Brown, Austin Buckingham, Herman Coleman, Babette Cooijmans, Cathie Crawford, Sydney Cross, Kate Deak, Judy Dekel, Holly Downing, Jessica Dunne, Beth Fein, Rich Fowler, Lola Fraknoi, Karen Gallagher-Iverson, Ewa Gavrielov, Rosemarie Gebhart, J. Ruth Gendler, Thomas Goglio, Alisa Golden, Barry Goodman, Jane Gregorius, Kevin Harris, Deena Haynes, Rozanne Hermelyn Di Silvestro, Yuji Hiratsuka, Nif Hodgson, Susan Howe, James Hubbard, Barbara Jacobs, Gail Jacobs, Debra Jewell, Sandra Kelch , Barbara Kibbe, Joanna Kidd, Evelyn Klein, Carol Levin, Katherine Levin-Lau, Geneviève L’Heureux, Kent Manske, Mary V Marsh, Stephanie Martin, The Mayor, Stephanie Mercado, Adrienne Momi, Gustavo Mora Perez, Gloria Morales, Barbara Morris, Stephanie Mullaly, Lynn Newcomb, Lian Ng, Barbara Nilsson, Margaret Niven, Janis O’Driscoll, Megan Pater, Carrie Ann Plank, Pat Prosek, Arline Reimann, Anna Rochester, Glen Rogers, Noel Sandino, Liz Schiff, Dana Seeger, Anita Seltzer, Roxanne Sexauer, Susan Silvester, Robynn Smith, Maryly Snow, Herlinde Spahr, Bethia Stone, Toru Sugita, Jami Taback, Susan Tibbon, Susan Trubow, Frances Valesco, Summer Ventis, Katherine Venturelli, Sandy Walker, Sylvia Walters, Katherine Warinner, Melissa West, Donna Westerman, Monica Wiesblott, Nanette Wylde, Linda Yoshizawa, and Dana Zed.
Extraction: Response to the Changing World Environment
Sanchez Art Center
Pacifica, California
July 16–August 15, 2021
Reception: July 16, 7–9pm (please check the Sanchez website for updates on this event)
Exhibition catalog
California Society of Printmakers (CSP) is pleased to continue our participation in the global art phenomenon, Extraction: Art at the Edge of the Abyss with the second exhibition in our series on this theme, Extraction: Response to the Changing World Environment at the Sanchez Art Center in Pacifica, California. Believing artists can be messengers and have purpose through recording world events, CSP is inspired to create this forum to express our diverse perspectives through various printmaking techniques. Many of our members currently work on environmentally conscious subjects in their practice. At this time even more are called to join this conversation by recent challenging events. This exhibition provides a platform for our members to artistically communicate concerns about the future of our changing world environment.
Participating Artists Include: Kelly Autumn, Karen Baden Thapa, Erica Barajas, Sandra Beard, Bonnie Randall Boller, Robert Brokl, Megan Broughton, Donna W Brown, Jen Cole, Cathie Crawford, Donna Day Westerman, Holly Downing, Peter Foley, Karen Gallagher Iverson, Hj Mooij, Rozanne Hermelyn Di Silvestro, Sandra Kelch, Joanna Kidd, Evelyn Klein, Danguole Rita Kuolas, Kent Manske, Mary V. Marsh, Adrienne Momi, Barbara Nilsson, Margaret Niven, Janis O’Driscoll, Marilet Pretorius, Anna Rochester, Luz Marina Ruiz, Sherry Smith, Maryly Snow, Sylvia Solochek Walters, Toru Sugita, Colleen Sullivan, Jami Taback, Susan Trubow, Summer Ventis, Monica Wiesblott, Michelle Wilson, and Nanette Wylde.
TRACES of Print Day in May
June 15–September 15, 2021
View Exhibition
Print Day in May and the California Society of Printmakers are pleased to announce TRACES of Print Day in May, an online exhibition of prints highlighting artwork made during Print Day in May 2020–2021.
Traces are marks, features, trails and tracks. To trace is to discover, pursue, find and track. The history of humanity can be traced through artists, their marks, pursuits, recordings and questions.
The Jurors:
Liz Chalfin, Founder Zea Mays Printmaking, Florence Massachusetts, USA
Raymond Arnold, Founder LARQ, Tasmania, Australia
Yamilys Brito Jorge, Director Taller Experimental de Grafica, Havana, Cuba
Searching For Meaning, an exhibition of the global art intervention, Extraction: Art at the Edge of the Abyss
Gallery Route One
Point Reyes Station, California
April 3–May 9, 2021
Exhibition catalog
This exhibition explores climate change and the impacts of extracting resources from the earth not only on the global ecosystem but also human ecology. As humans navigate this new changing world environment, we find ourselves searching for meaning. Juror, Dana Harris Seeger asks “If we can create the meaning that we all search for, how will we exemplify that? What will it look like?”
Participating Artists Include: Rhiannon Alpers, Arturo Araujo, Megan Broughton, Israel Campos, Jen Cole, Holly Downing, Beth Fein, Barbara Foster, Lola Fraknoi, Karen Gallagher-Iverson, Susan Howe, Joanna Kidd, Evelyn Klein, Danguole Rita Kuolas, Kent Manske, Mary V. Marsh, Hj Mooij, Margaret Niven, Janis O’Driscoll, Michael O’Shea, Luz Marina Ruiz, Robynn Smith, Maryly Snow, Jane Springwater, Jack Stone, Jami Taback, Summer Ventis, Donna Westerman, Millie Whipplesmith Plank, Nanette Wylde, Linda Yoshizawa.
View the artwork here.
Gallery Route One is currently open for in person gallery visits!
Thursday–Sunday, 11 am–5 pm.
11101 Highway One, Ste. 1101, Point Reyes Station, California 94956
Please visit Gallery Route One website before traveling for up-to-date information on open hours and restrictions.
Scheduled Virtual Events: join link will be posted at Gallery Route One
Virtual Opening Reception
April 3, 2021, 3–4pm
Please join Gallery Route One for an introduction to the three exhibitions on view in their galleries. California Society of printmakers president, Jami Taback and juror, Dana Harris Seeger will be present to introduce Searching For Meaning and answer questions from attendees.
Printmakers in Conversation: Searching for Meaning in Our Changing World Environment.
May 2, 2021, 4:30–6pm
Please join the artists in Searching For Meaning and juror, Dana Harris Seeger for a conversation about the selected work on view.
2020
CSP 106th Annual Exhibition
Piedmont Center for the Arts
801 Magnolia Avenue in Piedmont, California
November 14–February 27, 2021
Exhibition Online Gallery Walkthrough and Artwork
Participating artists include: Dalia Alekna, Rhiannon Alpers, Shunsuke Ando, Marty Azevedo, Katherine Baca-Bielinis, Peter Baczek, Karen BadenThapa, Erica Barajas, Sandra Beard, Joan Dix Blair, Laurie Blessen, Bonnie Randall Boller, Noah Breuer, Meri Brin, Donna Brown, Jen Cole, Babette Cooijmans, Hélène Paulette Côté, Cathie Crawford, Brett Day, Kate Deak, Shari Arai DeBoer, Holly Downing, Beth Fein, Barbara Foster, Linda Lee, Fribley Betty Friedman, Karen Gallagher Iverson, Alisa Golden, Nikolas Soren Goodich, Kevin Harris, Corrine Hatt, Rozanne Hermelyn Di Silvestro, Maj-Britt Hilstrom, Susan L. Howe, Gail Jacobs, Sandra Kelch, Joanna Kidd, Sarah Klein Danguole, Rita Kuolas, Geneviève L’Heureux, Jill Landau, Dixie Laws, Carol Brent Levin, Katherine Levin-Lau, Mary V. Marsh, Robin McCloskey, Stephanie Mercado, Sharon Augusta Mitchell, Hj Mooij, Barbara Morris, Lian Ng, Barbara Nilsson, Margaret Niven, Michael O’Shea, Pat Prosek, Cynthia Rand-Thompson, Anna Rochester, Ashley Rodriguez Reed, Aslı Sağlam, Noël Sandino, Liz Schiff, Anita Seltzer, Susan Silvester, Robert Simons, Maryly Snow, Herlinde Spahr, Alice M. Stern, Bethia Stone, Jack Stone, Mel Strawn, Toru Sugita, Laurie Szujewska, Jami Taback, Elizabeth Tana, Nikki Thompson, Susan Tibbon, Susan Trubow, Frances Valesco, Kim Vanderheiden, Summer Ventis, Katherine Venturelli, Lila Wahrhaftig, Sylvia Solochek Walters, Donna Westerman, Monica Wiesblott, Sara Woodburn, Helen H. Wu, Kamil Zaleski, Dana Zed.
First Impressions
Davis Arts Center Tsao Gallery
January 9–24, 2020
The California Society of Printmakers returns to Davis Arts Center presenting the exhibition First Impressions. The exhibition includes 30 artists and features a wide range of printmaking techniques, from traditional processes to more experimental methods (including books and other 3d work). First Impressions refers to the first image pulled in the printmaking processes. Printmaking uses pressure applied with a press or by hand, to impress ink onto paper or another support. The exhibition title also refers to deeper themes examined by the artists. Some work, such as The First Contact by Shunsuke Ando and Aslı Sağlam’s Old Dreams in Present Tense show the “first impression” of meeting with a stranger. Sandy Walker’s Birth Image was created following the birth, and first meeting, of his daughter. While these artists explore first impressions of in-person encounters, Rozanne Hermelyn Di Silvestro looks at social media as a new source of first impressions. She observes that “For many today, online communication is a substitute for face-to-face interactions. While sitting behind a screen, you can shape how others perceive you and create an alternate impression of an identity you aspire to.” Other artists, like Ashley Rodriguez Reed and Sharon Augusta Mitchell, document first encounters with nature. Mitchell’s Nocturne was inspired by an unexpected encounter with a graceful Luna moth. She states, “Having never seen one, I was struck by its extraordinary beauty”. Bob Brokl and Helene Paulette Cote take inspiration from images and impressions discovered in their travels.
Many prints, like Sandra Beard‘s Sidewalks, show the artist’s first reaction to politics and current events. Donna Brown’s Stand Together reflects on her experience of a 2018 Women’s March; Kent Manske’s book Between the Burner’s responds to the “bizarre circus” of the 2016 presidential primaries; Maryly Snow’s Tangled Climate is a reaction to climate change; and Jami Taback’s At the Border responds to the separation of families. Nikki Thompson’s artist book Dodger Blues relates the ‘first impressions’ of a softball player, which include gender issues and “her first experience with the sexism of co-ed softball”.
Anna Rochester’s Market Aerial View explores what can be seen when one looks beyond a first impression. At first, the crowd at a market place seems to be nothing more than “stochastic movement, meaningless chaos. Only patient observation reveals an organic rise and ebb, the joy in togetherness, never explicitly voiced, but underlying each exchange.” Joanna Kidd’s Flower Creatures also challenge the viewer to look beyond the first impression. At first, the work appears to be about three-dimensional flowers that are pressed down to two dimensions to preserve a soft, pretty, and faded memory. Upon closer inspection these soft creatures, like the human relationships they represent, can also have teeth and claws.
While many works explore the theme of a first encounter, or the reaction to an experience or situation, others relate to the more literal “first impression” that is part of the printmaking process. Printmakers apply ink to a matrix, such as a wood, metal, or plexiglass plate and then transfer this ink onto paper. This process can allow for rich spontaneity and unexpected surprises as well as the careful and controlled development of a image over time. Katherine Venurelli’s etchings Circles of My Mind exemplify this process of development. For Venturelli, the “first impression” that is printed from an etching plate is just the beginning of a journey. She states, “It can take weeks, months, and sometimes years to finish a print work. Many times, the print morphs into a third dimension such as one of my artist books.” On view in the exhibition are the first state (“impression”) of the print and the fifth and final state, after the plate had been altered and reworked many times. Nanette Wylde and Laurie Szujewska also rework old prints into new images. Szujewska takes words printed with letterpress and reworks them into new collages where “language has become meaningless as content and is reborn as pure form”. Wylde took prints from throughout her career and used them to create the artist’s book Remembrance III. In this process she was “intrigued that juxtaposing diverse imagery facilitates the creation of new narratives”.
For Barbara Nilsson, each impression of the printing process provides another layer of color and texture. Nilsson “sees the world in layers. Layers upon layers of color, texture, sights and emotions … It is the impression of these layers that are reflected in Crossroads Atlas allowing one to see the layers of life around us”. Other artists revel in the spontaneity and surprise of the printmaking process. Susan Silvester explains that the startled expressions of the foxes in her mixed media print Startled!! mirror the artist’s own feeling of surprise upon first printing the work. The combination of different printmaking techniques often leads to unexpected results, which are only discovered as the work is printed. Betty Friedman explains, “The first impression and revelation is what keeps this process interesting”.
The California Society of Printmakers (CSP) is an international organization that promotes the practice and appreciation of contemporary fine art printmaking. The goal is to support the integrity of traditional printmaking while providing a home for artists exploring new directions in contemporary print methods. To that end, the CSP organizes exhibitions of membersʼ artwork, artist talks, demos, lectures, artist residencies and an annual journal publication. CSP is the oldest printmaking organization in the nation. Originally founded in 1912 as the California Society of Etchers, it reflected a surge of printmaking activity during the early part of the century. In 1968 the California Society of Etchers merged with the Bay Area Printmakers to form the present CSP. For more information visit caprintmakers.org.
The exhibition features the work of: Shunsuke Ando, Sandra Beard, Robert Brokl, Donna Brown, Hélène Paulette Côté, Christopher M. Dewees, Betty Friedman, Karen Gallagher-Iverson, Rozanne Hermelyn Di Silvestro, Susan L. Howe, Debra Jewell, Joanna Kidd, Dixie Laws, Kent Manske, Sharon Augusta Mitchell, Barbara Nilsson, Anna Rochester, Ashley Rodriguez Reed, Luz Marina Ruiz & Debbie Koppman, Aslı Sağlam, Susan Silvester, Maryly Snow, Herlinde Spahr, Laurie Szujewska, Jami Taback, Nikki Thompson, Katherine Venturelli, Sandy Walker, Sylvia Solochek Walters, Nanette Wylde and Kamil Zaleski.
