Victoria Beck, Caffeine, 24.5" x 18", Lithograph, 2016

On view: Oct. 25 - Dec. 17

Gallery hours:  Tues. - Fri, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This impressive exhibition features Kutztown University student prints from 1987 to 2019, a permanent part of the university's art collection. Professor of Printmaking Evan Summer saved high-quality student prints from his courses prior to his retirement in 2019. With the support of grants, Summer and Assistant Professor Leslie Friedman were able to preserve and exhibit approximately 200 pieces. The first exhibition, organized by Frontline Arts, features about 35 selected prints. These works of art reflect the university’s excellent courses in drawing, printmaking, painting, and design. Among the exhibited works are pieces by Frontline Arts' former executive director​, Rachel Heberling​, and current and former instructors.

Rachel Heberling, Dead, 24" x 18", Etching, 2006

A message from Evan Summer, Professor of Printmaking at Kutztown University, 1984 -1985 and 1987 - 2019:

I’m happy to see these student prints become part of the permanent art collection of Kutztown University. I wanted to share with you how this print collection came into existence. As the Professor of Printmaking, I saved high quality student prints at the end of each semester. These prints were selected from two courses -- Introduction to Printmaking and Printmaking Studio, the advanced course that could be repeated. My intention was to borrow these for one semester for exhibitions around campus, but many were never picked up. In addition, there were class portfolios and a few prints by faculty members and visiting artists who worked in the Kutztown University printmaking studio. 

I retired in 2019 and left these prints in flat files at the university. After I left, Leslie Friedman was hired to teach printmaking courses and found all these prints, many of which were truly outstanding. Covid came shortly after and delayed any action on the prints. Tracking down past students and returning the prints would have been almost impossible.

Joe Giunta, Untitled, 17.5" x 12", Etching, 2010

It was suggested that the prints could be given to interested students or sold cheaply to fund current students going to printmaking conferences. I felt the prints were very good and should be kept together as a collection. Others agreed, and the project was supported by a Strategic Initiative Grant from Kutztown University and the Marlin and Regina Miller Gallery of Kutztown University.

I felt that it was important to keep the works at the University. Leslie and I went through them and selected about 200, although most exhibition spaces can only accommodate a small fraction of that number. We received a grant from the University to preserve and exhibit them. About 35 were selected by the staff at Frontline Arts for the first exhibition of this collection.

While these prints were from my classes, students benefitted from excellent teaching in drawing, painting and design courses.

There are many other people who deserve thanks for this project, from student workers to the president of the university. I’m listing them in alphabetical order:

Lorin Basden Arnold, Leslie Friedman, Joy Gonzalez, Ann Marie Hayes-Hawkinson, Kenneth Hawkinson, Rachel Heberling, Madison Jackson, Lindsey Knipe, Angelina Nguyen, Bradley Shope, Karen Stanford, Julia Sweeney, Kath Yarkosky, Hadley Yates
 

Devon Stackonis, Betrayal of Bedsheets, Mezzotint, 2018