Hundreds of vibrant, artistic prints were on display for people of the community to buy during the Print Palooza, a fundraising event held by the Printmaking Club at the Memphis College of Arts.
The club also gave tours of the art studios and demonstrations of different printmaking techniques on Saturday. “We want to involve the community with the Memphis College of Arts, specifically the printmaking department since it is a lesser known medium,†Kelli Laderer, 20, a printmaking and graphic design sophomore from Lacombe, Louisiana and the president of the Printmaking Club, said. “We also want to raise money for members to go to The Southern Graphics Council International Conference.â€
This event is a printmaking conference where students from all over the world can network, find jobs and internships, and apply for graduate schools.
“I’m going to look for internships and to participate in the print exchange,†Laderer said. “I get someone else’s work and they get mine, and we learn from the different techniques.â€
Maritza Davila, professor and head of the printmaking program, said the SGA Conference is a yearly event where students get to meet artists and learn more about graphic schools.
“They get to show their work, get materials and equipment, and watch demonstrations of printmaking methods. It helps students develop skills beyond school, and they come back excited and renewed about printmaking,†Davila said.
The prints from the sale were created by students from as far as 30 years ago.
“I had to make the choice to clear out these prints from the archives and I didn’t want to throw them out, so a student proposed to sell them,†Davila said. “That idea was brought to the club, and they ran with it.â€
The Printmaking Club is a way for students to get together outside of class, Joshua Strydom, 23, a printmaking and photography senior from Zimbabwe, said.
People from the community look through prints during the Print Palooza. The money raised during this event went to the Printmaking Club for members to attend the Southern Graphics Council International Conference.
“You can take a class in printmaking or join the club and learn printmaking techniques without taking a class,†Strydom said. “It allows you to become well-rounded in the arts and expands across majors.â€
Maritza Davila, professor and head of the printmaking department, demonstrates how to transfer prints during the tour. During the tour, people also learned about bookbinding and papermaking.
Cherilyn Kish, 20, a sophomore sculpture major from Kansas City, Missouri, said her sculpting classes clash with the printmaking classes.
“I can still learn about printmaking even though I can’t take the classes,†Kish said. “We don’t have Greek Life, so we focus on clubs where we get to explore more art mediums. We get together and do stuff for the community like raise money for businesses. It’s an awesome thing we have here.â€
As members of the community explored the studios, Laderer and Davila showed the different types of printmaking and how the processes work. Art students were working on different projects, like bookbinding and papermaking.
People from the community look through prints during the Print Palooza. The money raised during this event went to the Printmaking Club for members to attend the Southern Graphics Council International Conference.
Tania Cruz, 21, a printmaking sophomore, did a hands-on demonstration for the group.
“I love the process of printmaking,†Cruz said. “It takes a long time to get the perfect product. After multiple tries, when you get the final product, it’s like crossing the finish line of a marathon.â€
