The Bradbury Art Museum opened its Delta National Small Prints Exhibition, an annual competition in which printmakers from across the world participate. It was created to be a resource for printmaking students and instructors to view professional works and develop their own creativity and ideas. 

The prints use a variety of techniques, including wood and metal engraving. Alongside traditional prints, the DNSPE also allows photos to be entered, as the exhibition prioritizes the actual image over the technique. They encourage unusual compositions and approaches regardless of the medium. According to a statement issued by the Bradbury Art Museum:

“(It) allows and encourages artists to push the limits of printmaking and creatively express themselves in new and revolutionary ways.”

The works are reviewed by a juror, with this year’s being Miranda Metcalf, who hosts the contemporary printmaking podcast “Hello, Print Friend.” Metcalf was also a director of the Davidson Galleries in Seattle for five years and now works with Cicada Press. She narrowed down the original 200 entries to 52, judging based on a piece’s aesthetics and technique. 

“It was deeply rewarding to see all of the submissions and to connect with printmakers around the world via their art,” Metcalf said in her juror’s essay. 

This is the exhibition’s 26th year. It was founded in 1996 by Evan Lindquist and has grown over the years into one of the country’s foremost print competitions. 

The Bradbury Art Museum is free and open to the public, rotating exhibits every few months. With people able to freely access the museum, the DNSPE brings attention to printmaking and shares each artist’s work and story. 

“In Northeast Arkansas we have very limited cultural resources,” said Samantha Mitchell, an educator at the Bradbury Art Museum. “That’s what we really like about the Bradbury Art Museum and we are just trying to increase our visibility within the community.”

The winners of the competition have their works purchased by the museum and added to its personal collection. Other artists receive merit awards. The 2022 DNSPE will be compiled into a yearly catalog to allow people to continue to view works even after the exhibition ends. 

In his piece titled “Undocumented,” which won the Dr. Mitzi Scotten Purchase Award, artist Carlos Barderena sought to bring attention to the suffering of undocumented immigrants during COVID-19. Robert Creighton’s piece, “Balancing Act,” won the Chucki Bradbury Art Purchase Award and depicts his relationships with the people he has met across his life. Other winning pieces illustrated coping with past trauma, feminism, appreciation of the natural world and more. 

The DNSPE opened Feb. 17 and will run until March 30. Viewing hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Categories: News