The 28th Delta National Small Prints Exhibition (DNSPE) showcases artists from around the world alongside a solo exhibition by the juror. 

Ann Prentice Wagner, museum director at Bradbury Art Museum (BAM), said this exhibition features prominent artists and “up-and-comers,” which keeps BAM on the “cutting edge of printmaking.” 

She said DNSPE is recognized as an important show among printmakers around the country. 

“This is what people think about in the wider art world when they think about (A-State),” Wagner said. “We get really top quality work that we hope will inspire and connect with local artists, local collectors and people who just like art, who just want to come out and see it, all sorts of people on campus and the wider community.”

Yuji Hiratsuka, who picked out the art in the show, displayed his solo collection, Retro Urban Portraits, with DNSPE at BAM. Hiratsuka has been involved with DNSPE since its first show in 1996. 

“He’s been a real staple and just a fabulous artist born in Japan but has lived most of his life in Oregon. He’s retired from teaching these days but still doing wonderful art,” Wagner said, “He’s such a great symbol of the fact that this is not just a local or regional show. It’s really a national or international show.” 

Cody Scrivner, adjunct instructor of print, said he enjoyed the show because of its display of printmaking techniques. 

He said he knew of this show before moving to Jonesboro. 

“Especially since Arkansas doesn’t have a huge print presence, but this is one of largest print shows in the South, so for this to be here in Jonesboro of all places I think is amazing,” he said. 

Scrivner said his favorite print in the show is “Portrait of Elle Denyer: Dis*Cord” by Mark Sisson because of its unique approach to relief. 

He also appreciated the techniques used to make “Configuration” by Adriane Berris. This print used mesh fabric to achieve its texture, which Scrivner said he had never seen before. 

“Printers, within the art world, they’re kind of like alchemists. We all keep in our little corner doing our own things, like experimenting and figuring things out,” he said. 

Jaiden Pense, a senior studio art major from Bryant, Arkansas, said she does not typically use graphic mediums but enjoyed seeing how the artists in the show used them. 

She said her favorite piece was “Elevation” by Shelley Gipson, who taught art at A-State for 20 years. 

“I really liked the one that they put in that was Shelley’s because I had Shelley as a professor and she passed away last year. So it’s really nice that they’ve made some room to put her in there,” Pense said. 

Wagner said BAM dedicated this year’s show to Gipson and Evan Lindquist, who taught art at A-State for 40 years and designed the first DNSPE show. 

“Unfortunately this year is somewhat of a sad occasion for us,” Wagner said. “I did know Evan Lindquist. Unfortunately, I never got to meet Shelly Gipson but she is somebody loved and respected on this campus in this area. Evan Lindquist died so close to the printing of the catalog that we weren’t in a position to update the catalog. So, we did a memorial extra page that we’ve tucked into all the catalogs.”

BAM will host artist talks at 2 p.m. Feb. 6. This event will feature three artists from DNSPE: Somayeh Faal, Anthony TungNing Huang and Grace Russell. 

BAM is open Tuesday through Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. DNSPE will close Feb. 28. 

“There’s so much you can see online these days. But in person, you will see the art here at the Bradbury like no place else, no other way,” Wagner said. 

Anna Cox, sports editor, contributed to this report. 

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