As we continue to persevere through these unprecedented times, our professors are finding innovative and virtual ways to achieve success! Jennifer Printz, assistant professor of drawing in the Department of Art + Art History is no exception. Recently, her work has been selected to be a part of exhibitions for the Jason McCoy Gallery in New York and the South Bend Museum of Art in Indiana. She has also gained international recognition with her artwork featured in the University of Lisbon in Portugal, all while organizing an elaborate virtual residency program with artists from all over the world.
“As an artist, I realized it was crucial for me to continue working,” said Printz. “My process is a quiet and meditative one, and I knew I could find solitude within it. That is what artists do. We work through challenging situations.”
Recently, the Jason McCoy Gallery posed a challenge to artists to create work that reflected the poem Correspondences from Charles Baudelaire’s Les Fleurs du mal. This was especially exciting for Printz as a lot of her work has been inspired by poetry, particularly Baudelaire’s. In response to the challenge, Printz’s piece, The Hard Edge, was created using graphite and Epson UltraChrome inks on antique paper, utilizing very precise lines and shading techniques.
Her other piece, Then There is Tension, pictured below, was created using these same shading techniques and materials. This piece, along with 12 others, was selected to be part of the “SOLACE” section of the South Bend Museum of Art’s first online exhibition, Making A Way. “The Making A Way exhibition is filled with many great artists who I have known and followed their work for a while,” adds Printz. “It was an honor to be selected to be part of that group especially when the museum selected one of my works for the announcement.”
Her achievements, however, did not end there. On an international scale, she was also interviewed and featured as part of an IGTV video series hosted by the University of Lisbon. The series included a five-minute drawing video and an interview with the director of the Ph.D. drawing program.
Furthermore, Printz was invited to participate in an international art research residency in drawing taking place in Paris alongside artists from all over the world. However, due to COVID-19, the event was postponed to 2021. Printz, inspired by conversations and discussions with other artists, saw the opportunity and organized a virtual residency along with the help and input from the Bakehouse Art Complex (in which she has a studio) and L’AIR Arts in Paris.
“Each artist was able to create a video in their home studio,” said Printz. “They submitted them to me, and then we were able to share them on social media. It was fabulous to see these artists’ spaces and hear about their processes. Some artists worked viewers through drawings and others shared important tips on materials.”
To view videos from the virtual residency program click here.
It is great to see our CARTA faculty/staff able to continue showcasing their work in the midst of these uncertain times! Congratulations to you, Professor Printz!
