National Print Competition

Janet Turner National Print Competition Exciting new works by national, independent printmakers— both established and emerging artists— will be on display at the 8th National Janet Turner Print Competition Exhibition, January 26– February 19, 2010, at both The Turner, Meriam Library, and the University Art Gallery, Taylor Hall. Some of the exhibited prints will be for sale.

The National Print Competition is a bi-annual event that takes a full year to produce. Submitted works are reviewed by a distinguished juror. This year’s juror is Ruth Weisberg, Dean of the University of Southern California Roski School of Fine Arts. Dean Weisberg selected sixty prints for exhibition from more than 600 entries. Three will be awarded purchase prizes and become part of the Turner permanent collection.

I believe Janet Turner, mentor and professor, would applaud the National Print Competition. Janet Turner used her collection of fine art prints as a teaching tool to both inspire and instruct her students about different approaches to printmaking. Referring to her collection, Turner herself wrote, “I bought as many styles and techniques as possible, regardless of the reputation of the artist, because, in teaching and printmaking, every new technique is interesting. I believe in teaching by example— offering different ideas and different styles to interest different students as opposed to teaching only one method and viewpoint.”

Weisberg is an accomplished artist, whose work— primarily painting, drawing and printmaking—is widely exhibited nationally and internationally. Dean Weisberg received her M.A. from the University of Michigan and her Laurea in Painting and Printmaking from the Academia di Belle Arti, Perugia, Italia.

She will give a public lecture about her art and printmaking at the Student Services Building on January 28th at 5:30 p.m. A reception follows at the museum from 6:30–8:00 p.m. Awards will be announced at 7:00 p.m.

Catherine Sullivan Curator, The Janet Turner Print Museum

Exhibition Statement: 8th Janet Turner National Print Competition and Exhibition

Welcome to the 8th Janet Turner National Print Competition and Exhibition. Begun in 1995 with the support of the Friends of the Turner Print Museum, this biannual celebration of the national art of printmaking is always a surprise. I hope the community will find value in this eclectic demonstration of printmaking concerns.

Important to the late Dr. Janet Turner was to know and collect the best of contemporary prints and honor their place in art history. For that reason the collection spans six centuries and at least forty countries. Because she cared so much for her students’ ability to have direct contact with content, innovation and technical advances, she would be most interested in the juror’s selected artists.

Outside a major metropolitan area, it is important to make the collection relevant to contemporary concerns as well as view what current artists see as important content. Because this exhibition is national, through the juror’s acumen, we see a particular point of view as to the state of the art. Noted artist Ruth Weisberg, Dean of the Roski School of Fine Arts, University of Southern California viewed 634 prints from 208 artists to select exhibitions housed in two sites.

This exhibition, with the generous cooperation of the Department of Art and Art History and Jason Tannen, Curator of the University Art Gallery in Taylor Hall, gives us a more ample opportunity to peruse, contemplate and reflect on artistic intent, its relation to technique and the individual artistic voice.

I would like to thank collection manager Adria Crossen Davis, student staff Megan Moore, Erin Kelly, Casey Crowson, Jamie Candiff, Elizabeth Gross, Jessica Widel for more than a semester’s work in the production of this exhibition. Special thanks go to the Turner BOD for support, condition reporting, unpacking and the exhibition reception. Ongoing, the continued support of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts Dean Joel Zimbelman, Associate Dean Brooks Thorlaksson and their staff has given our program new opportunity.

The Jurors’ purchase awards are named for individuals that have provided long time support of the Turner Museum Program. The exhibition merit awards are not purchases, but honor the distinction the juror found in the exhibited prints.

Catherine Sullivan, Curator
Janet Turner Print Museum, CSU Chico
400 W. 1st. Street
Chico, CA 95929-0820
530-898-4476
csullivan@exchange.csuchico.edu

Spring 2010

Juror’s Statement: 8th Janet Turner National Print Competition and Exhibition, CSU, Chico

It was a great pleasure to jury the CSU Chico Janet Turner National Print Competition and Exhibition. I always learn so much about what printmakers around the country are doing from jurying national print exhibitions. I was clearly not making my selections based on a preference for a particular style or requisite subject matter. Instead it was a welcome opportunity to observe the creative output of a broad range of artists. I am always looking for both mastery as well as aesthetic choices that are appropriate to the medium and the content of the print. There is an emphasis on ‘deskilling’ in certain parts of the art world and a leveling of meaning. You will not find them here. This exhibition reflects a very high level of accomplishment by a select group of printmakers who are nationally active.

Ruth Weisberg
Dean, Roski School of Fine Arts
University of Southern California
Spring 2010