A Year-End Message from Washington Print Club President Christopher With
At the outset, I sincerely thank every Washington Print Club member for their resilience, flexibility, and on-going support of the Washington Print Club during these pandemic months. Regardless of the vicissitudes, the membership has remained consistent and steadfast.
Although much of the year has necessitated virtual educational programs, the Washington Print Club had hoped to pivot to in-person events by the end of the year. To a limited degree, that aspiration proved correct. The Club did host four in-person programs: a visit to the home of collectors Juanita and Mel Hardy; a curator led tour of “Print Culture and the Arts in Genoa” at the National Gallery of Art; and, an exhibition overview of “Pyramid Atlantic at 40” led by Pyramid Atlantic’s founder, Helen Frederick, and a visit to the Terzo Piano Gallery for a conversation with Helen Frederick about her retrospective exhibition.
Although the rest of the year’s educational programs were virtual, the silver-lining is the increased attendance; wider recognition of the Washington Print Club; and, the potential to attract new members. These on-line offerings naturally grouped themselves into three distinct categories: commercial art galleries (Dolan-Maxwell in Philadelphia and Galerie Myrtis in Baltimore); discussions with artists (Lou Stovall; Helen Frederick; and, a conversation between Adjoa Burrows and Gail Shaw-Clemons, moderated by writer and artist Sheila Crider); and local art museums (the Smithsonian’s American Art Museum exhibition “Sargent, Whistler, and Venetian Glass”; and the National Gallery of Art show “Aquatint: From Its Origins to Goya.”). Two other Zoom programs featured a discussion on estate planning for collectors with lawyer Michael Salb; and, a personal tour of the collection of independent curator, Dr. Laura Roulet.
Beyond educational programing, the pandemic interruption provided the board the necessary time to review the existing by-laws. Unchanged since 2002, the by-laws were reviewed, rewritten, and updated. Now, they are not only current, but also in compliance with prevailing best practice standards.
The design, layout, and choice of articles in On Paper are astonishing and worthy of the best niche publications. This acclaim is due to the tireless efforts and keen eye of its editor in chief, Lorena Bradford. Articles in the Spring and Fall issues ran the gamut from discussions of artists (Francisco Goya; Beatrice Levy; Watanabe Seitei, and Sarah Breyer]; to exhibition reviews [the Academy Art Museum) and discussions/reviews [art as activism; “Women Behaving Badly;’ and, the New Artists’ Fine Print Collection Research Guides at the Library of Congress].
On June 12 the Washington Print Club held its annual membership appreciation event and business meeting. As in previous years, it was conducted virtually. The list of new and returning board members was approved, the Club’s financial status declared solvent, and the annual Printmakers Award was presented. The winner was Jeanette Bolden, a student at the University of Maryland. In addition to a $1,000.00 prize, a selection of her prints were reproduced on the front and back covers of the Fall, 2021, issue of On Paper. Also, an interview with Ms. Bolden was published in the pages of the issue. (An example of Ms. Bolden’s work is above.)
Although the old adage maintains the more things change, the more they stay the same, this is not true for the retirement of long time board members Herb and Joan Cooper. For years they were the proverbial glue holding the Club together. Herb served both as editor of the newsletter and creator and web master of the Washington Print Club web site. Joan served as membership chair overseeing membership renewals; the distribution of the monthly program bulletin; and, the organization and execution of the yearly membership appreciation event. Their insights, dedication, and institutional memory will be missed.
As I write this letter, I learn that Herbert Franklin has passed away. A lover of architecture, gardening, and music, he also was one of the founders of the Washington Print Club in 1964. Thanks to this vision and foresight, the Print Club has prospered and grown to become the healthy and vital community of like-minded print enthusiasts it is today.
In that spirit, I remind everyone that membership keeps the Club operational and allows you to take advantage of all the programs and events offered throughout the year. So, please be sure to renew your membership. It is quick and easy and can be done directly on-line using the Club’s new and user-friendly web site. Further, a gentle reminder that gift memberships make wonderful holiday gifts. Please direct all inquiries about dues or other membership related questions to the membership chair, Nancy Hirshbein.
Once again, I thank you for your continued belief in the Washington Print Club and in its mission and programs. On behalf of the entire board, I also wish you a safe, happy, and healthy holiday season.
Sincerely,
Christopher With, president
The Washington Print Club
Members’ Priority Registration:
The New Woman Behind the Camera with NGA Curator Andrea Nelson
Wednesday, January 12, 11:00am
Via Zoom
Please join us for an online conversation with NGA curator Andrea Nelson about the exhibition The New Woman behind the Camera. Featuring more than 120 international photographers, the exhibition explores the diverse “new women” who embraced photography as a mode of professional and personal expression from the 1920s to the 1950s. The New Woman Behind the Camera reveals the significant impact women have had on the history of modern photography.
When registering for the program, please keep in mind that registrations are per device, not per person. No matter how many participants you have, so long as you are using one device, you need only register for one person.
Alma Thomas, Breeze Rustling Through Fall Flowers, 1968
Members’ Priority Registration
The Art of Alma Thomas: A Persistent
Search for Beauty with Howard University Professor Gwendolyn H. Everett
Friday, January 14, 11:00am
Via Zoom
Alma W. Thomas is most known for her large-scale abstract paintings that celebrate nature, astronomical phenomena, and space travel. Thomas’s career is also marked by several firsts-including first graduate of the newly formed Department of Art at Howard University and first African American woman artist to have a solo show at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Despite her many accolades, the artist remained firmly rooted in and aligned with the arts community in Washington, D.C. This lecture highlights Thomas’s impactful life as an arts educator, arts administrator, and innovative abstractionist in the city she called home.
Washington Print Club Memberships
Make a Great Gift
Are you looking for a last-minute holiday gift for the art lovers in your life? Why not give them a Washington Print Club membership? There are no supply chain hold-ups! Your recipient will receive a welcome email and a copy of the latest edition of On Paper accompanied by a personalized card. Please contact Membership chair Nancy Hirshbein for more information.
Save the Date
February 2, 2022, an in-person, members-only program with National Gallery of Art curator Shelley Langdale and paper conservator Amy Hughes discussing the work of Jasper Johns. (Jasper Johns is the subject of a two-venue retrospective, “Jasper Johns: Mind/Mirror,” on view at the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Philadelphia Museum of Art until February 13.)