The Printmakers from Queen's Tamara Sponder, Dean Hamann, Yuen Ling Chiu, Panayot Nedialkov Dimitrov, Min Shin, Genna Kusch, Lindsy Haynes, Sybel Hartman, Katie Strang, Amee Sawyer, Kevin Bishop, Kimberly Armstrong, Katherine Poy, Kyle Topping January 22 - March 13, 2011 Curated by Otis Tamasauskas, this show features large-scale woodcut prints by emerging artist students from the Bachelor of Fine Art program at Queen’s University in Kingston. Otis, who has taught printmaking at Queen’s since 1980, chose works created by fourth-year printmaking students during their annual Mill Project and Gravity Press Residency in North Adams, Massachusetts. Each year, Queens students participate in this residency housed in the Contemporary Artist Center, a 30,000 square-foot, renovated industrial mill building, which has been adapted for use as artist studios and living accommodations and has one of the largest artist printing presses in North America. “Our students thrive in this space, which gives them the freedom to develop their visual work in creative areas not possible at the Queen’s Department of Art,” says Otis. Students actualize ideas as large-scale works that challenge our notions of perceptual space and draw out the visual energy of materials. Time spent in the residency allows students to revitalize their conceptual aspirations, develop their work and explore new aesthetic options. They also have the opportunity to participate in CAC programs, including studio and museum visits, workshops, demonstrations and artists’ lectures. Over the years the artworks produced during these residencies have been exhibited around Canada, creating a strong reputation for Queen’s University’s students and its visual arts program. “Many students have polarized their decision to become visual artists through this experience and continue in careers of cultural pursuit,” according to Otis. “Due to the monumental size of the woodcut images selected for this exhibition, my first inclination was to call it ‘Timber,’ in reference to the yell of the lumberjack as a large tree is dropped. The Teutonic word actually means building material, similar to the art student’s use of ‘timber’ in how one builds and creates their imagery and ideas. The process involved requires strenuous handwork, considerable expenditure of time, and an engagement with tradition. Once a Grey County citizen myself, I am aware of the history and deep sense of identification with wood many in the area folks possess. A very rich resonance of this is felt in the town of Durham. I felt the large woodcut images would reinforce these ideas and conditions.” The woodcut is technically the most primitive and most robust of all the manual printmaking processes. It requires strength of arm and hand and is richest in stylistic problems. The form exerts an irresistible attraction for those artists who wish to avoid being facile. The viewer gets a sense from this exhibition of the need artists have to express themselves, when and how their talent demands, working with their hands. The sheer power of the woodcut imagery, in this exhibition is not easy to ignore. Two short films about the Mill Project and Gravity Press Residency will be available for viewing. Otis Tamasauskas is one of Canada’s most innovative printmakers and a leading exponent of this art form. For a number of years he lived in Priceville where he printed and collaborated with many artists, including fellow printmakers and painters. In the summer of 2000 the Durham Art Gallery presented an exhibition of his work curated by Jane Garland. Otis was Master Printer and Director of Etching at Open Studio in Toronto and has taught printmaking at McMaster University in Hamilton (1978 to 1980), Scarborough College, University of Toronto (1978 to 1983), and Queen’s University in Kingston (1980 to present).

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