Ink This!  Contemporary Print Arts in  the Northwest

June 7–October 19, 2014

Explore the Thriving and Diverse World
of Print Arts in the Northwest

Block, stone, monotype, chine collé: learn the meaning of these printmaking terms and more at Ink This! featuring approximately 85 works of art and dozens of talented Northwest print artists.

Works in the exhibition showcase a wide variety of printmaking techniques, from time-honored processes such as etching and lithography through installation and digital media. It includes letterpress artists (those that use hand-set type and block-cut imagery to create a variety of works) and artists who hand make books that are in essence small sculptures built to showcase images and artistic techniques.

Artists in the exhibition are at all stages in their careers and work in varied environments from fine art presses to collaborative print shops and individual studios.  Reflecting this surprising variation of creative technique and tools, the exhibition seeks to question the definition of “print” in contemporary art practice, and how that definition is challenged as artists push the boundaries of the medium.

Print arts have long enjoyed a strong tradition in the Northwest art scene. Print arts are as indicative of the Pacific Northwest’s artistic identity as salmon and microbrew are identified with regional food culture.

“The contemporary print arts community in the Northwest is both lively and varied, and incredibly supportive of individual expression,” says curator Margaret Bullock, sharing her enthusiasm about the show. “While working on this exhibition I got to see etchings that could have been made centuries ago alongside works that combine printmaking with new technology and everything in between. I hope that Ink This! will surprise, excite, and inspire while honoring the creativity and enthusiasm that make the print arts a rich and vital part of the Northwest art community.”

Honoring another longstanding Northwest tradition, Tacoma Art Museum collaborated with Harmon Brewing Company in Tacoma to craft a signature seasonal ale, amusingly named drINK THIS. The white IPA is sold in 20 ounce bottles in the museum’s café, Relish and at Harmon restaurants.