Acknowledgements
Since 1984 the Smith College Print Workshop has been a vital part of the practical teaching of printmaking at Smith College. The workshops introduce students to new ideas and techniques as well as giving them access to leading artists and printers and hands-on experience in the creation of an editioned print.
A successful workshop is one during which students learn, the public feels welcome, the artist is comfortable enough to be open and creative, and the printer has all the support needed to do the job. While these goals are simple, the execution often isn’t, and it takes an enormous amount of energy on the part of everyone involved to produce just the right environment. Untold numbers of people—staff, volunteers, students, community members, and members of the administration—have made the Smith College Print Workshops successful, and I would like to thank them for their important contributions to the program.
The support of my colleagues in the art department has always been an essential part of the program, and I am particularly grateful to emeritus Professor of Art Gary Niswonger for assistance during the early workshops. Technical Assistants Mark Zunino (1996-2007), Lauren Bennett (2007-2013), Andrew Maurer (2013-2015) and Liz Bannish (2015-present) have all played an invaluable role in the success of the workshops during their tenure. Daniel Bridgman has provided essential aid with digital technology since 1996. The Jerene Appleby Harnish Bequest supplied the financial resources that made the workshops possible from 1984 to 1996. As print sales grew, and with a special gift from the Harnish family in 1996, a trust fund was established at Smith College to insure the permanence of the Print Workshop program.
Special thanks to my wife, Connie Pogue, for assisting in innumerable activities to make each workshop a success. From the beginning of the workshop, the art department and museum of art have collaborated on making this a successful program. Former curators Christine Swenson and Ann H. Sievers provided vital assistance during their years at Smith. Sievers served as Workshop Co-Director from 1986 to 2000, providing crucial support during the bulk of the workshop’s years of operation. Print and Drawing curator Aprile Gallant joined the workshop in 2001 as Co-Director and organized a highly successful twenty-year anniversary exhibition of the print workshop at the Smith College Museum of Art.
Janice Carlson Oresman, Smith class of 1955, has been a strong supporter of the workshops from the beginning. In addition to finding welcome homes for prints produced during the Workshops, she has been instrumental in suggesting artists and in promoting interest in printmaking at Smith.
All the master printers we have worked with have been superb in collaborating with the artists and highly skilled in their craft. Maurice Sanchez, in particular, has become an important contributor to the graphic arts program at Smith College. During his many workshops Maurice has always taken time to help Smith students with their printing questions and problems, and in addition he has sponsored internships and written recommendations for aspiring Smith printers. His inventive approach to printmaking has influenced my own teaching, and he has proved to be valuable as both a colleague and a resource.
Dwight Pogue
Professor, Department of Art
Founder-Director of the Smith College Print Workshop