This summer, Wayne Center for the Arts (WCA) received a very special (and large!) delivery! Thanks to the Robert and Esther Black Family Fund of the Richland County Foundation, WCA is expanding its printmaking program with a new printing press.
Darcy Haynes, Visual Art & Outreach Coordinator at WCA, has been building a print program for the past two years. She says, “I saw a need in the community for a printmaking program, classes, and access to a press.”
The printing press, nick-named “Willard,” is a Concord C-25 Combination Press. Willard is versatile and can print everything from linoleum, wood, copper, to harder surfaces like limestone. In addition, the press has micro-gauges which allow for precise pressure when printing.
WCA was also pleased to welcome Ricki Denes to the team this year. She is a recent graduate from Ashland University, receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts and Art Education degree in 2022 and has vast experience in printing. Denes has been enthusiastically teaching printmaking classes and helping with summer camps. “The kids used the press for fabric prints and more. It is so fun to help them spin the wheel and create their own pieces of artwork!” says Denes.
Classes utilizing the new press are currently underway, but a grand public reveal is being planned for the Fall Festival on October 7th. At that time, the Looney Gallery will be filled with a special show titled “Other People’s Prints” featuring printed artwork from 10 talented Ohio printmakers. Denes and Baldwin Wallace intern, Claire Bond, worked for months curating this exhibit. “We are excited to host this exhibition to give the community a glimpse into the art of print. This gallery is designed to showcase a variety of techniques and innovations in printmaking.” says Bond.
During the Fall Festival scheduled for October 7th, the public can also see the new press being demonstrated and create a piece to take home. There are also plans to expand access to the printing press to the community. Artists who wish to make prints of their work will be able to buy a membership to use the press during designated hours.
In conjunction with the opening of the “Other People’s Prints” exhibit in the Looney Gallery, the Gault Gallery will also feature a special exhibit. The annual 6×6 exhibit brings together local artists, designers, community members of all ages to fill the gallery walls with hundreds of captivating “6x 6” artworks. Each artwork is priced at just $20, with $10 benefiting the Wayne Center for the Arts and $10 going back to the artist. The exhibit will also open on October 7th during the Fall Festival, but the community can get involved right away by creating 6 inch x 6 inch pieces of art to submit starting September 18th.