Rio Students Present at National Art Conference

RIO GRANDE, Ohio – The Mid-American Print Council’s Biennial Conference held this past September in Detroit was a premiere gathering of some of the best professional and university artists who specialize in the print media.

Rubbing elbows among the industries finest were University of Rio Grande School of Fine Arts students Klaire Smith and Samantha Proffett.

“This is an incredible opportunity for me as a young artist. We made new friends and professional connections,” Smith said. “I talked to a number of professors about grad school. I hope to pursue a Masters of Fine Arts in printmaking after I finish at Rio. The conference really helped me understand how that could be a reality for me.”

Smith and Proffett attended the conference along with Rio Professor of Art Benjy Davies, a Mid-American Print Council member for more than 20 years. The students received support for the trip from the School of Fine Arts’ Helping Hands Fund.

Davies has taken numerous students to MAPC conferences throughout his tenure at Rio. Smith and Proffett were selected for numerous reasons, but their work on the Little River Print Project was the leading factor. The faculty-directed, student-run workshop creates fine art prints in collaboration with regional and national visiting artists.

“Sam and Klaire have worked on several initiatives and research projects with me in the visual arts, including serving as printers for visiting artists, investigating new materials and techniques and conducting their own research in studio practice as developing artists,” Davies said. “The next logical step in their education is connecting them to the larger print community at a national event.”

The MAPC conference is just one of many examples of hands-on experiences provided students pursuing a Rio Grande education. The four-day conference was held at a variety of locations across the Motor City, including the campus of Wayne State University, Detroit Institute of Art, private galleries and community art centers. Activities included technical demonstrations, equipment and material vendors, exhibitions, lectures, panels, presentations and social gatherings.

Smith and Proffett also exhibited their work, exchanged prints with fellow artists and presented at a portfolio review session.

“I laid out my prints on a table alongside other artists, and then everyone came around, looked at my work, and talked to be about the images and ideas,” Proffett said. “I was really nervous before the event, because I was presenting my work alongside professionals with 20, 30 or 30 years of experience, artists who have work in major museums, and professors at some of the biggest colleges in the country.”

International artists Enrique Chagoya and Judy Pfaff provided keynote lectures, as well as renowned art historian Susan Tallman, the founder and editor of the journal Art in Print.

Chagoya, a Mexican-American artist based in San Francisco, was of particular interest to Smith. She studied his work during her research on Spanish artist Francisco Goya and his influence on contemporary artists.

“During this trip, we were able to go to the print study room at the Detroit Institute of Art, and view a complete set of Goya’s etchings,” Smith said. “The prints weren’t framed and hung on the walls, they were just sitting on a table for us to examine up close. It was amazing to hold these incredibly valuable prints in my hands and feel that connection to the great master. Later that day, we attended a lecture by Enrique Chagoya … I was able to meet him and shake his hand. I felt like my research project had come alive.”

Smith and Proffett also were invited to participate in print exchanges with students from Bowling Green State University. They also developed a relationship with students from Southeast Missouri State University on Instagram and hope to set further exchange opportunities.