Curtis Readel, “The Devourer,” 2020, Silk screen, 28”h x 21”w.
The artistic achievements of current and former faculty, alumni and visiting artists will be highlighted in this retrospective exhibition of the Printmaking Division of NIU’s School of Art and Design. In this broad ranging display, various printmaking media such as intaglio, lithography, woodcut, silk screen and monoprint are represented.
The excellent reputation of the department has been built by its faculty, which has included two Presidential Research Professors: David Driesbach (1964-1992), who founded the printmaking program in 1964, and Michael Barnes (1998-present). Other important faculty members over the decades have included Dorothea Bilder (1968-2003), Robert Bornhuetter (1969-1996) and Ashley Nason (2008-2015).
These faculty have augmented the studio experience for their students with visits from professional artists from around the world, working collaboratively with the NIU students to produce original print editions. Examples will be on display from artists Phyllis Bramson, Cannonball Press, Sue Coe, Bill Fick, Sam Gilliam, Wayne Kimball, Robert Nelson, Jay Ryan, Jenny Schmid, Sarah Smelser, Sean Starwars, Fred Stonehouse, Diane Victor and Melanie Yazzie.
Sixty years of printmaking alumni, many of whom have gone on to accomplished careers as artists and instructors nationwide include: David Ader, David Asher, Weston Beeler, Sasha Bitzer, John Boyd Brandon, Joel Bujnowski, Chris Cannon, Peter Cohan, Aaron Coleman, Anna Cortes, Zoë Couvillion, Stanley M. Daniel, John Driesbach, David Faber, Dan Grzeca, Kellie Hames, Darren Hauser, Tom Herzberg, Rachelle Hill, Joshua Jay Johnson, Brian Kelly, Anna Kenar, Millicent Kennedy, Ray Kobald, Wes Kramer, Will Kurucz, Kari McDonald, Michael McGovern, Samantha Mendoza, Adrienne Miller, Susan Moffett, Mark Olinger, Peter Olson, Nick Phan, James Pink, Stephen Prina, John Pufahl, Curtis Readel, Jessica Robles, Frances Ross, Ron Ruble, Lee Tanner Sido, Spinney, Matthew Vincent, Thomas Vogel, Valerie Wallace, Ken Warneke, Michael Weigman, Brad Widness, Eric Watson and Richard Wolfryd.
This show and an accompanying suite of exhibits from the Burma Art Collection at NIU will be on display from August 27, 2025 to May 9, 2026. Gallery hours this fall are 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday; noon to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday; noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday; and by appointment for group tours. The NIU Art Museum is located on the first floor, west end of Altgeld Hall, 595 College Ave., DeKalb, IL.
A public informal gallery talk will be presented by Michael Barnes and Peter Olson on Wednesday, Sept. 24 in the South Galleries of the Art Museum starting at 6 p.m.
Parking on the Northern Illinois University main campus is administered through AIMS Mobile Pay or parking pay stations available in the visitor pay lot located at 200 Carroll Ave. and at accessible parking spaces in front of Lowden Hall with accessible aisles and route to Altgeld Hall. Campus parking is free on weekends and after 5 p.m. weeknights in nearby Lots 3 and 14.
