This exhibition presents a selection of works by Virginia women artists who created prints at the Richmond Printmaking Workshop. All the pieces were chosen from a gift of 251 prints from the archives of the Workshop and donated by Richmond’s Hand Workshop Art Center to the Joel and Lila Harnett Print Study Center, University Museums.

Women artists were an integral part of the Printmaking Workshop, which existed from 1978 to 1991. All the directors were women and their work is included in this exhibition. Under their leadership, the Workshop flourished as a place for artists (both men and women, regional as well as visiting artists) to create prints, collaborate on portfolios, and develop other projects. When the Workshop closed in 1991, its equipment and archives were transfered to the Hand Workshop Art Center.

Organized by the Joel and Lila Harnett Print Study Center, University of Richmond Museums, the exhibition was co-curated by Olivia Kohler (AW’03), senior art history major at the University, and N. Elizabeth Schlatter, Assistant Director, University Museums. The exhibition is part of a yearlong focus, “WomenROCK: Innovators, Leaders, and Seismic Shifters,” at the University of Richmond.

We would like to thank the Hand Workshop Art Center for its generous gift of the prints to our collection, with special thanks to their curator Ashley Kistler for her assistance with the donation. Thanks also go to the artists in the exhibition and Amy Moorefield of the Anderson Gallery of Virginia Commonwealth University for her assistance in the research of the works.

Richard Waller
Executive Director
University of Richmond Museums