Prints featured in McCutchan Art Center summer exhibition

The University of Southern Indiana's summer exhibition pairs Print Revolution: The Ronald L. Ruble Collection and Printmaker Extraordinaire: Rudy Pozzatti at the Kenneth P. McCutchan Art Center/Palmina F. and Stephen S. Pace Galleries. The exhibition opens July 15.

For over 50 years Ronald L. Ruble has collected prints by significant American artist/printmakers in the graphic arts. "The assembled pieces exemplify the vitality and resurgence that took place from the mid-forties to the present time," Ruble said. "It is an excellent snapshot of the innovative spirit by printmaking notables and provides examples of work in a variety of mediums, i.e., etching, lithographs, wood engravings, silk screenings, intaglio, etc." Print Revolution includes prints by important printmakers such as Hayter, Peterdi, Baskin, Lasansky, Frasconi, Schrag, Barnett, Pozzatti and many others.

Ruble was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1935 but spent his formative years in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He has been a successful business executive, fine arts painter, printmaker, potter, and published writer. He is an elected member of the Los Angeles Printmaking Society as well as the prestigious Society of American Graphic Artists. He now lives in Punta Gorda, Florida and Brooklyn, Wisconsin, with studios in both locations.

Rudy Pozzatti was born in Telluride, Colorado in 1925, earning his BFA and MFA degrees from the University of Colorado after a three year stint in the military. Pozzatti taught at the University of Nebraska, earning both a Fulbright Award in 1952 and a Guggenheim fellowship in 1953. In 1956 he came to Indiana University as an assistant professor of drawing and painting. A dedicated teacher and leader in the arts on campus, Pozzatti was named a distinguished professor in 1972. He was artist in residence at several venues, including the Roswell Museum and Art Centre in New Mexico.

He has won more than 50 prestigious awards for his printmaking excellence and expertise and is recognized as one of America's leading printmakers. Pozzatti work is displayed in many collections around the world including that of the White House. In 1979, Pozzatti was a founder of Echo Press in Bloomington and continued to serve as Director of the Echo Press until it closed in 1994. Pozzatti retired from teaching at Indiana University in 1991 and as Distinguished Professor Emeritus continues to be active in the print world, producing and exhibiting his work at the national and international levels.

A panel discussion about modern and contemporary American printmaking will be held at 6 p.m. September 5 (location to be announced) with a reception immediately following in honor of Ruble and Pozzatti, who will be in attendance, in the McCutchan Art Center/Pace Galleries. 

Print Revolution: the Ronald L. Ruble Collection and Printmaker Extraordinaire: Rudy Pozzatti will be on display at USI through September 15.