October 2013

Columbia College and Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, SC, Features 35 Years of Printmaking

Columbia College in Columbia, SC, will present A Lasting Impression: 35 Years of Columbia College Printmaking, on view in the Goodall Gallery inside the Spears Center for the Arts, from Oct. 1 through Dec. 8, 2013, and a sister exhibit at the Community Atrium Gallery at the Columbia Museum of Art, from Oct. 1 through Nov. 24, 2013. A reception will be held at the Goodall Gallery on Oct. 10, from 5:30-7pm and on Nov. 1, at the Columbia Museum of Art from 5-7pm.

The exhibits highlight prints from the college’s art collection featuring works by more than 70 former Columbia College students spanning a four-decade period created under the tutelage of South Carolina printmaker, Stephen Nevitt.

In 1976, Nevitt began his teaching career with Columbia College, a small women’s liberal arts college in Columbia. From the outset, Nevitt worked to establish and grow a formal printmaking program at Columbia College.

Nevitt’s education includes a BFA from the University of South Carolina and a graduate degree from the State University of New York, College at Oswego. During his formal training, Nevitt studied with renowned and respected printmakers to whom he attributes significant influences on his development as a printmaker and teacher - they include South Carolina’s Boyd Saunders plus Thom Seawell and George O’Connell in upstate New York. With a strong foundation of printmaking training to build upon and a new teaching gig at Columbia College, Nevitt made his way through the ranks to Full Professor of Art and holds current administrative positions as the Art Program Coordinator and the Division Head for Arts and Communication Studies.

Works in both exhibitions are a testament to Nevitt’s dedication to teaching and illustrate the notable changes and progression of the printmaking program under his direction. Initially, the program began as an exploration of a variety of printmaking media, often pushing technical skills to impressive levels for beginning printmakers. As the program evolved, the work successfully moved beyond technique to exploration of personal expression and framework for a greater focus and emphasis on the conceptual development of each upper level student’s voice and vision.

The retrospective features works done in a variety of printmaking techniques, styles, and concepts - from intaglios and silkscreens to collagraphs and monotypes, each decade is marked by its own unique style indicative and reflective of both the student’s cultural era and Nevitt’s own teaching approaches, both of which have changed and evolved throughout the years.

Over the past several decades, the Columbia College printmaking program has taught hundreds of students and several generations under Nevitt’s sole direction and instruction. For Nevitt, this retrospective exhibit is more than just a showing of student works highlighting a teaching career. More importantly, it is a wonderful opportunity to bring together students from the past and to celebrate their work together.

Nevitt states, “I came to Columbia College when I was 26 years old, and I get a lot of energy from the students to this day. Developing your own voice and message is very important, and their journey is part of my own. The most important part of my Columbia College experience by far, has been our students and graduates of our program sharing a significant bond. I have observed a steady stream of art alumnae coming to campus to visit, many with impressive careers or personal accomplishments to share, and some who are still finding their way. It means a great deal to me to hear from each of them.”

For more info check our SC Institutional Gallery listings, contact Jackie Adams at 803/786-3899 or visit (www.columbiasc.edu/goodallgallery).

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