For those of you art lovers, you may be surprised to learn that one of the preeminent print making studios in the country is in Tampa. For over 50 years Graphicstudio USF has hosted an Artists in Residence program with such luminaries as Robert Rauschenberg, Jim Dine, Alex Katz, James Rosenquist and others. And then there’s a benefit sale in May where you can snag great buys. I first heard about this at the INK Miami Art Fair at Art Basel and then made a trip to Tampa to see it and find out more. And if you like what you read and can’t make it to Tampa, they’ll be at this year’s INK Art Fair.
The studio is part of the Institute for Research in Art at the University of South Florida. Impressions of Graphicstudio editions have been acquired by leading museums and corporate and private collections worldwide. In 1990, the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. established an archive of the editions that resulted in a major exhibition with an accompanying catalogue documenting the history of Graphicstudio.
They practice traditional printmaking techniques including intaglio, lithography, silkscreen, and relief along with photogravure, cyanotype and pigment prints. Sculpture multiples are produced in a range of media including bronze, steel, aluminum, wood, rubber, and less traditional materials including lava (basalt) and pigmented resins.
Work created by the artists in residence is sold by the studio with one piece kept in its permanent collection. When you visit – visits by appointment – you can see some of the collection of 900 works by 180 artists. Value of the works range from $500 to $100,000 for a Louise Bourgeois sculpture. It’s like a small jewel of a museum and you get to see the behind the scenes processes. When we were there, an Alex Katz print was in the works. And if you like something in particular, works in inventory can be purchased directly from the studio. The sale in May which is for one day only features works discounted from 10 to 60%.
They also have talks and lectures about the role of contemporary artists in shaping our culture and society. Participating artists represent a diverse spectrum of contemporary art practice including, but not limited to, painting, sculpture, photography, electronic media, and performance. Nearby is the USF Contemporary Art Museum which is part of the University, reopening in September.
And for you collectors, they have a program called Research Partners. You pay a $7000 fee and commitment to buying six art works for a special reduced rate of $500 each over a year or two. Kristin Soderqvist said it has been a way people have built up formidable art collections over the years.
This year Kristin will be at INK Art Fair with prints from Rauschenberg, Rosenquist, Jason Middlebrook, Ingrid Calame and more.
