Updates from Executive Director, Jehra Patrick
Jehra Patrick joined Highpoint Center for Printmaking as Executive Director on August 1, 2022, following a search conducted by Ballinger Leafblad and led by a committee of board members and key community members.
Patrick’s leadership experience includes strategic transitions, fundraising, developing teams, curating and artistic direction, educational programming for all ages, and building advocacy for arts through boards and committees. Her former roles with Macalester College and Emerging Curators Institute prioritized supporting and centering multicultural perspectives in developing artistic and educational programming. Previously, Patrick provided strategic direction for Mn Artists, a long-standing state-wide program of the Walker Art Center. Patrick also founded and directed Waiting Room, an exhibition and public programming space.
“I am invested in the arts and the people who power them—artists, arts workers, and the audiences and communities they serve—and I am excited to build on Highpoint’s mission and outstanding legacy.” said Patrick. “Together, we will collectively share the story of Printmaking, its global history, production processes, and artistic labor.”
Announcement Information
Vision for the Future
Jehra’s vision for Highpoint Center for Printmaking is one that builds on its strong foundation and legacy: Highpoint will be a premier destination for artists and audiences and advance printmaking by valuing artists, learning, and equity through a culture of care, responsiveness, and collectivity.
Highpoint’s fundamental pillars—Highpoint Editions, a public gallery, artist support programs, community co-op, and education programs—will continue and be enhanced to meet the changing cultural contexts and the ongoing needs of artists and learners. Our relationships will be strengthened, we will be more sustainable, and we will grow together as a leader within the field of printmaking and the broader arts and cultural field.
Jehra Patrick and the 2022-23 Jerome Printmaking Residents at the opening reception and artist talk, June 2023
Year One Achievements
In the past eleven months, Jehra has focused on listening to Highpoint’s expansive community of stakeholders—including staff, board, artists, donors, and community members—while working towards building organizational capacity and vital infrastructure.
Key accomplishments include:
• Staff salary increases
• Enhanced staff benefits, including 85/15 medical coverage, 50/50 dental coverage, and Simple IRA plans for all staff; increased sick and vacation time for new staff; and instated parental leave
• Updated and revised staff positions to support individual well-being and growth while meeting organizational need
• Conducted a technology audit and systems enhancements, including software to automate accounting and contact management, a new phone system, technology upgrades, e-commerce software
• Worked with an accounting firm to revise the Chart of Accounts, monthly financial reports, and introduced program codes
• Empowered all staff with their own accounting tools, program budgets, and bank cards to support agency and accountability
• Hired and welcomed two new team members, Edson Rosas, Administrative Coordinator, and Alex Blaisdell, Gallery Director
• Nurtured funder relationships and led the annual drive, sustaining our annual contributed income
• Sustained and expanded government and foundational grant income, including a $30k grant from the MN State Arts Board to support the development of a BIPOC teaching artist program
• Cultivated new community partnerships with Tangible Collective, Interact Center, and PF Studios
• Increased pay for teaching artists
• Led Highpoint’s strategic planning process (our forthcoming 2023–26 plan will be publicized in late summer)
• Incremental inclusivity: listening sessions, setting a culture for ambassadorship and peer learning, removing unconscious bias in job postings and interview processes, deliberate invitations to welcome guests into our community, strengthening board engagement, and including all staff and board into the strategic planning process.
Jehra Patrick with artist Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Cole Rogers, and students from Lyndale Elementary as they visit the Highpoint Editions studio and learn about the screenprinting process. Oct, 2022.
Next Steps
In the coming year, Jehra will turn her attention to activating the new strategic plan, hiring a lead for Highpoint Editions, continuing to build culture internally, strengthening shared leadership model with Highpoint’s Board, and developing key relationships that will sustain Highpoint into the future.
As an organization, we will continue listening through one-on-ones, focus groups, and digital surveys to learn more about what matters to you.
Our 2023-26 Strategic Plan will be made available on a dedicated web page later this summer. We look forward to sharing our renewed mission, values, and priorities for the years to come!
Questions about executive or artistic leadership? Reach out at info@highpointprintmaking.org
Cole Rogers’ Departure and Highpoint Editions
After an impressive 22-year career at Highpoint Center for Printmaking and more than three decades in the field of printmaking, Co-Founder, Artistic Director, and Master Printer Cole Rogers has announced that he is stepping down from the organization. Cole’s departure follows Co-Founder Carla McGrath’s 2021 retirement. During his 20+ year tenure as Artistic Director and Master Printer of Highpoint, Rogers collaborated with scores of artists to cultivate their vision through printmaking. He guided Highpoint’s curatorial committee, led and facilitated artistic programming, managed printshop staff, and scouted and nurtured new talent for the Highpoint Editions visiting artist program. Rogers has collaborated with over 50 professional artists to create hundreds of prints and multiples: from internationally known artists like MacArthur Fellows Julie Mehretu and Njideka Akunyili Crosby, to Do Ho Suh, Jim Hodges, to self-taught artist Donovan Durham. Cole is a remarkable artist, educator, and mentor to many, and will remain an honored member of our community. His departure is planned for late summer 2023.
I am proud of the work Highpoint has done over the past two decades, born out of a first discussion and dream in August of 1997. I am so grateful to have shared this adventure with hundreds of accomplished artists, many wonderful Highpoint Board members, staff, interns, and co-op members, and tens of thousands of community members and stakeholders. It has been an honor and privilege of a lifetime. My time at Highpoint is ending, but I will continue printmaking and teaching as the future unfolds. – Cole Rogers
Announcement Information
Highpoint staff, Highpoint Editions artists and exhibition curator Dennis Jon at the opening night of The Contemporary print, 20 Years at Highpoint Editions
FAQs for the Transition and Next Steps
Highpoint Editions' programming and artistic direction are valued pillars of our organization and future success. To ensure that our community stays informed about this transition, we have dedicated this page as a repository to share our ongoing updates.
Q. Is Cole Rogers Retiring?
After 22 years as Highpoint’s Artistic Director and Master Printer, Cole has decided to step down from the organization. As creatives, we never quite ‘retire’ from work that we are passionate about, and Cole feels the same. While he is departing Highpoint, he plans on continuing to make artwork, collaborating with artists, and being an active part of the community.
Q. What is the timeline for his departure?
Cole announced his departure in mid-April and has continued in his current role through his designated end date of Aug 2023. During this time, he will complete a much anticipated print and work with staff to ensure the transition will be as smooth as possible. .
Q. What does Cole’s departure mean for the future of Highpoint?
Cole and Carla, Highpoint’s founders, have been a vital part of Highpoint’s vision, success, and foundation in the Twin Cities Art community. In Cole's own words, “Highpoint was designed to exist beyond the founders with our committed staff, board, artists, donors, and community members.” Highpoint will continue to thrive as a printmaking center and hub for artists and learners under the leadership of Jehra Patrick, Highpoint’s dedicated board, and our talented staff.
Highpoint Center for Printmaking Founders Cole Rogers and Carla McGrath in 2001, photo by Rich Ryan for the Southwest Journal, published Nov. 5th, 2001
Q. What does Cole’s departure mean for the future of Highpoint Editions (HPE)?
Highpoint Editions is a significant pillar in HP’s programming, and the future of its artistic direction is instrumental in our success. Our visiting artist and collaborative publishing program will continue to produce the same high-quality experiences and prints as we have has since HP’s inception. We are currently working on completing a print that has been in progress for the last few years, and we have plans to initiate new projects with local and national artists in fall/winter of 2023–24. As we embark on a search for a successor, Highpoint Edition’s talented staff—including Senior Printer Zac Adams-Bliss, who has worked alongside Cole for the past 20 years, and Apprentice Printer Anda Tanaka, who joined HP with 10 years of field experience—will continue collaborative printing projects and will be joined by a creative lead once they are identified and hired.
HPE’s inventory and artworks are managed by Alex Blaisdell, Highpoint’s Gallery Director: alex@highpointprintmaking.org
Q. What is next for Cole?
Cole will continue being an active participant in the printmaking community and will spend his time enjoying biking and traveling.
Search Timeline and Process
As Co-founder, Cole held dual roles as Artistic Director and Master Printer. Prompted by his departure, HP has the opportunity to reimagine these roles and the future of our Edition Studio’s staffing structure. We will give this process the time and space needed to reflect, design the ideal role or roles, and conduct a national search. The search process will roll out in three phases across the next year.
Phase 1: Field Input (summer/fall 2023)
Highpoint has a committee actively soliciting input from our stakeholders—board, staff, HP supporters, past HPE artists, national publishers, and peers—to gain insights on the future needs for staffing HPE Editions.
Phase 2: Position Development and Circulation (winter 2023–24)
An extended committee will be formed in the fall to identify the best possible successor through a national search process. Cole has generously offered to consult as a part of this process.
Phase 3: Interviews and Selection (spring/summer 2024)
We will hire a new creative lead for Highpoint Editions who will continue with the same level of dedication to artists and high stands of prints for the years to come.
A dedicated web page will be made available this fall to make our search process transparent at every stage.