New Lithograph by Brad Kahlhamer

Highpoint Editions is proud to release the newest print by artist Brad Kahlhamer, ++HAWK+LITTLE HAWK++.

++HAWK+LITTLE HAWK++ by Brad Kahlhamer 2023 | Edition of 15 | Lithograph | Paper Size: 30 ½” x 25”; Image Size: 25” x 20”

Last summer, Highpoint Editions welcomed Brad Kahlhamer back to the professional shop to work on a series of watercolor monotypes and this lithograph edition of 15. Signed in May 2023, ++HAWK+LITTLE HAWK++ is now available for purchase.

This lithograph features a recurring character in Kahlhamer’s nearly 30-year career, the Hawk. The additional icons and themes in his work are born of a deliberate longtime practice – an almost life philosophy – of “yondering,” a term Kahlhamer coined to refer to his practice of nomadic wandering and pondering through his writing and drawing.

Brad Kahlhamer draws on his tripartite identity in his art, navigating his Native American heritage, adoptive German-American family, and adult life in New York City’s Lower East Side, where he has lived since 1990. In reference to his Native American history, Kahlhamer works with Hopi katsina dolls, but he deviates from their prescribed histories and uses, reimagining the dolls through a neo-expressionist lens and embellishing them with detritus collected from his neighborhood. Kahlhamer similarly combines established artistic traditions with his own history in his painting practice. The artist references hallmarks of 20th-century abstract painting, notably German expressionism and American neo-expressionism, while incorporating a highly personal iconography and absorbing the artistic milieu of downtown Manhattan.

Pricing and availability can be found here, or you may inquire with Highpoint’s Gallery Director Alex Blaisdell at alex@highpointprintmaking.org.

Highpoint Editions at Expo Chicago 2023

Highpoint Editions visits EXPO Chicago for the Second Year

From April 13th through April 16th, Highpoint Editions exhibited at EXPO Chicago, a fine art fair taking place at Navy Pier’s Festival Hall in Chicago. This year’s 10th anniversary exposition featured over 170 exhibitors representing 36 countries and 90 cities from around the world. We exhibited recent works by Julie Mehretu, Delita Martin, Brad Kahlhamer, and Jim Hodges.

Over 32,000 visitors attended the fair this year and every interaction we encountered oozed with enthusiasm. People were back at the fair in full force and excited to view a wide range of work and engage in thoughtful discussions. While the huge selection of work may have felt overwhelming at first, every interaction was heart felt in intention and highlighted the tight-knit community of art lovers and enthusiasts that make this event a must attend.

Sarah Rose Sharp said it best in her article for Hyperallergic on this year’s fair: “One might go to an art fair anticipating spectacle, shenanigans, and eye-watering sales numbers, but the thing I found was much more heartening, and also deeply Midwestern: an environment of care, enabled by a deep work ethic and sincere enthusiasm for bringing art together with its audience.”

Co-Founder and Master Printer Cole Rogers celebrates 22+ years at Highpoint Center for Printmaking

Cole Rogers in the Highpoint Editions Print Shop by the ink wall

After an impressive twenty-two-year career at Highpoint Center for Printmaking, Co-founder, Artistic Director, and Master Printer Cole Rogers has announced he is stepping down from his position at Highpoint. We offer Cole our support for his next steps, celebrate his influential career at Highpoint, and recognize his legacy in the greater printmaking field.

When we asked Cole if he is retiring, he said, “What’s that? I plan to collaborate with artists making prints and being an active community member.” As creatives, there is not quite a word to describe what it means to “retire,” but it’ll be a continuation of the craft. One thing's for certain, Cole Rogers's legacy in the printmaking community and the number of artists that have been impacted by his presence and expertise is incalculable.

See the Star Tribune Article here.  

As Cole departs, we celebrate his career and legacy. Since its opening in 2001, Cole has worked with over 50  international artists creating 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. Highpoint Editions’ Print publications have been acquired for the permanent collections of over 70 major museums, corporations, and numerous private collections throughout the United States and abroad. Cole has been honored with ‘Printmaker of the Year awards from the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Mid-America Print Council and is a lifetime member of Southern Graphics Council International and Mid-America Print Council.

Highpoint was founded on the idea of bringing artists together to make prints, learn, explore, and find community through the medium of printmaking. In founding Highpoint, Cole and Carla have built a lasting hub for printmaking that includes members, artists, enthusiasts, collectors, students, neighbors, and families.

We are excited for Cole and Carla as they embark on their next chapter together and we know that they will continue to be honored members of Highpoint’s community for years to come. 

Cole Rogers printing ɹǝɯɯnS  ɟo  by Jim Hodges 2016

I am so grateful to have shared this adventure with many wonderful HP 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.
– Cole Rogers

Cole Rogers working with artist Dyani White Hawk on test proofs for her 2019 Takes Care of Them suite.

Having the opportunity to work with Cole was a gift. He is an incredible printmaker and human being. Having the opportunity to collaborate with someone with that level of expertise opens doors of possibility. My practice has benefited tremendously through the opportunity of creating prints through Highpoint Editions. I am but one of many people whose practices and lives have been enriched through participation in Cole and Carla’s vision of creating increased accessibility to printmaking. I am so proud of and grateful for, the work we created together as well as the lasting friendships that came through the experience of the beauty of collaboration.
– Artist Dyani White Hawk

Cole Rogers with artist Julie Mehretu who is signing her 2003 print Entropia (review).

Cole is one of the most talented and generous printmakers I’ve had the pleasure of working with. He embodies the full spirit of democratization of printmaking in the creation of Highpoint with the artists and students he has worked with over the years. He’s given an enormous gift to the community of Minneapolis.
– Artist Julie Mehretu

Cole Rogers artist Willie Cole while signing his 2012 Sole Sisters print.

Cole Rogers is a wonderful blend of patience, professionalism, and optimism. He cares and believes in the creative potential of both artists and ideas and that belief leads to amazing collaborations. Artists fall in love with potential. Cole Rogers, as the founder and Director of Highpoint, nurtures this potential through optimism, patience, and professionalism to help artists create amazing prints.
– Artist Willie Cole

Highpoint staff, Highpoint Editions artists and exhibition curator Dennis John at the opening night of The Contemporary print, 20 Years at Highpoint Editions.

We plan to honor Cole with a special event this summer and look forward to sharing details with you in the near future. 

---

FULL PRESS RELEASE:

By: Carol Schuler

Highpoint Center for Printmaking’s Co-Founder Cole Rogers retires and celebrates
22+ years as Master Printer and Artistic Director

Highpoint Center for Printmaking Continues Successful Legacy

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (Apr. 18, 2023) – Co-founder, Artistic Director, and Master Printer Cole Rogers has announced his retirement from Highpoint Center for Printmaking. Established in 2001, Highpoint nurtures the art of printmaking by providing educational programs, community access, and collaborative publishing opportunities. 

Founded by Cole Rogers and Carla McGrath, Highpoint Center for Printmaking is recognized as the only community-based printmaking center of its caliber in the Upper Midwest. Executive Director Jehra Patrick will continue that vision for Highpoint to further the art of printmaking in exceptional ways.

“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,” said Rogers. “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.” 

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 dedicated organizational leader, mentor, educator, and friend to many," said Highpoint Executive Director Jehra Patrick. “His deep love and commitment to printmaking has impacted our local community and is evident nationally. Together, Cole and Carla cultivated a thriving community of artists, learners, collectors, and enthusiasts brought together by printmaking — we are honored to steward this legacy of artistic and educational excellence into the future.”

“Artists fall in love with potential,” said artist Willie Cole. “Cole Rogers, as the founder and Director of Highpoint, nurtures this potential through optimism, patience, and professionalism to help artists create amazing prints.”

“I am so proud of and grateful for the work we created together as well as the lasting friendships that came through the experience of the beauty of collaboration,” said artist Dyani White Hawk. “I am but one of many people whose practices and lives have been enriched through participation in Cole and Carla’s vision of creating increased accessibility to printmaking.”

“Cole is one of the most talented and generous printmakers I’ve had the pleasure of working with,” said artist Julie Mehretu. “He embodies the full spirit of democratization of printmaking in the creation of Highpoint with the artists and students he has worked with over the years. He’s given an enormous gift to the community of Minneapolis.”

“In founding Highpoint, Cole Rogers and Carla McGrath created what is now one of the Twin Cities’ most vibrant and vital nonprofit art spaces,” said Siri Engberg, Senior Curator and Director of Visual Arts at the Walker Art Center, and a founding board member. “The professional print workshop is a haven for artists working in the medium – a place of perfect synergy where one’s vision can be realized through Cole’s technical collaboration and innovation at the highest level. I have yet to meet an artist he has worked with who has not been positively changed by the experience of working there.”

Highpoint is forming an executive search committee to identify the best possible successor. 

About Highpoint Center for Printmaking: 

Highpoint is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the art of printmaking. Its goals are to provide educational programs, community access, and collaborative publishing opportunities to engage the community and increase the appreciation and understanding of the printmaking arts. Highpoint Center for Printmaking offers a variety of programming including educational classes for kids, adults, and community members, a print shop co-op space that provides access to local artists to create work in a supportive workshop environment, a visiting artist program with national and international artists who can produce work with a master printer, creative residency, fellowship, and scholarship programs to support early career and professional artists, and a gallery space that is fully accessible to the public. Highpointprintmaking.org