UCF printmaking studio to host open house
Art enthusiasts can step back this weekend and witness centuries of printing history still at work during a studio open-house event.
UCF’s Flying Horse Editions, a research studio specializing in printmaking, will open its doors to the public to show the collaborative process used by studio staff and artists. From 10 a.m.-1 p.m. July 29, see finished works and a behind-the-scenes look at screen printing, monotypes, lithography, woodblock printing and more. Some are the kind of processes that even Rembrandt would recognize.
“We’re trying to raise awareness that we’re here because we’re kind of a best-kept secret. We want people to feel welcome and see what we’ve been working on,” said Mär Martinez, the studio’s member and marketing specialist. “We’re going to do a printing demo, so there’s an educational component.”
For three decades, the printmakers of Flying Horse have invited artists from around the country to collaborate and experiment in the downtown Orlando space. During an invitation-only residency spanning a week to 10 days, new ideas are brought to life using various production methods as photographers, painters and sculptors produce a series of limited-edition prints.
“That’s when the magic really happens is when we’re collaborating with an artist, just building off of what they do already to make something completely new,” said Aaron Stefan, a printer. “We make imagery and we collaborate with the artists. We’re not just publishing but actually creating the works, too.”
When the studio’s staff, interns and visiting artists work together, everybody learns something new.
“It’s been really cool to see such a process-based art form, seeing the dedication that it takes,” said Vivianne Carson, an intern. “There are a lot of precise steps, and there’s a lot of honor in that.”
A group of 40 Flying Horse Editions members, including the City of Orlando, financially support the studio. In exchange, the members get three limited-edition prints each year.
Some works are for sale during the studio open house with a 10-percent discount. While these works might seem like
“We’re trying to raise awareness that we’re here because we’re kind of a best-kept secret. We want people to feel welcome and see what we’ve been working on.”
Mär Martinez, Flying Horse Editions member and marketing specialist
copies, they’re meant to be thought of as their own original works of art — especially given the time and precision that goes into each print.
“We’re doing things that are outdated and no longer used commercially, so we have to manually ink pretty
much every time we’re going to make a print,” Stefan said. “This is so repetitious; it’s all about getting into a good rhythm and setting good behaviors for yourself.”