Steamroller Print Fest at ARTSPACE
Image of Cori Crawford with their woodblock from @coricrawfordart
An interview with ARTSPACE at Untitled’s Director of Communications, Cori Crawford, about their annual event Steamroller Print Fest happening Saturday, April 22nd from 10am to 6pm!
What can visitors expect to see/experience at Steamroller Fest this year?
Image from @deepdeuceokc
Visitors can expect to be a part of a celebration of local artists in a day of festivities, live printing, local art vendors, food trucks, and more. This eclectic festival will feature free hands-on printing demos for all ages where you will be able to take home original art by artists like Kathleen Neeley and Rick Sinnett, and live street printing with a 5-ton steamroller. Visitors will be able to purchase prints created with the steamroller by local artists at this event for one day only!
Who typically participates in the event?
The Steamroller Print festival features 75 regional artists and 158 ARTSPACE Mentorship students who participate in the steamroller printing. The cool thing is that really anyone can participate in the Steamroller Festival, even if you are just carving a block to have fun and learn something new!
Images from @artspace.at.untitled
When and how did Steamroller Fest get started?
This festival was first conceived in 2013 at ARTSPACE as a way for our Mentorship students to showcase their work and to get the community engaged in supporting their education. The first festival brought about 100 visitors to Deep Deuce. Since then, the festival has grown to include over 200 artists with the help of all our amazing collaborators, volunteers, and sponsors. The festival continues to be one of the biggest ways for us to raise funds and awareness for our expanding Mentorship program.
Can you tell us about some of the arts programming that happens at Artspace Untitled?
The largest program (and main beneficiary of the Steamroller Fest) is the Mentorship program. Over the course of a school year, 158 students from 13 OKC public schools visit us for a full day every month to expand their knowledge and resources in art. Many of the students participate in this program for their whole high school careers. This program comes at no cost to the schools or students who participate.
Some of ARTSPACE’s other programming includes artist residencies, adult workshops, gallery exhibitions from local and international artists, and more. To learn more about our programming, visit 1ne3.org.
How does Steamroller Fest contribute to Artspace Untitled and their mission?
ARTSPACE at Untitled has a big mission: Bringing Art to Life. We are constantly looking for ways to get our community deeply engaged with their most creative selves. Seeing thousands of students, volunteers, and visitors all engaging as a community to pull off this big, weird steamroller printing activity is truly wonderful and exactly what our mission is all about.
Why printmaking?
Printmaking is a celebrated practice that has changed the course of history many times over. The ability to recreate an original image or text has helped many people spread important opinions and ideas and made knowledge more accessible. For our young artist, it introduces a way for them to use their creativity to share their work with more people and find footing in the wider world of art. Print is also generally regarded as a more accessible and affordable way for people to own an original piece of handmade art.
Image from @stevenpauljudd
The Spotlight Print Exhibition opening April 6th from 6pm to 8pm will feature prints by 19 Oklahoma Spotlight Artists being highlighted at the festival!
Anything else you'd like to add?
If you love art, education, or community growth, please consider investing in the future of ARTSPACE by visiting 1ne3.org and clicking “donate”. It means the world to us!
You can also support ARTSPACE at Untitled by preordering Steamroller Fest t-shirt designed by artist, Kathleen Neeley. The preorder is opening until April 3rd. Order Here!
