C.A. Seward, Sunshine and Shower, 1928. Lithograph on paper; 12 7/8 x 14 1/2 in. Denver Art Museum: Gift of Barbara J. Thompson in Memory of C.A. Seward, 2024.94. © Estate of C.A. Seward
Southwest Impressions: A Broader Perspective
The unique beauty of the American Southwest has inspired generations of artists including printmakers. Thanks to Barbara J. Thompson’s generous gift of fine art prints on display in the Southwest Impressions exhibition, the Petrie Institute of Western American Art is able to tell these multi-faceted stories of inspiration, exchange, and artistic excellence.
In conjunction, this symposium will consider an array of American printmakers’ stories and techniques from the late 1800s into the mid-1900s as they sought to capture and express their impressions of the region.
Doors open at 9 am. Questions? Please email symposium@denverartmuseum.org or call 720-913-0130.
Schedule
Symposium Schedule:
9 am: Check-in and late registration; coffee and breakfast snacks served in Sharp Auditorium Lobby, located in the lower level of the Hamilton Building.
10 am: Welcome remarks by JR Henneman, Director and Curator, Petrie Institute of Western American Art.
10:15–11 am: Steve Stoops, Gallerist and Print Specialist, The Prairie Printmakers Venture West.
11-11:10 am: Break
11:10-11:55 am: Clare Kobasa, Associate Curator of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs, Art to Share: WPA Printmaking in the Southwest.
11:55 am-1:30 pm: Lunch Break in Sturm Pavilion, located on level 2 of the Martin Building. Please proceed to level 2 of the Hamilton Building and walk across the bridge. The Sturm Pavilion is directly across the bridge. Lunch includes a sandwich, chips, dessert, and water.
1:30-1:40 pm: JR Henneman with return remarks.
1:40-2:25 pm: Erin Maynes, Associate Curator, Prints & Drawings and RiŅind Center for German
Expressionist Studies, Carving a Place: Women and the Color Woodcut Movement in the American West.
2:25-2:35 pm: Break
2:35-3:20 pm: Emily Friedman, Allen and Kelli Questrom Assistant Curator of Prints and Drawings,
Coreen Mary Spellman and the Dallas Printmaker's Guild.
3:20-3:35 pm: Break
3:35-4:30 pm: Panel discussion with select Q&A. Please write questions on the cards provided and
drop in the box on the table out front of the auditorium. They will be submitted as a group to the moderator during the previous break.
4:30-5:30 pm: Happy Hour. Refreshments and light snacks served immediately following the symposium, just
outside the auditorium in Sharp Lobby and Congdon Boardroom.
Speakers
2026 Symposium Speakers:
Emily Friedman, Ph.D.
Allen and Kelli Questrom Assistant Curator of Prints and Drawings, Dallas Museum of Art
Prior to joining the DMA in 2024, Emily Friedman held positions at several institutions, including the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, the Vanderbilt University Museum of Art, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. A specialist in the history of the graphic arts, Friedman holds a PhD in History of Art from The Johns Hopkins University and a BA in History of Art from McGill University.
Clare Kobasa, Ph.D.
Associate Curator of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs, Saint Louis Art Museum
Clare Kobasa is the associate curator of prints, drawings, and photographs at the Saint Louis Art Museum, where she has worked since 2020. Curatorial projects include “The Work of Art: The Federal Art Project, 1935-1943,” and “Catching the Moment: Contemporary Art from the Ted L. and Maryanne Ellison Simmons Collection.” She received her doctorate in art history from Columbia University. Her work has most recently been supported by the Bibliotheca Hertziana – Max Planck Institute for Art History in Rome and the Getty Foundation Paper Project.
Erin Maynes, Ph.D.
Associate Curator, Prints & Drawings and Rifkind Center for German Expressionist Studies, Los
Angeles County Museum of Art
Erin Sullivan Maynes oversees a collection of early 20th century prints, drawings, posters, books, and ephemera from German-speaking countries. She also curates exhibitions and ongoing exhibition rotations. Exhibition projects at LACMA have included "Pressing Politics: Revolutionary Graphics from Mexico and Germany, (2022-23 with Rachel Kaplan)," "Women's Work: Art by Women in Germany, 1900-1933" (2021), "Bauhaus at 100: Modern Legacies," (2019), and "Picturing the Masses: Germany, 1900-1939" (2018). She received her PhD in 2014 from the University of Southern California. She specializes in prints and print culture, with a focus on 19th and 20th century Germany.
Steve Stoops
Gallerist and Print Specialist
Steve Stoops has been an art collector and a private art dealer for nearly 40 years. He began in Kansas in the 1980's, focusing on Regionalist art and Depression-era prints. Today his business, based in Arizona, includes a wide array of genres. His extensive experience and focused knowledge as a dealer and collector have been obtained by years of searching for and discovering hidden treasures. Steve has been instrumental in building collections for individuals and museums as an advisor and dealer.
