That’s a print

Comprised of prints made by four Chico State art faculty members, the Closet Printmakers show is so titled because the exhibitors, with the exception of retiring master printmaker Marion Epting, are not known for specializing in printmaking. But the artists’ lack of specialization in the process is not evident in the quality of their exhibited works, which display a high degree of craftsmanship and aesthetic judgment and a variety of techniques.

Epting’s highly detailed, black and white intaglio “upper/lower” and his colorful intaglio/ collage, “Tango, fish, butterfly, Occident Orient” are the most detailed, figurative works, arranging elements in symetrical designs evoking a surreal and spiritual awareness.

David Hoppe’s colorful, semi-figurative monoprints, including “Trying to Get Home,” are accompanied by his unpretentious statement that it is “frightening and exciting to admit … that I no longer have a clear idea regarding the intent and/or the content of the work presented here.”

Vernon Patrick presents a suite of coffee-related drypoint/monoprint/stencil pieces whimsically juxtaposed with Aboriginal art motifs.

James Kuiper’s enigmatic lithograph on mylar, “¿Dênde está Nan Lupe?” presents a transparent, gray-outlined wedge superimposed over a diffuse pink and orange abstract landscape. His other, untitled pieces are abstract color compositions.

Each piece in the show is worthy of prolonged contemplation, and they all have a price tag for the convenience of potential patrons. Whether you’re in the market for a fine art print or just feel like some pleasurable browsing, Closet Printmakers is a show worth visiting.