20/20 Vision, Second Edition

The Art of Contemporary University Printmaking

Jackson Cheatham

“In Rembrandt and in other masters the two elements, spiritual and technical, the thought and the language used to express it, met equally, were married, became one, each wholly sufficient to the other, each complementing and supplementing the other—inseparable. Remember that, unless the idea, the thought is there, all the language in the world will avail you nothing.” These words, expressed by John Taylor Arms in “John Taylor Arms Tells How He Makes an Etching, Part 3,” reflect my philosophy in teaching as well as my philosophy as an artist.

My approach to teaching studio art classes varies with the particular class being taught. In teaching printmaking it is imperative to stress not only the importance, but also the necessity of learning and understanding the technical aspects of the medium. Since printmaking is such a technical medium, class time requires a great deal of hands on demonstration and one on one assistance with the students. I also show the students a multitude of art created by a variety of contemporary and historical printmakers to show them the possibilities of what they can achieve in mastering the medium. This also creates a dialogue on the aesthetic as well as the technical aspects of print processes. Printmaking today is continuously redefining itself and headed in new directions. Given this I believe it is to the student’s best advantage to approach the new ideas from a strong tradition in order to add more validity and depth to their work. It is as important to me to be current as it is to be comfortable in the history of traditional technique.

I adhere to the idea that teachers should travel in the direction of making themselves obsolete to their students. Through continuous dialogue we all become better informed and come closer to finding our place in relation to the larger picture of the art world. I have always believed in positive criticisms and have never found value in the negative.