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Chico State

Hidden Gems: The Janet Turner Print Museum

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Print

In the heart of Chico resides one of the great artistic treasures in Northern California – The Janet Turner Print Museum. In its larger and more accessible space in Meriam Library, the museum serves more people than ever. On any given day you might see a class full of 7–year–olds creating a print, a university student studying an original Picasso for an art history project, or an community member taking a few moments to sit, reflect, and enjoy the benefit of being surrounded by the works of fine print artists. We are here to serve the entire community, and we are always free of charge.

Janet Turner

A little history: The museum was created in the 1980s when prolific and talented artist and art instructor Janet Turner donated her teaching collection of more than 2,000 fine art prints representative of all techniques, 40 countries, and several centuries of printmaking. Since then, the collection has grown to more than 3,500 prints, including renowned artists such as Renoir, Rembrandt, Picasso, and Chagall.

The Turner mounts six curated shows annually and hosts a juried exhibition of prints by contemporary national and international artists every other year. Each academic year, The Turner Prize for Excellence in the Arts is awarded, honoring a person or organization whose work helps grow the arts in the North State. The 2011–2012 recipient of the Turner Prize for Excellence in the Arts is James Snidle, who is an artist, gallery owner, and art collector. In spring, a juried Student Print Exhibition featuring cutting edge printmaking by student artists gives viewers a sense of what is happening in the art world right now.

Visit The Turner and enjoy thought-provoking exhibits of prints from around the world.

Jun-Ichiro Sekino, Boy and Rooster, Woodcut Print, 1957

Current Exhibition: Revisiting Japan

October 7 – October 29, 2011

The Osher Life Long Learning Institute and Dr. Yoshio Kusaba look at prints from Ukiyo-e to contemporary Japanese prints. Free. Curator’s talk and reception: Thurs., Oct. 13 at 5 p.m.

Gallery Hours: Monday – Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (During Scheduled Exhibitions)

For more information, call 530-898-4476.

Photos from the Janet Turner Print website.