Plate to Paper – Women Printmakers in Pinellas
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Watch video of Tampa Bay’s Morning Blend which featured the Plate to Paper exhibit.
Thanks to the support of the City of St. Petersburg and the The Robert S. and Mildred M. Baynard Charitable Trust, Plate to Paper: Women Printmakers in Pinellas explores the history and impact of women printmakers in the Tampa Bay region. From Polly Knipp Hill in the early 20th century to practicing artists today, this exhibition highlights the talents who helped shape the local art scene.
The exhibition examines how the reproducible nature of printmaking gave women artists opportunities unavailable in many other artistic disciplines. Unlike paintings or sculptures, prints could be exhibited and collected in multiple locations, increasing visibility and helping establish the reputations of women artists. By the early twentieth century, women were active in national printmaking organizations and recognized as leaders in the medium.
Plate to Paper highlights the work and influence of 14 Pinellas County women whose artistic achievements helped shape the region’s printmaking community. The exhibition begins with acclaimed American artist Polly Knipp Hill, who established her studio in Lakewood Estates in the early twentieth century, and traces the evolution of printmaking through generations of artists inspired by St. Petersburg and the institutions that fostered their work, including Eckerd College, St. Petersburg College, the Morean Arts Center, the Dunedin Fine Art Center, and Print St. Pete.
