Virginia A. Myers
Encyclopedia
Virginia A. Myers is an American
artist, professor, and inventor. She was born in Greencastle
, Indiana
, and grew up with her parents and younger sister mostly in Cleveland, Ohio
, where her father taught at various colleges and schools.
She studied at George Washington University
and the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D.C.
, and received her B.A. in drawing and painting in 1949. Then, in 1951 she went on to earn an M.F.A. in Painting from The California College of Arts and Crafts, Oakland. Myers completed post-graduate work at the University of Illinois
(Urbana) and in 1955 came to the University of Iowa
to study printmaking
with Mauricio Lasansky
. From 1961-1962, Myers studied in Paris at Atelier 17 with Stanley William Hayter
under a Fulbright Scholarship.
In 1962 Myers became a University of Iowa faculty member, where she teaches printmaking in the School of Art and Art History. Myers teaches intaglio printmaking and foil imaging
, an offering unique among fine arts schools around the world that was made possible by her invention of the Iowa Foil Printer, which makes use of the commercial foil stamping
process. In 1983 Myers began researching the use of gold leaf
and foil in the printmaking process. She discovered that foil was not being used by artisans in the fine arts because the foiling process was strictly commercial. Her dissatisfaction with foiling options available to printmakers led her to invent the Iowa Foil Press, a device that allows individual artists to incorporate foil stamping into their work. After the invention of the press, she worked in conjunction with community members and students to improve and document the printmaking process of foil stamping using the Iowa Foil Press, collectively produced a book, "Foil Imaging...A New Art Form," in 2001.
As of 2007, Professor Virginia A. Myers continues to teach printmaking at the University of Iowa printmaking studios, where she and her students are developing and perfecting hot-stamped foil techniques to create both editionable and un-editionable original prints. Myers has presented in more than 100 one-person exhibitions in the United States and abroad, and has participated in more than 150 juried exhibitions and traveling shows nationally and internationally, Virginia A. Myers work is included in collections at the National Museum of Women in the Arts
, Washington, D.C.
; the Toledo Museum of Art
, Toledo, Ohio
; and the Des Moines Art Center
, Des Moines, Iowa
, among others.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
artist, professor, and inventor. She was born in Greencastle
Greencastle, Indiana
Greencastle is a city in Greencastle Township, Putnam County, Indiana, United States, and the county seat of Putnam County. It was founded in 1821 by Scots-Irish American Ephraim Dukes on a land grant. He named the settlement for his hometown of Greencastle, Pennsylvania...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, and grew up with her parents and younger sister mostly in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, where her father taught at various colleges and schools.
She studied at George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
and the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and received her B.A. in drawing and painting in 1949. Then, in 1951 she went on to earn an M.F.A. in Painting from The California College of Arts and Crafts, Oakland. Myers completed post-graduate work at the University of Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
(Urbana) and in 1955 came to the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
to study printmaking
Printmaking
Printmaking is the process of making artworks by printing, normally on paper. Printmaking normally covers only the process of creating prints with an element of originality, rather than just being a photographic reproduction of a painting. Except in the case of monotyping, the process is capable...
with Mauricio Lasansky
Mauricio Lasansky
Mauricio Lasansky is an American graphic artist and printmaker. He is one of the few modern artists who have limited their works almost exclusively to the graphic media...
. From 1961-1962, Myers studied in Paris at Atelier 17 with Stanley William Hayter
Stanley William Hayter
Stanley William Hayter , CBE was a British painter and printmaker associated in the 1930s with Surrealism and from 1940 onward with Abstract Expressionism. Regarded as one of the most significant printmakers of the 20th century, in 1927 Hayter founded the legendary Atelier 17 studio in Paris...
under a Fulbright Scholarship.
In 1962 Myers became a University of Iowa faculty member, where she teaches printmaking in the School of Art and Art History. Myers teaches intaglio printmaking and foil imaging
Foil imaging
Foil imaging is a revolutionary printmaking technique developed at the University of Iowa by Professor Virginia A. Myers, with student research teams, in the late twentieth century. Enabled by the invention of the hand-held Iowa Foil Printer , it is a new art form derived from the commercial...
, an offering unique among fine arts schools around the world that was made possible by her invention of the Iowa Foil Printer, which makes use of the commercial foil stamping
Foil stamping
Foil stamping, typically a commercial print process, is the application of pigment or metallic foil, often gold or silver, but can also be various patterns or what is known as pastel foil which is a flat opaque color or white special film-backed material, to paper where a heated die is stamped onto...
process. In 1983 Myers began researching the use of gold leaf
Gold leaf
right|thumb|250px|[[Burnishing]] gold leaf with an [[agate]] stone tool, during the water gilding processGold leaf is gold that has been hammered into extremely thin sheets and is often used for gilding. Gold leaf is available in a wide variety of karats and shades...
and foil in the printmaking process. She discovered that foil was not being used by artisans in the fine arts because the foiling process was strictly commercial. Her dissatisfaction with foiling options available to printmakers led her to invent the Iowa Foil Press, a device that allows individual artists to incorporate foil stamping into their work. After the invention of the press, she worked in conjunction with community members and students to improve and document the printmaking process of foil stamping using the Iowa Foil Press, collectively produced a book, "Foil Imaging...A New Art Form," in 2001.
As of 2007, Professor Virginia A. Myers continues to teach printmaking at the University of Iowa printmaking studios, where she and her students are developing and perfecting hot-stamped foil techniques to create both editionable and un-editionable original prints. Myers has presented in more than 100 one-person exhibitions in the United States and abroad, and has participated in more than 150 juried exhibitions and traveling shows nationally and internationally, Virginia A. Myers work is included in collections at the National Museum of Women in the Arts
National Museum of Women in the Arts
The National Museum of Women in the Arts , located in Washington, D.C. is the only museum solely dedicated to celebrating women’s achievements in the visual, performing, and literary arts. NMWA was incorporated in 1981 by Wallace and Wilhelmina Holladay...
, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
; the Toledo Museum of Art
Toledo Museum of Art
The Toledo Museum of Art is an internationally known art museum located in the Old West End neighborhood of Toledo, Ohio, United States. The museum was founded by Toledo glassmaker Edward Drummond Libbey in 1901, and moved to its present location, a Greek revival building designed by Edward B....
, Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
; and the Des Moines Art Center
Des Moines Art Center
The Des Moines Art Center is an art museum with an extensive collection of paintings, sculpture, modern art and mixed media. It was established in 1948 in Des Moines, Iowa.-Description:...
, Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
, among others.