Links to images that John Lysak has made in collaboration with various artists. JLysak.com

Egress History & Master Printmakers: Franz Spohn & John Lysak

In order: Master Printer-John Lysak, Master Printer-Franz Spohn

Egress Press and Research was initiated through the previous experience of two printmaking professors, John Foard Lysak and Franz Spohn. Both have experience as master printmakers, assisting artists to create fine art print editions. John and Franz felt it was important to use fine art print publishing in various ways to give students opportunities and to enrich the diversity of activity in the printmaking area. A number of educational institutions have similar print publishing components. Some examples are: Tandem Press at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, GraphicsStudios at the University of South Florida and The Center for Experimental Printmaking at The Rhode Island School of Design. While these examples are large, well-funded and very successful programs, many smaller print publishing entities are thriving on small budgets and are able to contribute to the artistic innovation and aesthetic development in printmaking mediums. A number of printmaking studios with educational and community enriching missions are listed on our links page. These smaller print studios are the models for Egress Press and Research in its present state. Egress Press and Research is intended to be active when we, (the faculty and students involved) have time, attention and resources to devote. Currently, Egress is able to be idle when we are busy with other interests, teaching and development of individual artistic research. Despite its youth and the sporadic nature of its activities, Egress Press has been very successful aesthetically. The work we have printed has been exhibited widely. Our success can also be measured in our students' success. Many present students and alumni have practical experience in arts management, fine art printmaking, and a number of students trained by work on EPR projects are now working as professional printmakers. The experiences gained from the activities of Egress Press and Research give our students direct exposure to the artistic process. The workshops and lectures supported by Egress Press generate a knowledge base that translates into better student work and into their development as professionals. Our workshops and lectures are open to the local public and we often get visitors observing the creation of new print work when we have visiting artists in making prints.