March 15th, 2023
Ian Huebert’s art reflects a life spent on the Great Plains, and that can be seen in his exhibit “Printing the Plains: Relief Prints by Ian Huebert,” in the Regier Art Gallery through April 14.
Gallery hours are Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, 2-4 p.m.
Huebert, who now lives in Iowa City, grew up in Henderson, Neb., before attending Bethel College and graduating in 2005 with a B.A. in art.
He later completed an MFA in book arts at the University of Iowa Center for the Book.
“My practice is rooted in the plains landscape I grew up in and call home,” Huebert says in his artist statement.
“It is an investigation into place, considering human activity on the land, personal history and the surrounding ecology. …
“I am interested in the points where daily life and art intersect, and our encounters with art through decoration and design, creating environments that reflect this sense of place, whether it is in an artist book, a woodcut print, or crafted object intended for one’s living space.”
Since 2010, Huebert has been a freelance illustrator, with several books to his credit. Since 2020, he has been proprietor of a studio called The Picture Press, which publishes printed editions and artworks with an emphasis on woodcuts and letterpress printing.
Huebert’s work has appeared in publications such as McSweeney’s and is held in numerous collections, including the Library of Congress. See his website, www.thepicturepress.com
He has mounted several solo exhibits, including one in 2020 at the School for Rural Culture and Creativity in Matfield Green.
Huebert will be back on campus April 13-14, for the artist reception on April 13, 6-8 p.m. at the gallery and open to the public, and to meet with Rachel Epp Buller’s Printmaking class.
Epp Buller is professor of visual arts and design and Regier Gallery coordinator.
“I’m excited for these beginning Printmaking students to see how Ian works with prints,” she said, “not just as singular images but also in the context of artist books, as well as in larger installations.”
Bethel is a four-year liberal arts college founded in 1887 and is the oldest Mennonite college in North America. Known for academic excellence, Bethel ranks at #14 in the Washington Monthly list of “Best Bachelor’s Colleges,” and #24 in the U.S. News & World Report rankings of “Best Regional Colleges Midwest,” both for 2022-23. Bethel is the only Kansas college or university to be named a Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Center. For more information, see www.bethelks.edu