University of Houston-Clear Lake Professor of Fine Arts Sandria Hu served as artst-in-residence as a Fulbright senior specialist in Serbia. She spent approximately two weeks at the Center for Graphic Art and Visual Research , Fine Arts Faculty of the University of Belgrade sharing her printmaking expertise with faculty and students.

Prof shares art expertise with Serbian students

As an internationally known artist, University of Houston-Clear Lake Professor of Fine Arts Sandria Hu has traveled the world. So have her art and her expertise.

Most recently the artist, who began teaching at UH-Clear Lake in 1975, served as artist-in-residence as a Fulbright senior specialist in Serbia.

From Sept. 23 through Oct. 7, Hu taught printmaking to groups of college students and faculty, and acted as curator for a unique print exhibition. Her lectures and workshops were held at the Center for Graphic Art and Visual Research, Fine Arts Faculty of the University of Belgrade, Serbia.

The exhibition was held at the Center for Graphic Design Gallery, Pariska 16, Sept. 25 – Oct. 6. Hu says she named the exhibition; “Landscape of Life” because each artist’s imagery expressed “their values, concept and perception based on their creative life experiences.”

It included the work of seven U.S. printmakers who participated in the UH-Clear Lake International Art Consortium, which includes UH-Clear Lake; University of Hawaii in Hilo; Universidad de Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico; University of West Bohemia, Plzen; and University of Belgrade, Academy of Fine Art, Serbia. The artists used silkscreen, woodcuts, solar plate etching, copper digital etching and chine collé printmaking.

Also included was Hu’s solar plate chine collé etching entitled “Xalapa,” named after the capital city of Veracruz where it was created.
   
Hu credits former Serbian Ambassador Cameron Munter and his wife Marilyn Wyatt for “the spark” prompting her opportunity there, after the couple saw her one person exhibition at the Millennium Gallery in Prague last year and asked her to teach at the University of Belgrade.

After she agreed, the American Embassy in Belgrade initiated the Fulbright fellowship.

Collaborations — printmaking and art
   
The techniques of printmaking were the focus of Hu’s workshops for groups of 20 students and five faculty members. Most spoke little or no English. When words failed, Hu demonstrated while they watched and then followed her lead.

 “They did fantastic,” said Hu. “I look at them with their limited resources and how they find ways to make it better, and I know I’m spoiled.”

Working side-by-side with the students, Hu says she gave their study of printmaking “a little kick” by demonstrating processes such as how to use multiple colors of ink in one press run. 

She brought supplies with her, including a special chine collé Japanese rice paper with small leaves and petals from different plants embedded in it — something the students had never seen before. 
   
Before she left the U.S., Hu also purchased equipment that included silver canisters of special slow-drying ink used for printmaking, taped them closed and stashed them in her suitcase. Fortunately they passed airport security and customs, because the ink proved instrumental in her workshops. Inks being used by the students were quick drying and not suitable for the processes she’d planned to teach. 

Hu’s idea to work collaboratively on projects with the students was met with skepticism at first. But she pressed on, determined to combine “their vision” and “my vision.”  The results surprised and delighted them, says Hu.

“I am always amazed at the creativity of everyone there—being able to create strong imagery with materials that are available to them,” said Hu. “This is true for all artists that I have had the opportunity to work with from around the world.  That sometimes, the less you have, the stronger your artwork becomes.”

For more information about Hu, visit http://hsh.uhcl.edu/faculty.