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WIU art Professor Bill Howard, left, and WIU Department of Art Chairperson Charles Wright are pictured with the department's new lithography press.
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WIU Department of Art Installs New Lithography Press

August 30, 2013

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MACOMB, IL – Thanks to the generosity of one Western Illinois University alumnus, a new lithography press was installed in a Garwood Hall studio this week.

The new Takach brand press replaces an older Griffin model that had been used by students since the late 1960s or early 1970s.

The new press cost about $17,000, but a $5,000 donation from 1972 WIU alumus Rich Guerine, of Melrose Park, made the purchase possible.

Guerine, a graudate of the fine arts program, has a diverse career that includes service in the military, professional car racing, law school and work in the insurance and property management fields. He came to WIU after a tour in Vietnam and developed an interest in art history and sculpture.

Over the years, Guerine has been a strong supporter of the WIU Department of Art and the Art Gallery and has developed a scholarship for WIU students through a planned gift.

The new lithography press is in the studio space of WIU Professor Bill Howard. He said the addition will allow WIU art students the unique opportunity to work on a premier press of considerable size, of which there are only a few in the region.

"This is an important step in creating a printmaking curriculum that will rival neighboring art departments at major universities, creating an atmosphere that will prepare WIU students with experience to compete on a graduate level," he said. "Furthermore, by updating the studio with excellent equipment, this will help bring international and nationally-known visiting artists to our department."

For more information on the WIU Department of Art, visit wiu.edu/art.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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