Now and Zen

Fifteen Years of Contemporary Printmaking

Houston-based artist and printmaker Orna Feinstein’s retrospective exhibition "Now and Zen - Fifteen Years of Contemporary Printmaking" is now traveling at various museums and venues.  The exhibition includes earlier prints on paper as well as newer prints on fabric and Plexiglas, sculptures and installations.

The exhibition first appeared at the Museum of the Southwest in Midland from September 26th to November 9th, 2014.  Opening reception was held at 6:00 PM on September 26th, at the Museum of the Southwest, 1705 W. Missouri Avenue in Midland.  The exhibition is curated by Prof. Vincent Falsetta, Art Department at University of North Texas, Denton.

The exhibition then traveled to the Galveston Arts Center and was on view from November 29th to January 4th, 2015. The opening reception was held on Saturday, November 29th, 2014,  6-9 pm with an artist talk at 6:30 pm.  For an overview of this exhibition at the Galveston Arts Center, please follow this link.

The next stop was at the Davis Gallery as part of PrintAustin 2015, a month long event celebrating the art of original printmaking.  It was on display from January 17th to February 28th, 2015.  For an overview of this exhibition at the Davis Gallery, please follow this link.

"Now and Zen" moved to the Museum of Geometric and Madi Art of Dallas where it appeared under the title "Layer by Layer", with  emphasis on artworks on paper and Plexiglas. It was on display from April 17th, 2015 until July 5th, 2015. Todd Camplin published a detailed review of this show on his June 2015 Todd Camplin Weekly... column at the ModernDallas.net online magazine. He wrote: "....Orna Feinstein is reason enough to go out of your way, because her work engages the eye like no other artist. Well, I say that, but she comes out of a rich tradition of artists that have played with the eye. Op artists Yaacov Agam and Victor Vasarely have great influence on her work, but I think Feinstein takes this mode of visual experimentation and furthers the conversation by layering, cutting, sewing, and working on Plexiglas...".

"Now and Zen" is now moving to the Art Museum of Southeast Texas.    The opening reception is on Friday, September 25th, 2015, 6:30-8:30, with an artist talk at 7:00pm. This retrospective will be on display from September 25th to November 29th, 2015.

The Museum is located at 500 Main street in Beaumont TX, 77701, 409-832-3432. Museum hours are Monday -Friday 9:00 - 5:00 • Saturday 10:00 - 7:00 • Sunday 12:00 - 5:00. 

Now and Zen at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas

An Overview of Now and Zen

On the day of the opening reception at the Museum of the Southwest, Orna Feinstein  was interviewed by the Curator of Education Ms. Kristn Wagstrom. Please visit the following link to hear a podcast of the interview available on the Youtube site of the Museum of the Southwest:

                                   Interview of Orna Feinstein - Now and Zen

In the Jewish Herald-Voice "Orna Feinstein Retrospective tours Texas", Aaron Howard wrote: "...Approximately 30 Feinstein pieces will tour in her retrospective exhibition “Now and Zen – Fifteen Years of Contemporary Printmaking.” The exhibition includes earlier prints on paper from the Rings Series as well as newer prints on fabric and plexiglass, sculptures and installations. The exhibition will travel to several museums in Texas from fall 2014 until spring 2016."

Rich Lopez, of the Midland Reporter-Telegram  wrote: "...With her ultra-cool printmaking techniques, Feinstein's work in 'Now and Zen: 15 Years of Printmaking' is not only art on display, but it's also a magical trip where her works appear and disappear in front of your eyes".  The article includes tips and special insight to Feinstein's work by Brian Lee Whisenhunt, the director of the Museum of the Southwest,  and by the curator Wendy Earle.  

A catalog with an essay written by Clint Willour, the curator of Galveston Arts Center, was prepared for the exhibition at the Madi Museum of Dallas.  View Clint Willour's essay online.

Artist Talk at the Museum of the Southwest

The first stop for the "NOW AND ZEN" exhibition was at the Museum of the Southwest in Midland, Texas. During her September 26th, 2014 Artist Talk, Orna discussed her 15 years journey into printmaking.

Artist Talk at the Galveston Arts Center

During her Nov 29th, 2014 Artist Talk at the Galveston Arts Center in Galveston, Texas, Orna described her fascinating journey into printmaking during the past 15 years, including her innovations in three-dimensional printmaking and special techniques for unique patterns and textures.

Panel Discussion During PrintAustin 2015

Orna Feinstein's "Now and Zen: Fifteen Years of Contemporary Printmaking" was exhibited at Davis Gallery Austin in conjunction with Print Austin 2015. In this panel discussion, three Texas based artists discuss various aspects of printmaking. The discussion was held at Davis Gallery in Austin Texas on February 28th, 2015.

The "Now and Zen" exhibition is available for display at other interested Museums and venues. For further details, please contact Donna Heaton, at donna@ornafeinstein.com.

As an artist specializing in monoprints, Feinstein's work is inspired by the exterior and interior geometry of the organic. Her abstract interpretations evolve while observing the details in the concentric circles of tree rings or the cellular structure of a plant or fungus when observed under a microscope. Using the traditional medium of printmaking with a modern approach, Feinstein builds two-dimensional monoprints into intricately layered three-dimensional multimedia works. 

Starting with print on paper fifteen years ago, Feinstein soon began printing with non-traditional methods, leading pioneering innovations in contemporary printmaking. Her innovations include printing on boards, fabric, and Plexiglas resulting in dimensional prints with special effects including physical and optical movements.

Feinstein has been selected four times for the prestigious exhibitions at the International Print Center New York, and won numerous awards, including 1st place in 2013 at the "Biennial 600: Printmaking" at the Amarillo Museum and 3rd place at the "DERIVATIVES: ORIGINS IN GEOMETRY " exhibit at the Museum of Geometric art in Dallas. Her works have appeared in museums in Taiwan, Denmark, Greece, and will be featured in the new book “American Printmakers” by Stephanie Standish. Feinstein is represented by the Anya Tish Gallery in Houston and the Craighead Green Gallery in Dallas.