University of Iowa printmaking pioneer dies at 88

A pioneer in printmaking who developed a new technique and device for the art form while on faculty with the University of Iowa has died at age 88.

Virginia A. Myers grew up in Cleveland, earned a bachelor's degree from George Washington University, and received a master of fine arts degree from the California College of Arts and Crafts before coming to Iowa City in 1955.

She aimed to study printmaking at UI with master printmaker Mauricio Lasansky, but first received a Fulbright Fellowship to Paris in 1961. Myers passed up an opportunity to stay in France when Lasansky offered her a chance to join the UI faculty.

In 1962, Myers became one of the pioneering women in the UI School of Art and Art History, where she taught drawing and printmaking until retiring as professor emeritus in 2012, according to an obituary. She died Dec. 7 after a short illness.

'Printmaking was historically dominated by men, and printmaking - like a lot of other disciplines in the arts - held on to an apprentice model,” said UI art professor Steve McGuire. '(Myers) broke into printmaking at a high level, and her being female was unusual and uncharacteristic.”

Not only did Myers permeate a largely male-dominated field, McGuire said, she did so in one of the top-tier printmaking programs in the nation.

'That is no small feat,” McGuire said.

In 1990, Myers' career took a turn that would lead her to become the nation's 'pre-eminent artist in foil imaging,” according to an obituary. She introduced foil into her artwork and developed the 'Iowa Foil Printer,” which used a method of foil stamping for printmaking.

Myers, with the help of Iowa City machinist Dan Wenman and electrical engineer Jim Phillips, patented the printer - which made it possible to adhere foil to paper without using commercial presses, according to the obituary.

'The technique enables artists to combine foil stamping with traditional printmaking methods,” according to the obituary. 'Her class in ‘hot foil stamping' (using her new invention) began in 1990 and was the first of its type ever taught in a school of fine arts.”

Artists worldwide use the foil printer today.

'She understood it as a unique contribution she could make,” McGuire said. 'And she worked doggedly to establish the vitality of that medium.”

Myers authored two books about foil imaging and was in the process of a third when she died. She presented more than 100 one-person exhibitions across the United States and abroad, according to her obituary, and McGuire said he made a determined effort during her career to be accessible to young artists.

'It was not uncommon for her to go to high schools to talk about printmaking,” he said. 'She hosted students who were coming to the university on visits. She was, in terms of outreach and engagement, someone who was doing this decades ago.”

UI professor emeritus Wallace Tomasini, who retired last May after serving the university since 1957, recalled Myers dedication to her craft.

'To me, she was the very epitome of the late 19th century early 20th century independent woman, who was very strong and very intellectually involved in the teaching of her students,” he said.

Myers had been advised that Iowa was the place to be if she wanted to improve her drawing techniques, Tomasini said. Her original dream was to become the greatest female painter in the world, he said, and in the end she absolutely attained prestige.

'She became a great printmaker,” he said.

Myers was to receive a UI distinguished alumni award in June 2016 in recognition of her service to the UI School of Art and the new foil imaging art form. Now the award will be made posthumously.