Heyda Klein
Printmaking Alumni Interview – Neiman Center 20th Anniversary Catalogue
LNCPS: Printmaking at the Neiman Center is community driven. What was your experience of community at the Neiman Center and did it have an impact on your experience as a student in the MFA program at Columbia?
Heyda Klein: I am very grateful I had the opportunity to be a Neiman Center fellow. Working with professional artists and other fellows was a formative part of my education at Columbia University. Being part of a team working toward a common goal was an extraordinary experience. My time in the printshop provided a glimpse into another side of artmaking that one doesn’t encounter in the solitude of the studio or in the study of art history books.
LNCPS: Do you have a favorite project that you worked on as a Fellow? What made it memorable?
Heyda Klein: I worked on Sarah Sze’s “Day and Night” silkscreen and lithography print portfolio. We faced various technical trials and challenged the medium itself by pushing through. Having the opportunity to see Sarah make aesthetic decisions throughout the process was a tremendous privilege.
LNCPS: Did working at the Neiman Center influence your artistic practice?
Heyda Klein: Somewhat, I’ve worked on a few collaborative projects since then.
LNCPS: What was your experience working collaboratively with a master printer, invited artists and your peers to edition artists’ projects?
Heyda Klein: I learned a lot about how different printmakers tackle sticky situations and what material and aesthetic choices were possible. Master printmakers are treasure troves of knowledge. Artists prints are truly collaborative when working with a master printmaker.
LNCPS: Was there something that you learned at the Neiman Center that has stayed with you even after graduation?
Heyda Klein: Absolutely! As an art professor at Middlebury College I was inspired by this model of collaboration and developed the Cameron Print Project after the program at the Neiman Center for Print Studies. We celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Cameron Print Project two years ago at the Middlebury College Museum of Art.
LNCPS: Please feel free to share any additional comments or anecdotes.
Heyda Klein: I want to thank Tomas for giving me that opportunity.
