Emma Thomas
Printmaking Alumni Interview – Neiman Center 25th 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?
Emma Thomas: I would assiduously participate in the Neiman Center community and am grateful for their hard work and thoughtfulness. The Neiman Center is an indispensable program for printmakers within the larger MFA program that was there for me during school and prepared me for life after graduation. During my time in the MFA program at Columbia, as a Neiman fellow, I encouraged the rest of the program to be a part of more community-run projects. I would not be where I am today without the Neiman Center community.
LNCPS: Do you have a favorite project that you worked on as a Fellow? What made it memorable?
Emma Thomas: With an extensive background in printmaking prior to school, the Neiman Center trusted their fellows with working on editions for a variety of projects; from flocking silkscreen prints for Fab Five Freddie, multi-color etchings for Kiki Smith to laser cutting for Michael Joo and woodblock printing for Arlene Shechet. I appreciated the trust and flexible schedule that enabled us to work on projects as well as our own work. The Neiman Center was inspiring and kept me informed of many new and traditional printmaking techniques while in school.
LNCPS: Did working at the Neiman Center influence your artistic practice?
Emma Thomas: The Neiman Center encouraged the fellows to grow naturally in their artistic practice. While making prints in school, I was able to expand my knowledge in printmaking, influencing my sculptural practice. Printmaking is integral to my multimedia practice today.
LNCPS: What was your experience working collaboratively with a master printer, invited artists and your peers to edition artists’ projects?
Emma Thomas: I enjoyed working and collaborating with the entire Neiman Team including the fellows, master printers, and artists. During my time, the fellows and I got very close and worked hard on many projects including the exhibition Farewell Neiman Print Shop, Which was the final show we had together of all the prints we made during our time in the MFA program at Columbia.
LNCPS: Was there something that you learned at the Neiman Center that has stayed with you even after graduation?
Emma Thomas: Teaching intaglio with Tomas Vu was a highlight for me in the program. His enthusiasm and knowledge permeated the atmosphere of the class. He reassured me you could be a fulltime artist as well as a wonderful teacher. In tandem with my art practice, I wish to inspire others with the expansive and informative techniques of printmaking. Community is everything. Trust can be hard to build and I find myself always checking in with all my alumni peers. I will never forget the bond that was built and remains with the fellows I had the honor of being in school with.
