Most students don’t want their work copied, but some art students take pride in it everyday through printmaking. The App State Printmaking Club hopes to not only showcase student-made art, but to provide a space for all to create freely.

April Flounders, a professor in the art department who teaches printmaking, said a former student founded the club as an outreach printmaking project and for art students in the printmaking field to have a stronger voice. Since then, outreach and exposure has been one of the club’s primary goals.

“The kind of community outreach that we’re interested in both allows people to see printmaking live and to understand what it is and to get products from that,” Flounders said.

Students learn from live demonstrations, hands-on experience and other projects during club meetings, and then display them in galleries or festivals. The club hosted PrintFest in the fall, an event in which people experienced live etching, T-shirt screen printing and created their own prints.

Luna Jareo, senior studio art major and club president, said auctioning off pieces at community events prepares her for the world of art beyond App State. Jareo also mentioned that it gives art students a voice and the ability to stand out in the art department.

“It’s really weird to go and see the same artists featured every time,” Jareo said. “I think there’s so many people who don’t get exposed (in art shows) just because they may be quiet or they might not know as many professors or other students.”

The club provides all supplies, enabling all students in the art field to participate.

“Art, especially printmaking, can sometimes feel really inaccessible because it’s a lot of supplies and money,” Jareo said. “I think it’s really nice to have a space where people can kind of get together and experience this thing that might be kind of hard to get into otherwise.”

Jareo said she embraces the professionalism and opportunity of the club, but also wants students to know that Printmaking Club is a space for free expression, not for deadlines and critiques.

“I’ve really tried to keep it this open place where whether you’re even an art major or not, you can come in and say what you’re doing,” Jareo said. “I think that’s really important.”

Flounders said that in the long run, the Printing Club offers a sense of work gain and pleasure for students.

“Even if they’re not doing it directly or watching others do it, they’re being a part of a process and it can be really rewarding,” Flounders said. “This is a place where people just come and play.”

The Printmaking Club meets every Monday from 6-7 p.m. in Room 130 of Wey Hall.