A look into the LeRoy Neiman Center for Printmaking

Located in the heart of Columbia’s Morningside campus, the Neiman Center is a great resource for students and artists interested in printmaking.

Photo by Sophia Blythe/The Barnard Bulletin

By Sophia Blythe

April 30, 2024

Located in Dodge Hall, the LeRoy Neiman Center for Printmaking is one of Columbia’s best-kept secrets. Founded in 1996, the Neiman Center offers a space for invited artists, undergraduate, and graduate students to learn printmaking skills and make their own work. 

A community within Columbia’s campus, the Neiman Center invites artists to make a print in the studio with their Master Printer, Nathan Catlin, and the graduate students studying at Columbia’s School of the Arts. Together, they work to create an edition of their publication, which can be found on their website, piecing together their shared efforts. 

This collaboration is unique to printmaking. The Associate Director and Barnard alumna, Samantha Rippner, explains that, “What makes printmaking stand out among a lot of other media is that it is very much community or collaborative-based. Print shops are collaborative spaces where artists come in; they’re not working alone as they would in their studio, but they rely on the expertise of a master printer and on the student to help produce the edition. So it’s very much a collaborative effort.” 

Taking a printmaking class via the Visual Arts Department at Columbia is a great way to get involved with the Neiman Center and the opportunities it offers, even if you have no prior experience. Delaney Dermody (BC ’25) is taking her first visual arts class this semester, which focuses on intaglio printing, a process whereby an image is incised onto a plate and the hollowed area holds the ink. She initially wasn’t sure what to expect, but has come to really enjoy the class. “It’s a very generative and interesting process. I’ve learned so much about so many different processes,” explained Dermody. 

Samantha Rosen (BC ’25) fell in love with printmaking during the fall of her junior year when she took Relief Printmaking, her first visual arts class. She now works as a monitor in the classroom, which is accessible to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in printmaking classes. During a typical shift, Rosen spends her time listening to music, making her own artwork, and engaging with other printmaking students. “So you just get to use the resources that are here, it’s truly a great deal,” explained Rosen. It’s also an opportunity to meet new people and develop new friendships. “I made a lot of really good friends in my printmaking class, and friends that I am still close with to this day. We sit together and make art, and it’s wonderful,” Rosen noted. With her time in the studio, she is learning how to silkscreen from a friend, reemphasizing the community and collaboration that takes place. Even if you are unsure about your artistic skills, the experiences of Rosen and Dermody show the joys and new experiences that come from making art. 

A smaller shop compared to commercial printers, the Neiman Center deserves recognition and attention from the Barnard and Columbia communities. “We’ve worked with more than 70 artists in 25 years and made more than 600 editions,” commented Rippner. 

The center is a resource not only for students interested in printmaking but also for those interested in collecting. The Neiman Center, open by appointment, welcomes visitors to view the work and offers students an opportunity to learn more about printmaking. Beyond visits to the print shop, the Neiman Center features a gallery that hosts five to six shows annually. “After COVID, it sort of felt like we kind of shut down, a little bit, now with the other restrictions [closure of gates]. We used to be more open to the public, and it’s difficult. So we encourage students to come see our openings and shows,” expressed Rippner. 

Although the semester is coming to a close, it’s not too late to discover the Neiman Center. Soon, the undergraduate senior thesis show will be held, which runs for about three to four weeks during graduation. 

“Just don’t have expectations, just go in. Just make art,” was Rosen’s advice for students wishing to get involved.