Welcome to Imprint 2021, our 13th annual high school print competition and exhibition. 2021 is the first year this exhibition will be entirely virtual, allowing us to reach a wider audience than ever before! This online exhibition represents a juried selection of works submitted by high school students from across Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties. 

The Imprint program encourages new generations of young artists in the medium of relief printmaking. When Wharton Esherick was a young artist, woodcut printmaking was a critical medium in his artistic development. Through printmaking, Esherick transitioned from a young painter to an internationally recognized artist and furniture designer. You can see Esherick’s prints in our collection and in the collections of other institutions, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art. To see a new print from the Esherick Museum’s collection every week, follow us on Facebook  each “Woodcut Wednesday.”

Recognizing the pivotal role that printmaking played in Esherick’s life, we are delighted to once again highlight young artists who represent the future of this powerful medium, with Imprint. In this most difficult year, rife with challenges, countless students found themselves learning and practicing printmaking from home. Nevertheless, we received a truly astounding array of beautiful submissions, spanning numerous themes and techniques. It is with this in mind as we embark on another year of Imprint, we applaud art teachers and students everywhere, who have continued to create, even in the face of adversity.

Hannah Schermer,
Národní dům na Vinohradech
Springfield Township High School

Alia Rodriguez, Wildflower
Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls

Kaidence McCormac, Almost Home
Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls