The Denver Art Museum has announced the upcoming exhibition "Southwest Impressions: Prints from the Barbara J. Thompson Collection," opening June 29, 2025, and running through June 14, 2026. The show features works on paper by artists who lived or traveled in the American Southwest between the late 1800s and mid-1900s, drawn from a collection of over 100 prints gifted to the museum's Petrie Institute of Western American Art in 2024 by Barbara J. Thompson in honor of her grandfather, printmaker C. A. Seward. The exhibition will be presented in two rotations of about fifty prints each, covering intaglio, block printing, lithography, and serigraphy, with interpretive videos and a digital publication.
This exhibition matters because it highlights the often-overlooked role of printmaking in Western American art during the first half of the 20th century, bringing a significant private collection into public view. It also underscores the Denver Art Museum's commitment to regional art history and community access, with free general admission for youth 18 and under and museum members. The show is supported by multiple local foundations and the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, reflecting strong community investment in the arts.