Evan Lindquist (May 23, 1936 – December 18, 2023) was an American artist and printmaker who was appointed to be the first Artist Laureate for the State of Arkansas. He concentrated on the medium of copperplate engraving for more than 50 years. His compositions are memorable for their emphasis on calligraphic lines.

Biography and education

Evan Lindquist was born in Salina, Kansas. His father was a lumber retailer in nearby Solomon, Kansas. In 1938, the family moved to Odessa, Missouri. In 1945, the family moved to Emporia, Kansas, where he was enrolled in the Laboratory Training School on the campus of Emporia State University.

At the age of 14, Lindquist started his own business, working as a professional calligrapher, engrosser, and gold-leaf artist. His clientele grew, and by 1952 his work was national in scope, including hand-lettered fraternity charters and certificates of membership for Alpha Kappa Lambda fraternity. In 1954, he graduated from Emporia High School and enrolled as a freshman at Emporia State University. He was employed as a Biology Lab Teaching Assistant, and later, he served as Staff Artist in the Graphic Arts and Printing Departments.Hendricks, Nancy, "Evan Lindquist" in The Encyclopedia of Arkansas A legendary aunt, Christina Lillian, had inspired Lindquist to become an artist himself.

In 1958, Lindquist earned the B.S. degree at Emporia State University, and he married artist Sharon Huenergardt. They have two sons. He continued working for ESU as Staff Artist until 1960 when Evan and Sharon moved to Iowa City, Iowa. From 1960 to 1963, he studied printmaking with Prof. Mauricio Lasansky at the University of Iowa, earning the M.F.A. degree in printmaking.

In 1963, he began teaching in the Art Department at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, until he retired from teaching in 2003. In 1981, he was awarded the honor of Outstanding Faculty Member and appointed by ASU President Ray Thornton to be First Chairman of The President's Fellows, a group formed to advise the president. He was awarded the rank of Emeritus Professor of Art, and he continues creating prints in his private studio in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Lindquist died on December 18, 2023, at the age of 87.

Works

Lindquist has concentrated on the process of burin engraving for printmaking since 1960.Museum of Modern Art (New York), "Late 20th-Century Engraving" His best-known works have explored the topics of string theories, Academe, old master engravers, labyrinths, and several others.

Lindquist's series on old master engravers was shown in 2015-2016 during a nine-month exhibition at Syracuse University Art Galleries, Syracuse, NY.

Selected Museum Collections

Some public collections holding Lindquist prints:

Albertina, Vienna, AustriaAlbertina Arkansas Arts Center, Little Rock, ARArkansas Arts Center Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MassachusettsArt Complex Museum Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, ILArt Institute of Chicago Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, MDBaltimore Museum of Art Blanton Museum of Art, The University of Texas at AustinBlanton Museum of Art Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MAMuseum of Fine Arts, Boston Columbia University Libraries, New York, NYColumbia University Libraries DeCordova Museum, Lincoln, MADeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane, Dublin, IrelandDublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane Fresno Metropolitan Museum of Art and Science, Fresno, CAFresno Metropolitan Museum of Art and Science Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, Ithaca, NYHerbert F. Johnson Museum of Art Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha, NEJoslyn Art Museum Kenosha Public Museum, Kenosha, WIKenosha Public Museum Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, Laurel, MSLauren Rogers Museum of Art Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis, TNMemphis Brooks Museum of Art Miami-Dade Public Library System, Miami, FLMiami-Dade Public Library System Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, MSMississippi Museum of Art Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid, SpainMuseo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MONelson-Atkins Museum of Art New Jersey State Museum, Trenton, NJNew Jersey State Museum New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans, LANew Orleans Museum of Art Portland Art Museum, Portland, ORPortland Art Museum Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, San Francisco, CAFine Arts Museums of San Francisco Spencer Museum of Art, Lawrence, KSSpencer Museum of Art Springfield Art Museum, Springfield, MO Syracuse University Art Galleries, Syracuse, NYSyracuse University Museum of Art and Archaeology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MOMuseum of Art and Archaeology Uffizi, Florence, ItalyUffizi Whitney Museum of American Art, NYWhitney Museum of American Art Bradbury Art Museum, Jonesboro, AR

Honors

2013: Appointed as the first Artist Laureate for the State of Arkansas, 2013-2017 2010: Lifetime Achievement Award, conferred by The Society of American Graphic Artists (SAGA) 2010: Centennial list of 100 Most Distinguished Faculty Members at Arkansas State University from 1909 to 2009 2009: Profiled, 100 Years 100 Voices, 1909-2009. Arkansas State University. 2004: Governor's Lifetime Achievement Award conferred by the Arkansas Arts CouncilArkansas Arts Council, "Governor's Arts Awards" 2004: Distinguished Alumni Award, Emporia State University,Emporia State University, "Distinguished Alumni Awards" 1981: Outstanding Faculty Member, awarded by Arkansas State University 1981: First Chairman of the President's Fellows, awarded by Arkansas State University

References

External links

Evan Lindquist papers, 1970-2001 at the Smithsonian Institution Archives of American Art