Introduction

Between 1969 and 1986, Ponderosa (a Dayton, Ohio company that became the leading steak restaurant chain of the 1970s and 80s), assembled an art collection that represents some of the greatest American artists of that time. In 1987, The Dayton Art Institute was able to acquire, through purchase and gift, the entire corporate collection as a result of a takeover of Ponderosa by a New York company. In addition to paintings and sculpture, numerous prints were part of the collection that had been put together by Gerry Office, the CEO of Ponderosa, in consultation with the Carl Solway Gallery of Cincinnati. The print portion of the collection is the focus of the museum’s special exhibition, LIMITED EDITIONS: 20th-Century Prints from the Ponderosa Collection, which includes over 100 prints, most of which are large scale.

The intent of this educator resource is to provide teachers with information on the Ponderosa print collection, the art historical context in which the prints were created, and the techniques used. Five artists have been selected for special focus because of their appeal to children and their connection to other works on view in the museum’s contemporary galleries. In addition, printmaking techniques using non-toxic materials are the focus of the lesson plan suggestions that also support the Ohio Academic Content Standards for Visual Arts. You will notice that printmaking terminology is highlighted throughout this packet and defined within the text as it is used. A resource list, including useful web-sites, books, videos, and materials is included at the end of the packet.