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• "Alley Downtown" by Lisbeth Firmin

Forty prints for 40 years. That's the general idea behind "collaboration," a group exhibition at Vermont Studio Center in Johnson. But the display in the Red Mill Gallery isn't just a shout-out to VSC's four decades of existence. Embedded in the exhibition are layers of history and an aspirational offering to the center's future.

The history: In 1994, VSC cofounder Jon Gregg and master printer Sarah Amos embarked on a print project that would continue for 10 years. The idea was to invite accomplished contemporary artists — with or without printmaking experience — for weeklong residencies at the VSC Printing Press. Over the decade, Amos worked with 250 artists who produced original work in printmaking techniques, including monotypes, etchings, woodcuts, collagraphs and drypoint. The participants could take home half of their prints, and VSC kept the rest. By 2004, the collection had grown to some 1,200 prints, which were placed in storage.

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• "small heads (black)" by Roger Winter

Income generated from the project supported fellowships at the center, which offers 12-, 19- and 26-day writing and visual artist residencies throughout the year, along with open-to-the-public talks and related programming.

In July 2023, torrential rains caused major flooding throughout central and northern Vermont, including Johnson. And including the building that housed VSC's print archive. "A third of the prints were affected by the flood," said Leila Bandar, VSC's gallery and visual arts program director. Fortunately, she added, "Only a handful were beyond repair."

VSC staff, resident artists and community volunteers took quick action to rescue the archive and other spaces inundated by the overflowing Gihon River. Afterward, Amos — who lives in Australia — returned to support the print restoration with works-on-paper conservators Carolyn Frisa and Walter Newman.

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• "Dunands Vase" by Alfred DeCredico

Now, the renowned studio center is celebrating its 40th year, having survived floods, uncontrollable global events, including a pandemic, and multiple changes in leadership. Current executive director Hope Sullivan was just weeks into her tenure in July when she was handed a watery catastrophe. "Hope has been amazing," Bandar said, adding that the flood "brought us to think about our mission for the next 40 years. How do we take a calamity and turn it into a benefit?"

"Collaboration," curated by Amos, is more than a resurrection of artworks that languished in flat files for years. Visitors to the exhibit will see a fascinating array of artistic visions, including the whimsical, painterly monotype of the Statue of Liberty as a plein-air artist by New York artist Lois Dodd; a monotype of a cigarette-smoking pink head by Texas-born artist Roger Winter; the elegant white-on-black relief etching of a cityscape by late New York artist Yvonne Jacquette; and a brushy, blue and green abstraction that distills landscape by Philadelphia painter Stuart Shils.

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• "Liberty Painting" by Lois Dodd

An accompanying exhibition book expresses the VSC community's sense of resilience, gratitude and pride in the collection. The book and gallery signage also explain a concurrent opportunity for collectors: All 40 prints from the historic collaborations are for sale through an online auction; once again, proceeds will support artist and writer fellowships at VSC.

The auction will end on May 30 with a closing reception, which Amos plans to attend.

Bandar observed that the gallery is "the public face" of Vermont Studio Center. On the campus, among past and present residents, and in the supportive hub of Johnson, "it's always been about community," she said.