FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Cynthia Nourse Thompson, associate professor of printmaking and book arts in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, will give a public lecture at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, in the Fine Arts Center room 213.

“I will be presenting a lecture about my recent work, including an artist book I am currently producing as part of the Penland School of Craft Winter Letterpress residency,” said Thompson.

Thompson’s work has often been described as clean, pure and ordered. Through her work, she shares her own life experiences as well as concerns with growing up as a young woman in the religious South. Her work was included in New Faculty Exhibition: Stephanie Pierce and Cynthia Nourse Thompson, which was on display from Friday, Jan. 21, until Feb. 23, in the Fine Arts Center Gallery. The exhibition featured pieces by Thompson as well as Stephanie Pierce, assistant professor of painting.

In addition to teaching, Thompson is the curator and director of exhibitions at the university. Before coming to the University of Arkansas, she was a professor of book and paper arts at the Memphis College of Art for 12 years and also served as the chair of their fine arts department for one year. In June 2014, Thompson will become the program director for the book arts/ printmaking and master of fine arts studio arts programs at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.

Penland School of Craft Winter Letterpress residency is designed to foster new connections and cross-pollination between writers, printmakers, letterpress printers and all artists drawn to the versatility of print media. Residents are selected based on a proposed project. They are expected to work independently to conceptualize a project that fits the time and equipment offered. Each session includes ten residents.