BY GINNY VAN ALYEA

35 years in the art business is no small feat, but 35 years selling works on paper, while earning the love and admiration of dozens, perhaps hundreds, of artists, is another thing entirely. Out of a friendship between Bob Hiebert and Sidney Block grew a unique gallery, Printworks, devoted to supporting both established and emerging artists and to enriching the community as a whole. 

Hiebert and Block met as friends over 46 years ago, and in 1980, they went into business together to sell prints, original drawings, photography and artists’ books. Over the years they have placed prints and drawings in the permanent collections of major institutions around the world including the Tate Gallery in London, the Art Institute of Chicago,
the Hirshhorn Museum and National Museum of American Art in Washington DC, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and the Australian National Gallery.

There are many things that distinguish Chicago’s art community from others around the country, but some of the first that come to mind are the resistance of trends and the collegiality between artists as well as dealers; these hallmarks are each exemplified by the program many have come to know so well at Printworks. The gallery has become a gathering place for legions of Chicago’s most well-known and respected artists (some of whom work primarily in print, as well as others who may work in another medium entirely but dabble from time to time in paper/prints, others still just simply enjoy working with Bob and Sidney), and it has also allowed many collectors to find an accessible and affordable entry point to buying art (the gallery even has an Affordable Art program, featuring works priced for $300 and under).

Hiebert and Block’s devotion to works on paper occupies a contemporary sweet spot in the art world. They have earned a reputation for faithfully promoting their artists, and for 35 years they’ve helped build many careers as well as assemble unique, beautiful shows that have left indelible marks on the calendar of Chicago’s own artistic history. 

This past November Sidney passed away at the age of 91, 9 years after the death of his beloved wife Hanna, leaving behind his dear friend Bob and an empty chair near the gallery’s front door. In December the gallery’s anniversary exhibition featured 35 collaborative works by 105 artists.The exhibition, The Return of the Exquisite Corpse, runs through February 13.