Flying Horse Editions at UCF Selects Mira Lehr for 2021 Visiting Artist Residency

Flying Horse Editions, the nationally acclaimed printmaking studio inviting the world’s leading artists for its Visiting Artist Residency program, has chosen Mira Lehr for its select roster of artists for 2021. Flying Horse Editions was established in 1990 at the University of Central Florida in Orlando and is part of UCF’s College of Arts and Humanities.

In her new series created at UCF’s Flying Horse Editions, Mira Lehr, now at the age of 86, is experimenting with explosives, fuses, plexiglass, watercolor, and inks ‒ exploring new ways to use nontraditional materials in the art of printmaking.

Lehr’s new work created at this residency will debut during Art Basel Miami Beach 2021, at the INK Miami Satellite Fair (December 1-5 at the Dorchester Hotel) during Miami Art Week 2021. The INK Miami fair is a major satellite fair produced by the International Fine Print Dealers Association. INK Miami is recognized worldwide as one of the leading presentations of works on paper by internationally renowned artists.

Lehr’s new limited editions will then tour nationwide with Flying Horse throughout 2022 at several art fairs across the U.S. and internationally.

“Lehr’s body of work spans all media, not bound by one process,” Director of Flying Horse Editions Theo Lotz said. “We knew that her bold approach to artmaking would lead to a great collaboration. Lehr thrives in our studio, which relishes the unexpected.”

Mira Lehr completed the first part of her studio residency in the spring and will return to Flying Horse later this year to complete her new editions there.

Every artwork in Lehr’s new editions will each be an original work of art that was created exclusively during the residency. They were each imagined with these trailblazing printmaking techniques in mind and are each one of a kind.

So far, Lehr has created a series of monotypes with watercolor prints created on plexiglass. She has also created a new lithograph with collage pieces that will be burned and ignited using the artist’s signature technique with fuses and gunpowder, for a new varied edition.

“Their passionate commitment to the craft of printmaking is evident, they really put their hearts into the visiting artist’s experience,” Mira Lehr said of Flying Horse Editions. “I was able to experiment with great freedom ‒ they encourage the artists to take risks, while remaining true to your voice.”

Lehr’s nature-based imagery includes painting, design, sculpture and video installation. Her processes include innovative usage of resin, gunpowder, fire, Japanese paper, dyes and welded steel. 

Her paradoxically destructive yet creative fire techniques burn holes and leave imprints in her prints resulting in an even more layered and complicated final artwork.

About Flying Horse Editions

The Flying Horse Editions studio is celebrated for cutting-edge technology. The studio inspires artists to push the boundaries of printmaking, in a kinetic, experimental setting among its team of master printmakers.

Flying Horse Editions was established in 1990 at the University of Central Florida. The artists invited to participate in the residency has included: Diana Al-Hadid, Elia Alba, Chakaia Booker, Will Cotton, Ke Francis, Luis Gispert, Eddie Martinez, Odili Donald Odita, and Toyin Ojih Odutola.