The Yost Art Gallery at Highland Community College in Highland, Kansas, is currently showcasing “Mistakes and Progress,” an exhibition by artist Caitlin Penny. The exhibit will be on display through Friday, March 7.

Caitlin Penny is a relief printmaker who specializes in reduction printmaking, a technique she uses to explore themes of environmental and animal conservation.

Reduction printmaking is a unique and challenging process that allows artists to create rich, colorful prints by repeatedly carving and printing from a single linoleum block. With each new layer of color, more of the linoleum surface is carved away, preserving portions of the previous colors underneath. Unlike other forms of printmaking this technique ultimately destroys the plate. This closely mirrors, the fragile existence of the landscapes and animals depicted in Penny’s work. For once the final print is pulled, the plate is used up and discarded effectively becoming extinct.

Though her subject matter tackles serious and pressing environmental issues, Penny’s artistic style is colorful, illustrative and inviting — blending optimism with quiet reflection. She hopes this approach encourages viewers to thoughtfully engage with the topics, rather than feel overwhelmed by them.

Caitlin Penny earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in printmaking from Kansas State University. She has built a successful career selling her work at art fairs across the country and is pleased to share her work with the Highland community during her offseason. For this exhibition, Penny created a new piece, Always - Forever, which is featured in the show.

To see “Mistakes and Progress,” visit the Yost Art Gallery, located in the Jack D. Nutt Math Science Building on the Highland Community College campus. The gallery is open to the public Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with no admission fee. Follow Caitlin Penny on Instagram at @cmpennypress to see more of her work.