Welcome to Tall Grass Arts Association

Mented: A Mentor and Mentee Collaboration

Featuring works by Heather Cox and Gretchen Jankowski

Tall Grass Arts Association will present Mented: A Mentor and Mentee Collaboration, featuring works by Heather Cox and Gretchen Jankowski, from October 3 through November 7, 2026.

At the heart of Mented is the relationship between two artists, a mentor and mentee, whose work shares a foundation in printmaking but grows far beyond what we might traditionally think of as a print.

Heather Cox considers herself part of a lineage of nontraditional printmakers. Working intuitively, she mixes techniques such as screen printing and linoleum cut with printed paper, fabric, string, encaustic wax, collage, and drawing. Her process is playful and experimental, allowing the materials—and sometimes the unexpected—to help determine where a piece goes next. 

Cox received her BFA from Millikin University and MFA from Governors State University. Her work has appeared in solo and juried exhibitions, including her 2026 solo exhibition, Under the Surface, Into Play, at the Fuquay-Varina Arts Center. 

For Gretchen Jankowski, printmaking is what she calls her "origin point." Beginning with relief and screen printing, she explores how those images can interact with other materials and become something entirely new. Printed fragments may be layered into resin collages, while prints on fabric are quilted and transformed into dimensional forms. Her recent work also incorporates abstract botanical patterns inspired by gardening. 

Jankowski earned her BFA from Columbia College Chicago and MFA from California State University, Long Beach, with an emphasis in printmaking, and is currently an Associate Professor at Governors State University. 

Mented brings these two bodies of work together, allowing us to see the connections between mentor and mentee while also seeing two very distinct artistic voices. Both artists understand the traditions of printmaking, but neither feels particularly obligated to stay within them.

Perhaps that's one of the best things about mentorship in art. A good mentor doesn't create another version of themselves. They share knowledge, tools, and encouragement, then give another artist room to discover where those things might lead.

Tall Grass Arts Association invites the community to meet the artists and experience Mented during the Opening Reception on Saturday, October 3, from 12–2 p.m.

The exhibition will be on view October 3–November 7, 2026.

Exhibition curated by Katie Ziebell in collaboration with artists Heather Cox and Gretchen Jankowski.