Delita Martin
Master Printmaker, Founder of Black Box Press
Little Rock | Quapaw Quarter

Just as master printmaker Delita Martin was wrapping up graduate school at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., her husband delivered some life-changing news.

“I came home one day and he said, ‘I got a job offer in Little Rock. We’re moving,” she recalled. “I was a little shocked; I wasn’t expecting that.”

After a long moment, Delita – whose work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally – agreed to relocate and make the commute between Arkansas and Indiana to finish her Masters in Fine Arts.

“I knew that once I was finished I wanted to continue making prints, but I wasn’t sure how I was going to make that happen,” Delita said. “Then, it hit me. If I was interested in making prints, I was sure there were others who wanted to make prints as well. So the next logical step was to invest in a press and make it available to artists as well as others in the community who were interested in printmaking.”

With that, Black Box Press was born. Delita opened her first studio in North Little Rock in the basement of a church, before eventually relocating to a space in Little Rock’s Quapaw Quarter, right outside her home. Her workshops are so popular that she has plans to expand her space to accommodate more people.

“The response from the community has been great,” she said. And “this has proved to not only be a learning experience for others but for me as well.”

What do you like most about living in the Quapaw Quarter? I was drawn to the historical area. The houses have so much character and history. When we found our home, I fell in love with the woodwork and it still had a lot of the original features.

Quapaw really feels more like an extended family than a neighborhood. But I think the icing on the cake for me was the carriage house in the back, which has since become Black Box Press.

How does the art scene in Metro Little Rock compare to other places you’ve lived? The art scene in Little Rock is fantastic! I think the major difference between the artists here and those in other places is the support for each other and the willingness to share knowledge in their areas of expertise.

Does Little Rock ever influence your art? Yes, I think that any environment you are in affects your work. It’s impossible to create in a vacuum.

Delita’s Favorites

  • Best place to be inspired: Arkansas River Trail; Bernice Garden    
  • Best place to buy/sell art: Gallery 26; Boswell Mourot Gallery
  • Favorite museums/galleries: Arkansas Art Center; Hearn Fine Arts Gallery
  • Favorite restaurants: The Flying Fish; The Root Café; Community Bakery
  • Favorite place to shop: The Green Corner Store