Flo Cooper of Butler Township with one of the Japanese woodblock prints that will be displayed in an exhibit at Butler County Community College. The prints are from the Shin-Hanga movement, meaning they were made between 1915 and 1956. The artists featured include Takahasi Shotei and Kawase Hasui, who was named a National Living Treasure by his government.

BUTLER TWP — When Flo Cooper was cleaning out the empty house of a friend, she ran across a box of prints with obvious Asian influence.

She said she didn't think anything of them, other than they were nice.

But her husband knew better.

Bill Cooper took the prints to his fine arts teacher at Butler County Community College, and Thursday's opening of the exhibit of Japanese woodblock prints is the result.

Bill has researched the 25 prints, put together a brochure, and framed them in preparation for the display at the Mary Hulton Phillips Gallery near the Succop Theater at the college.

It was about a year and a half ago when Flo's friend, retired Maj. Genevieve "Jean" Pearson, died at age 100 and left her North Carolina home to the retired Butler Township couple.

Pearson had been a school teacher who boarded with Flo's Jefferson County family before World War II. When the United States joined the war, Pearson left her job to join the Women's Army Corps. The army then trained Pearson to be a physical therapist, Flo said.

It was near the end of the war — Bill estimates 1946 — that Pearson bought the prints from Watanabe Publishers while stationed in Japan.

The prints, ranging from standard paper to poster size, were found with a folder marked with the publisher's name. The color and quality has been well-preserved.

Bill said he marvels at the color and the detail in the prints considering how they are made. Bill said it would take a team of people to finish the prints, produced en masse. An artist would design the print — some of the Coopers' depict flowers or mountain snow scenes — then a carver would make a wooden relief of the design. A third person would roll ink on sections of the wooden block and then press the design onto paper properly registered. Bill said some of the most complicated prints would have 20 wooden blocks.

It was the publisher's job to market and sell the prints, which now are rather valuable, Bill said.

The particular prints for the art show are from the Shin-Hanga movement, meaning they were made between 1915 and 1956. The artists featured include Takahasi Shotei and Kawase Hasui, who was named a National Living Treasure by his government.

Bill, when he recognized the artistic value of the prints, took them to art teacher David Ludwick at BC3. Bill has always enjoyed art, and since his retirement has taken a series of art classes at the community college. He's not pursing a degree, he said, but just enjoying learning.

It was Ludwick who suggested an art show. So, Bill has been planning one since last spring.

Now, he's looking forward to the opening reception at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the gallery inside the Science,Technology and Cultural Center building. The prints will remain on display through September.

After that, Flo said she's not sure what will be done with the prints. But, she said, she thinks she knows some family members who might want one.

<b>WHAT: </b>17th annual Nature and Wildlife Exhibit presented by the Associated Artists of Butler County<b>WHEN: </b>Sept. 7 to Oct. 5, from noon to 6 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, noon to 9 p.m. Fridays and noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays<b>WHERE: </b>AABC Art Center, 344 S. Main St.<b>ADMISSION: </b>Free<b>INFORMATION: </b>724-283-6922 or www.associatedartistsofbutler.org